Just ordered a Dynavector DV-17D3...

It's a Stands Unique Transition SE, they have dealers all over.

 

That's a pretty nice looking system you have there, JB. Your Spacedeck in particular looks immaculate.

 

Out of curiosity, jools, does the wallshelf give off enough light to cue up by?

Glad you got it sorted in the end.

 

Yes it does just about have enough light for cueing. It's florescent so some care needs to be taken with the wires to stop any hum but it's fine on mine.
Little side note I spent two hours or so fine tuning the bias and VTF last night,it tracks well and sounds very good, cant quite manage the 4th bias test on the HFNRR test record but does 1 2 and 3 cleanly, I expect it will track better when it's had a few hours to bed in and loosen up a bit. It's still got very little clearance though, so I'd say that's a mark of the breed, better than the knackered one though, apparently on reading the instructions I can expect .3mm of clearance!!
Sound is very clean, very fast and seems a little fuller than the Mk2 overall a lovely bit of kit.

 

If it's tracking 1, 2 and 3 cleanly, I wouldn't hold your breath hoping it'll get any better - that's about as good as any cart can be expected to track. Way better than mine... :-/

Dunc

 

True enough but I'm running at 2.2 grms and I think when it loosens up I can back that off a bit. There is a very faint buzz on the 3rd track which I think will go with a bit more use. Had along chat with Len Gregory yesterday about his test record and the gauge he ships with it and he reckons that using the 2 point technique is the way forward for sure. Still the cantilver is so small on the DV and the stylus profile is so complex that it's worth really getting it spot on I may revisit tonight and just triple check everything, that's my problem, I'm never 100% sure that it's set up as perfectly as it could be. It sounds very good but even so it's a niggling doubt in my mind. Got to love vinyl eh!

 

Hi Jools,
How substantial was the hardware to nail that shelf to the wall? I ask only as I have an Apollo wall shelf with a relatively light weight Systemdek on top.

I have occasionally considered a deck upgrade to a more substantial one (weight-wise) such as yours, but although my bracket is attached to a solid wall, the wall is not very thick. I use six two-inch mounting screws into rawlplugs that hold the Apollo to the wall, but I'm concerned that a heavier deck would take the shelf off the wall. I don't particularly want to have hardware coming through to the other side, as it's the hallway!

 

My old ortofon mc2000 could clear track 4 in an SME V on my PT.

 

I used 4 quite large bolts IIRC but Im sure they were very much overkill. I think yo'd be best to talk to a dit of a DIY guru , I phoned my Father!!

 

Apologies for dragging this thread back up again...

My DV17's now somewhat b*ggered. The signal in the r/h channel has, over the past few weeks, started to lose output - I noticed it first when solo singers' voices began to move to the left of centre - they now always sit approx half way between centre and l/h speaker (with all the other stuff being shifted too of course - it's easier to spot with singers that's all).

Put my trusty old MC15 back in and all's centred-up again. The DV's been treated like a new-born baby, as I know it will have been by its previous owner. The cartridge is approx 5 months old so should still be under manufacturer's warranty.

Looking at the cantilever (it's tiny) it appears as though it's the teeniest bit to the left if looking from the front.

From Jools' experience, it would appear that Dynavector could well have a QC problem going on here. The cartridge originally came from Phonography down in Ringwood - reckon it's now got approx 80-100 hours on it.

Bearing in mind that I bought the cartridge used, albeit still under manufacturer's warranty, where do you guys reckon I stand here with Dynavector? Anyone else, apart from Joolsburger, had any experience dealing with them?

Thanks for any info - it's a such a great cartridge, and haven't regretted buying it for a second (and I know Lefty really looks after his stuff - there aren't many folk I'd buy a used cartridge from). It's just that it's not a cheap item to throw away.

Cheers,

Richard.

 

Interesting... (and real sorry for you there Gromit!) I was thinking mine was sounding a bit off-centre, specifically off to the left... I was sure it was either just my imagination, or just due to the arm-spindle alignment problem and would be sorted by the new armboard! Uh-oh... Please let it be that!

I've been promised this armboard "next week" for the past 3 or 4 weeks now... Sigh... Small hifi companies - always the same! Maybe next week... Will let you know if that sorts it or what!

Good luck with yours...

Dunc

 

Cheers Dunc - hope you armboard arrives soon; frustrating waiting for things isn't it?

With mine, I've got it aligned absolutely as best as I can - the stylus is sitting bang-on the spot on the NAS-supplied Polaris guage with the cartridge body parallel - it really can't be any more accurately set. Azimuth on the arm is bang-on too. Tracking weight has been varied from 1.8-2.1g with bias altered to either end of the scale (with all points inbetween) to no avail.

When playing the HFS75 test record, the DV has always mis-tracked on the r/h channel (constant, steady buzz rather than the odd 'zz' here & there) which I just put down to 'one of those things' as it sounded fine. There's also more surface noise from the r/h too. The MC15 sails through these tests.

 

Update: Just phoned Phonography who originally supplied the cartridge - they couldn't have been more helpful. I'm sending it up to Pear Audio where it'll go off to Dynavector to be checked out. P/graphy reckon DV are usually pretty good about this sort of thing so hopefully we'll be back in the groove soon.

 

How much do you want to bet that your DV gets to Japan and back, fixed and perfect, before I get my stinking armboard from stinking London! :JOEL:

Dunc

 

Duncan, at least you now know why Pink Triangle went under.

 

Sorry to hear about your problems with the Dynavector carts guys.

This is one of the reasons I've never looked at their carts. When I first got in to vinyl one of the lads I worked with had the cheaper red coloured cart. Was chuffed to bits with it, then about 3 months later he told be it pretty much fell to pieces.

Got another one and the same thing happened after about 9 months.

Even though I always enjoyed the sound of the Dynavectors this horror story always put me off going for one, and this just seems to confirm my fears.

Hope the cart gets sorted out, as it is a very nice sounding cart.

 

That's the most frustrating thing - it sounds bleedin' brilliant!

Dunc

 

Heh, perhaps!

Then again, it happens with MANY small high-end hifi companies IME. ATC, EAR, ZYX have all made me wait far longer than I would've liked (maybe it's a three-letter acronyms thing?). The only company that has really impressed me with its speed and efficiency was Audio Synthesis. Kudos to Mr. Heaton and his team.

Dunc

 

I'm wondering if this is why the 3 was introduced.

I can say that my MK 3 has now had 2 weeks to bed in and sounds truly superb... Although certain comments by a certain person mean I'm about to order a P75 to replace my Dino+...

Bugger...

 

Could well be.

You won't regret it - the P75'll blow it away, and then some (I owned a Dino/+ a couple of years ago). I've been thoroughly impressed by it as it's the first phono amp I've heard (for reasonably sensible money) which more than gives the Exposure XI's built-in stage a run for its money. Nicely adjustable too - and obviously works a treat with the DV.