Dear Mike: First than all: it is very grateful to read the findings of a top cartridges evaluation that was made in a full high resolution audio system ( great, great audio system you have. Congratulations !!!!): nothing can hide.
The Colibri is a stellar cartridge but a pain in the ass till we can understand it. We need a lot of patience and know-how.
Mine is in a policarbonite bodie an is the very low output 0.18mv type. The other Colibri that I own ( in the past ) was a 0.65mv that I sold it because I prefer the very low output version: this one is the cartridge type that is not telling you " I'm here ".
Before any one can make a serious evaluation of the Colibri cartridges, we have to wait at least 200 hours of play on it and then send back to VDH for a him-self last " touch ", when the Colibri return to you and only then: you will know why I say that this cartridge is a " stellar one ". This " last touch " is for free, you only do the shipping payment to VDH.
Mike it is unfortunatelly that the XV-1 had only 30 hours of use and, in my opinion, that was set up at 2.7grs on VTF. Why?: this is an e-mail that I run directly to Dynavector and the answer from the Dynavector Technical Director:
At 01:09 05/08/31, you wrote:
>Dear friends: I own the awesome XV-1 and a DV-505 too. I read somewhere that this cartridge have a better performance if we use a VTF of 2.7 gr.
>Before I change to this VTF I would like to know if this high VTF don't compromise: a centered coils, tracking, suspension degradation on the long run, etc, etc.
>
>What do you think about? I really appreciate your advise. It is very important to me.
>Best regards.
>Raul.
Dear Raul,
Thank you for your using DV products.
DV cartridges can secure sufficient performance when using recommended tracking force motioned on the manual. It is true that Higher tracking force can improve the tracking performance at the high amplitude track of the record but too higher tracking force might cause the problem with frequency response as upper side of the damper rubber is compressed by the coil bobbin and downside of the damper rubber is detach from the coil bobbin.
We advise 2.5g would be reasonable maximum tracking force for the XV-1s.
Tracking ability of the XV-1s is slightly changed by room temperature. It means that when you use the cartridge in cold room, you should increase tracking force a little than the XV-1s recommended tracking force of 2.0g, when you use cartridge in hot room you should decrease tracking force.
Hopefully it could be helpful to you.
Best regards,
Masaaki Sasa
Sales and Technical director
Dynavector Systems Ltd.
Mike I respect you experience, dedication and love for the music and for the audio hobby, but I differ on my own findings with yours: the XV-1 is a lot better that your findings, it does not have the inmediacy and explosiveness of the Colibri but; for me in my system for my music priorities, it has all the >Colibri characteristics in a more natural way.
It is a very hard choice, here it is only which one fit better with our music priotities: that's all. There is no winner, both are winners.
Maybe I differ in my findings because my XV-1 is fully broke-in, I use between 2.4 and 2.5 grs and is mated with the best match/tonearm that I can find for it till today ( and of course a different audio room/system )
About the ZYX, everybody know my opinion about ( that you confirm ): no more comments on it.
Tks for share your valuable evaluation with these top performers cartridges.
For me, your thread is a confirmation of my experiences and give me a new light for further analog findings. Tks again.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
The Colibri is a stellar cartridge but a pain in the ass till we can understand it. We need a lot of patience and know-how.
Mine is in a policarbonite bodie an is the very low output 0.18mv type. The other Colibri that I own ( in the past ) was a 0.65mv that I sold it because I prefer the very low output version: this one is the cartridge type that is not telling you " I'm here ".
Before any one can make a serious evaluation of the Colibri cartridges, we have to wait at least 200 hours of play on it and then send back to VDH for a him-self last " touch ", when the Colibri return to you and only then: you will know why I say that this cartridge is a " stellar one ". This " last touch " is for free, you only do the shipping payment to VDH.
Mike it is unfortunatelly that the XV-1 had only 30 hours of use and, in my opinion, that was set up at 2.7grs on VTF. Why?: this is an e-mail that I run directly to Dynavector and the answer from the Dynavector Technical Director:
At 01:09 05/08/31, you wrote:
>Dear friends: I own the awesome XV-1 and a DV-505 too. I read somewhere that this cartridge have a better performance if we use a VTF of 2.7 gr.
>Before I change to this VTF I would like to know if this high VTF don't compromise: a centered coils, tracking, suspension degradation on the long run, etc, etc.
>
>What do you think about? I really appreciate your advise. It is very important to me.
>Best regards.
>Raul.
Dear Raul,
Thank you for your using DV products.
DV cartridges can secure sufficient performance when using recommended tracking force motioned on the manual. It is true that Higher tracking force can improve the tracking performance at the high amplitude track of the record but too higher tracking force might cause the problem with frequency response as upper side of the damper rubber is compressed by the coil bobbin and downside of the damper rubber is detach from the coil bobbin.
We advise 2.5g would be reasonable maximum tracking force for the XV-1s.
Tracking ability of the XV-1s is slightly changed by room temperature. It means that when you use the cartridge in cold room, you should increase tracking force a little than the XV-1s recommended tracking force of 2.0g, when you use cartridge in hot room you should decrease tracking force.
Hopefully it could be helpful to you.
Best regards,
Masaaki Sasa
Sales and Technical director
Dynavector Systems Ltd.
Mike I respect you experience, dedication and love for the music and for the audio hobby, but I differ on my own findings with yours: the XV-1 is a lot better that your findings, it does not have the inmediacy and explosiveness of the Colibri but; for me in my system for my music priorities, it has all the >Colibri characteristics in a more natural way.
It is a very hard choice, here it is only which one fit better with our music priotities: that's all. There is no winner, both are winners.
Maybe I differ in my findings because my XV-1 is fully broke-in, I use between 2.4 and 2.5 grs and is mated with the best match/tonearm that I can find for it till today ( and of course a different audio room/system )
About the ZYX, everybody know my opinion about ( that you confirm ): no more comments on it.
Tks for share your valuable evaluation with these top performers cartridges.
For me, your thread is a confirmation of my experiences and give me a new light for further analog findings. Tks again.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.