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   Home » Analog Playback» I think my Dynavector 10x4 is showing signs of wear. (10 posts, 1 page)
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12-03-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Dmitry
Posts 4
Joined on 12-04-2006
Post #: 1
Post ID: 3224
Reply to: 3224
I think my Dynavector 10x4 is showing signs of wear.
This is my first post here, so bear with me if my set-up isn't as sophisticated as yours.

More and more as of late I started to notice that records exhibit surface noise that was less pronounced [or absent] before. I bought this cartridge 5.5 years ago, and it has been in service ever since. I would estimate that it has about 1,000 hours on it, perhaps more. It still tracks fine, and I don't hear any other signs of ageing aside from the increased surface noise. Do you think it's time for a new one?
I would like to stay with the HOMC cartridge because my premplifier does not have the LOMC transformer installed [it's a $500 option from the manufacturer which I hasn't excercised yet].

BTW, do you know whther Dynavector has a trade-in policy?

Here's my set-up -
Nottingham Analogue
Roksan Tabriz arm
Juicy Music Blueberry Extreme preamplifier
300B Set amplifier [home-brewed by a friend]
Klipschorns

Mostly listen to jazz music.

Thanks.

12-04-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,160
Joined on 05-28-2004
Post #: 2
Post ID: 3227
Reply to: 3224
Ask your son to steal his school’s microscop....
Dmitry,

I have no idea. I always felt that Dynavector 10x4 is some kind of rock-in-roll cartridge and never had it. Still, it $200 cartridge, or way sub $200 in Japan, and it should not be a big deal to exchange it if necessary. The surface noise might be picked from many reasons not only because the ageing. Check out all you setting on your arms and cartridge. This time of the year is very “peculiar” for analog as the temperature outside drops and heating kicks in. It affects average room temperature and humidity and I have see as some of my arms, particularly with liquid damping: changed their sound. Regarding the ageing – I never was able to tell defiantly if a cartridge has signs of warring, and partially in context of jazz music. The only objective factor that I recognize is looking at the needle at 500x-700x microscope and to see if the actual profile of the needle’s tip was changed and it I was then how much. You can get a microscope on Ebay for a couple dozen of dollars.

Rgs, Romy the caT

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
12-04-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Dmitry
Posts 4
Joined on 12-04-2006
Post #: 3
Post ID: 3228
Reply to: 3227
RE

Romy,

Thanks for your reply. I thought 10x4 was in the $400 range. No matter, I'm thinking of changing it for something a bit more substantial, like another Dynavector. Do you have any experience with their 20X-H high output MC cartridge?
As I said before I don't have the LOMC transformer in my preamp, but it's an available option from Mark Deneen of the Juicy Music.
Do you have any photos of what a worn out stylus should look like under the microscope?
 

12-04-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Wojtek
Pinckney (MI), United States
Posts 178
Joined on 09-01-2005
Post #: 4
Post ID: 3232
Reply to: 3224
needle wear
Dmitry
I second advise on microscope purchase. I went recently with my Grado Sonata to a friendly Audio Dealer who carries analog for many years and he said that he never saw a worn down stylus. He saw only damaged ones. He stated that it is like with cars oil change .Manufacturers of oil want us to change after every 3k miles when we can easily drive 15k miles on that oil. (I have to add that this dealer listen almost exclusively to jazz )Regards. W
12-04-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,160
Joined on 05-28-2004
Post #: 5
Post ID: 3233
Reply to: 3228
....possible to get only via a microscope...

Dmitry, if you can then can you name your posts identifiably, if would not be difficult, would be?

Regarding the subject. The signs of wearing would be different on different profile types. Particularly it is different for each needle on the contemporary “complex” profile.  The only know to me way to assess the wearing of the complex profile is to have a reference point how the given needle looked when it was new. With elliptical or conical needs it is simpler but still you need to see under the scope a “progress” in order to recognize the “result”.

Still generally, a needle while it runs in grooves with time loose its cheeks, inappropriate antiscatting screw one side more and another less. Eventually the bottom of the needle become too “skinny” and the needle “sits” deeper into the groove, scratching with its tip the bottom of the groove. This is already a terminal state of the needle and it should be replaced long before it reached that condition. All other answers are possible to get only via a microscope…

Rgs,
Romy

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
12-04-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Paul S
San Diego, California, USA
Posts 2,658
Joined on 10-12-2006
Post #: 6
Post ID: 3236
Reply to: 3233
depth of field
I think that a stereo type microscope is the choice for looking at 3-D objects, because at that level of magnification a standard, single barrel unit has no depth of field.

Best regards,
Paul S
12-05-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Dmitry
Posts 4
Joined on 12-04-2006
Post #: 7
Post ID: 3243
Reply to: 3224
Romy, do you know a dealer in Boston who sells Dynavectors?
I'm about 60 miles away in Rhode Island, obviously we don't have any dealers here; Boston seems the best bet. Do you know of any dealers in Boston who carry the Dynavector line?
12-05-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,160
Joined on 05-28-2004
Post #: 8
Post ID: 3245
Reply to: 3243
Boston is not the best bet
No, I do not. It is not because there are not but because I do not know. There are not reasons to buy cartridges from dealers as there is no cartridges serves that might come from dealers. Have you seen any dealers who would lend you a cartridge to try? So I do not feel that it is necessary to pay 40%-70% of the dealer’s markup juts because they move the cartridges box form this shelf to UPS. I buy my Japanese needles in Japan what the street price is way lower. Your Dynavector there should cost sub $200. Predicting your questions about the source – there are many, search and you will find.

Rgs, Romy the caT

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
12-05-2006 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Dmitry
Posts 4
Joined on 12-04-2006
Post #: 9
Post ID: 3247
Reply to: 3245
I defninitely would like to get a better deal, if I can.

I'm shopping for a Dynavector DV-20X High Output MC. So far I've only been quoted $580 - 20% trade-in for my existing DV-10X5 cartridge = $460. But if I could get it cheaper, especially much cheaper, from an over-seas source - I'm definitely interested. Which source in Japan would you recommend?
Thanks!

02-14-2007 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Alex Yakovlev
NJ, US
Posts 45
Joined on 10-06-2004
Post #: 10
Post ID: 3737
Reply to: 3247
Try these...
 Dmitry wrote:

I'm shopping for a Dynavector DV-20X High Output MC. So far I've only been quoted $580 - 20% trade-in for my existing DV-10X5 cartridge = $460. But if I could get it cheaper, especially much cheaper, from an over-seas source - I'm definitely interested. Which source in Japan would you recommend?
Thanks!

Try juki on ebay or mrstereo on Audiogon.
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