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DV's MC Ref Cartridge - The Sun King

The sun casted away the mist as I sat in my listening chair on Sunday quietly admiring the sunlight that bounced off the newly installed golden anvil (DV's MC reference cartridge). It was one glorious moment. With all the pent-up anticipation, the hour that it took to set up the cartrige seems like an eternity.

The needle being the source of the entire music playback experience, it defines the limit of fidelity. Mediocracy is not an acceptable outcome (at least within the AudioExotics camp). The moment when I lowered the lever arm, I really don't know what to expect. But I am happy to announce both me and the DV's cart survived the ordeal and the wait is worth it.

To describe the sound of DV in terms of typical stereophiles' adjectives is bound to err on the path of distraction. If there is one word for it, it will be "fidelity". It is that rightfulness and ability to reproduce the music as part and parcel of the whole experience that define its achievement. While other alternatives claim their domains on frequency extension, dimensionality and transparency, I found DV already wakeboarding over them. It was immediately noticeably as the needle glided over the groove that something magical was happening. I was spinning Uchida's Mozart Piano Sonata KV333 and for the first time, I found a perfect alignment between the micro-weighting and micro-timing in perfect alignment. The first impression was the extra energies that were coming out from each passage of the note. And then it dawned on me that this energization is not a matter of amplification loudness but the actual rendition of Uchida's intentional phrasing of each individual notes and movement between them that I was experiencing. Without this magic, everything in the past were there but not quite at the right place. The ultimate fidelity is bringing home this musicality that is so often lost. I have been on the road since Sunday afternoon, but the sweetness of the experience still rings in my ears.

People likes to talk about wow factor on the forum and so I must. I would rank the Grandezza cartridge ahead of OR, FLOW or even the Zanden Transport + DAP. The Zanden phono is still high on my wow factor list and I think DV cartridge is an excellent match. May be it is the combined power of east and west that makes this magic moment possible.

The DV cart is the Sun King that has absolute domain and sovereignty over music reproduction. Its golden shell is it shining armour.

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Comments

  • I concur every single points you rightly pointed out. Da Vinci is a musical experience. You should spare time to visit the whole Da Vinci suite.

    By the way, I enjoy your writing. Best wishes on the Tidal. PT is always right.
  • Alecy, are you using the Grand Reference arm with the sun king?
  • It was meant to be a combo but there was some complication with the arm board so the idea was canned for the moment. Conceptually, I am also struggling with whether to go for a standard 9" or the trendy 12" arm. Right now I will just spoil myself in this pseudo nirvana stage with the DV cart as the head of state.

  • Imagine what it will be like when the Sun King is on the field without a handsome horse? Either 9 or 12 will prepare the Sun King on any field. Damn the trend, always goes with your heart. The King looks elegant now in casual setting. He's not prepared for a bigger party yet.

    The strength of Da Vinci is definitely on string, but the strength of the strength is opera. Of all arms in my procession, only the grand reference arm can control the high frequency energy. It's work of art.

    Marvel bro, I heard that you were sick last evening. I hope you get well soon.
  • Yes, indeed. I went to see the doctor after dinner. Were you in town last night? PT mentioned there is a 'great friend' around...you should have let me know...I really lost my voice and even today I am sick at home. Please do spare time next time when you are in town and we need to meet up more.

    Alecy...my experience when replacing the XV-1s by the DV cartridge into the DV arm was stunning. Don't want to jump to the conclusion too fast as I know you think carefully before taking each step and understand this is your professional instinct. However, pairing the DV arm and its cartridge is vital to strike the best balance between the 2 components both on the weight distribution and resonance factor in response to external and internal vibration. With the combo, i really feel it is a one piece of component instead of two from the synergy point of view. As I said, the reunion in my case was shocking eventhough I find XV-1S is already very very outstanding in its outright. As Voy said, go with your heart and I am sure you will find the destiny...happy to see you getting PD from Tidal and I really look forward to listening to it. Will bring along my Tidal phono and preamp to poison you...ha ha ha ha ..wha ha ha ha....

    Marvel
  • The Tidal Preos is serious stuff. This phonostage is a revealation to me. I never heard dynamic of music reproduces in such calm and non-fatigue manner. The realism of the piano caught me entirely offguard. I am unprepared for such vivid presentation. I know well the setting is not ideal but I am impressed.

    Forget all the shits about tube versus solid state. It is a matter of execution, isn't it? When it comes to opera, the Da Vinci phono simply reigns. I was touched by the voice of von Stade.
  • Marvel & Voy R,

    Your advices are absoultely spot on and is rational in every sense. After experiencing the magic of the Sun King, the tonearm is but a natural consequence. The big question is the phono. With the Zanden, there is still a 1ohm matching differential and I can't imagine if the DV phono is in the chain, how much details will be beaming through. It is a hypotehtically intriguing but lethal proposition.

    Meanwhile, I am just bracing myself for the PD's Tsunami.

  • Alecy, the da vinci is extremely poisonous. Up to now, I dare not to go listen to the phono. I am happy with the Zanden like you.

    You do need the Grand Reference arm, however.
  • I still remember the after taste of the world finest Red wine which i drunk 10 years ago, The poisonus doing the same way!!!
  • c.c.n.

    No denial. I still remembered my first bottle of MRothschild and only then did I understand what defines a good wine.

    AudioExotics is the spell of the blackhole. Once encounter, nothing can escape it.
  • Alecy, the impedance issue in your case is considered perfect. The magic of the DV phono is the complete absence of circuit board in the design. It is completely transformer-coupled from input to the interstage and then to the output. This is the philosophy of Western Electric adopted many decades ago. After you have experienced the Da Vinci phono, you will always be able to detect the sound of "circuit board" in other design. I am not saying circuit board is not good. On the contrary, the merits are many: short signal path and avoidance of too much soldering etc. The end result is speed and cleaner presentation. In design where there is no circuit board, you have to go back to the drawing boards. You need ultra high grade transformers that are usually not available off the shelf. You need very good soldering skills. You need more chassis. You need more space. In this modern world, this is not a cost effective solution. But why would someone wish to go back to the techniques of the old day? Simple, for the sake of music. With the DV cartridge, you should understand what is the meaning of musicality much more than before.

    Usually such design produces very natural tone color that defines the realism of the musical objects, not by frequency extension, not by virtual soundstaging, albeit they are all there in a total integrated package.

    I agree it is highly toxical. It is not the Da Vinci that is toxical but the music playing through it that makes the experience unique.
  • Alecy, oh I shouldn't go. I should resist the temptation but I can't..... The tidal phono is lethal and the dv phono is heavenly made.
  • Alecy, how's the cartridge after 30-50 hours?
  • It's shame. I am still on the road...listening to my ipod.
  • Alecy,

    Heard from PT that your new speakers will be installed on the coming weekend. Can I come along and witness the event?

    Marvel
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