Dynavector XX2

hello Blueoyster(?),sorry to hear about your xx2 experience.i've just changed from the Dynavector dv20xh to the dv17d Karat.
deck is lp12\ittok lv111\lingo mk1 and this wee gold beastie is very good thru' my Kairn's output.my choices were Klyde or 17d,but being Scottish i really couldn't pass up the trade-in!!.i'm sure after a week or so you'll get the benefits of the new cartidge coming thru'.
dennis

Ross-

You recently said the ES Troika was clearly better than the xx2, Helikon, and Ortofon - has your view of it diminished with time?

To the original poster, it sounds like you still have some variables to isolate. You reference hearing the cartridge at your dealer and liking it - what set-up was there? You liked another cartridge better at home with a different tonearm - have you tried this preferred cartridge on your Ekos, or the xx2 on an Ittok? I see from an earlier post the Linto is new as well. Maybe re-check/re-think all this with your dealer?

Best of luck,
Scott

[This message was edited by Scott Naylor on MONDAY 31 March 2003 at 04:02.]

Maybe it's setup? That is fix on a tracking force (1.85g for example - MUST use a stylus guage for this) then VTA then anti-skate. The VTA will give you some bass (if it's way off) and dynamics and so will the anti-skate. I think the cartridge may need to be run in for about 40 hours before you can set it up properly although mine didn't.

Is the cartridge you use at home the exact same one that you tried at the dealer? If not, try the dealer's cart at home and visa versa. Also, I understand that the Linto is very different from the Naim phone boards, prefix and stageline, perhaps this is the difference. The XX2 should sound fast, involving although a bit brittle (harsh?) and should generate enough excitement and bass.

Sorry you don't like it. Mine was great out of the box but from day 2 > 15 it was odd, then it was great again, certainly not dull. I fear the DVs may suit Aros better than Linn arms but have no real evidence.

Contrary to Ross I found my ES Troika very disappointing - I think you take pot luck with ES, some good, some bad.

Alex

Blue,

is that a very new Ekos?

I would be very suspicious of this - search for reports on the new Akiva (?) cartridge for one users tale of woe with his.

I've heard other stories, too.

Take your deck back to he dealer, and get him to re-do the demo so you can confirm your audio memory. Then try your deck beside it.

I went through months of agony with my Mk1 Ekos before it went back to Linn to be re-built (stuffed-up bearings).

cheers, Martin

E-mail:- MartinPayne at Dial.Pipex.com

Bland and undynamic is not the usual Dynavector presentation. This sounds like poor setup to me. The suggestion to take the whole shebang to the dealer and ask for an A/B comparison seems like a good one. However, you do want to run it in a bit more than you have so far! 10 hours hasn't really scratched the surface (heh heh) so far.

In my view the Dynavector is way better than those nasty Ortofons and boring Helikons! The Rohmann is a little bright and flat. The Helikon, though good in many ways, just bores me - although I still haven't heard the Helikon SL which is reputedly a fine cartridge.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

The continuing saga of the Dynavector.
The Ekos is a Mk2 (7yrs old) & the Linto is
3yrs old, both purchased from someone who had dispensed with a vinyl set up. Both items have been checked & are OK. I heard the XX2 on an Aro & although lovely texture etc I still preferred the Ekos sound. I did try the XX2 on the Ittock & it still sounded pretty good, the problem I have is that the Ortofon MC30 (although knackered) was brought to life by the Linto, but the XX2 seems dull in comparison. I am unable to use the Ortofon now as it has expired, the purpose was to upgrade the system but it sounds WORSE than before. In addition the volume has to be increased since the XX2 was installed, is the output lower? I will try an Audiotech wall shelf next (originally heard LP12 on this) recent posts suggest that it is fine for the LP12 (the Mana creates a forward sound which I dislike)

The deck is going back to the dealer for an A/B check against their XX2, so hopefully we will get to the bottom of it. I really want a change from Ortofon because I`ve had them for years, I had considered a Troika or Arkiv, but it`s too late now! Will review the situation after the A/B test.

Thanks guys for your help

Blueoyster (Colin)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ross Blackman:
I have an XX2 and also find it rather dull. I don't think it's quite as bad as you have suggested, but it was certainly disappointing. After owning a 17D2 and an XX2 I find I am not a fan of the Dynavector sound.

Ross- Quite agree, I heard the 17D2 on the Aro and found it slow, undynamic & very lean sounding. But the XX2 was much better on both arms but unfortunately does not do the business in my system. Will give it another couple of weeks to run in before I decide which path to follow (if any). Keep your fingers crosssed!

Colin

blueoyster:

i have had the XX2 (in an lp12/Prefix/ARO/Geddon) for sometime now and love it to bits. of course, personal preferences differ etc etc, but the fact that you LIKED the XX2 when you demmed at the dealers says something.

certainly "musically uninvolving & lacking in dynanics" is NOT a description i would use for the XX2. quite the opposite in fact.

i wish you luck, and hope your dealer will sort all this out for you. do bear in mind that the cartridge will take quite some time to "run-in"...

enjoy

ken

Blueoyster,

I feel your pain. I don't think it is possible to go back to Ekos after hearing ARO + XX2. But having done this myself. as you say you will then miss something that the Ekos does. Fraim helps a bit, but I believe the only soluton is to get a very different (and probably more expensive) turntable. This is exactly what I have done as a solution to the problem.

The Ortofon (Kontrapunkt B?) may be the only low cost solution - did you get to listen to one?
Probably, none of this is what you wanted to hear.
There was a thread a long time ago which explained the DV/non-DV/Ekos/ARO/Armageddon/Lingo combinations that work and those that don't, I had a look just now but couldn't find it.

To continue- Have spoken at length with dealer re XX2 & it transpires that the cartridge has to be run in for at least 40-50 hrs (unlike my old Ortofon). This accounts for the fact that the thing sounded bloody awful over the weekend, the bass & drums especially. Hopefully everything will click into place in a few weeks, you see I am an impatient bugger.

Thanks to Dominic for your outstanding achievements in helping to keep me sane. (Re this forum- have you figured out who I am yet?,
if not I suggest that a CDS3 if offered to me at a vastly reduced price!)

I`m off to play 'Hot Rats' by Zappa (gotta run in the XX2).

Thanks & adios

Blueoyster

Mr. Oyster,

Does the cartridge sound good yet?

I nearly bought an XX-2 from Infidelity instead of my new DV17D2 mkII (and a half), but it would have involved waiting -oooooh - all of a week.

Come on Mr O; we want to know.