Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: DYNAVECTOR XX-1 (Rebuilt by Benz) Phono Cartridge by mr.bear

Model:	XX-1 (Rebuilt by Benz)
Category:	Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price:	$500, approx
Description:	Low output MC cartridge, retipped by Benz Micro.
Manufacturer URL:	DYNAVECTOR
Manufacturer URL:	DYNAVECTOR

Review by mr.bear ( A ) on October 10, 2003 at 17:40:16
IP Address: 216.163.80.154

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for the XX-1 (Rebuilt by Benz)

Please excuse the length of this review, but it includes a description of retipping the cartridge.
This XX-1 was purchased on eBay for under $70, clearly advertised as damaged since the diamond was missing from the end of the cantilever. It arrived from Denmark in good shape overall and had electrical continuity in the coils. (I had been shopping specifically for a suitable cartridge to rebuild.) I sent it immediately to a retailer in Berlin to be retipped by Benz Micro. The retailer's website cited a price of about $225US plus shipping, which we discussed via email. Several European contacts advised that retipping was available at much lower cost than the US, so this appeared a great deal. (If interested in the 2-year old research I did for retipping services, read this old post: http://db.audioasylum.com/scripts/t.pl?f=vinyl&m=166827 )
The retailer and Benz had the cartridge for a little over 18 months. When it reappeared the cost for retipping had risen to $400 plus shipping. I had basically no recourse but to pay the full amount, or write it off entirely. I paid via "Pay Pal" and received the cartridge in a few days. I regret not sending it to Expert Stylus since their price would have been the same or less and they appear a highly reliable firm.
The cartridge has been physically modified. The boron cantilever, which was in perfect condition, was removed and a very thin cantilever tube, with the appearance of aluminum, has been joined with a sleeve very near the coils. A new frequency-response trace was included in the box; it is virtually flat, with a very small rise above 10kHz which compares very closely to the original trace from Dynavector.
I installed, balanced and aligned the cart on my Denon DP75 table in a Denon DA401 component arm. The input of my preamp is set for 47k and minimal capacitance, the gain is set for about 50dB overall, VTF is set at 1.9gm, and currently VTA is set with the cart bottom dead level. Mounting was simple and it tracks beautifully.
Overall my impressions of the sound are that it performs with the smoothness of my Dynavector 20X-L but presents a great deal more detail, without being "analytical" to any degree. It strikes a great balance between the lean, over-refined sound of some MCâ€™s and the sheen I hear from high-end MMâ€™s. The sound is lively, three-dimensional and realistic. You hear breath, hands on strings, the way the pitch bends when a tuned drumhead is struck by the hand- small, beautiful musical events Iâ€™d never heard before from some of my favorite records. The crackle in the air of drums and cymbals sounds as close to their real sound as I've ever been able to capture in my system. Interestingly, it generates a terrific feel for the size of the room and the space between musicians; you can feel in their presence when that's on the record. Listening to Larry Coryell â€œLive at the Village Gateâ€ (Vanguard 1971), the sense of the space was delightful. The overall effect is to immerse you in the experience emotionally. The bass seems good but a little â€œlooseâ€ which is likely an issue with the present tonearm. It seems to minimize surface noise very effectively.
This ranks among the most effective $500 spent on hifi, outside of buying records. It was fortunate that the rebuild work was skillfully done. Having heard new XX-1â€™s only on demonstration previously, I won't compare the rebuilt to a flawed memory. I do feel I would have bought it for $400-600, based on comparison to other cartridges in that price range including my own 20X-L.
If you consider retipping :
1. You will commit to a substantial expenditure and you will get a cartridge back from the retipping that you, in effect, have never heard before. There is risk.
2. Your cart may have worn internal cantilever support wire, elastomeric bushings, etc; it may have a load of gunk in the coils and/or the magnets. This will require disassembly and rebuilding which may add additional charges (perhaps over $100) and concern #1 deepens.
3. Caveat emptor. There are NO retippers in the US, and your recourse in the event of consumer problems on the part of an overseas firm appears nonexistent.

Product Weakness: Rebuilding a cartridge is time consuming and risky.
Product Strengths: Excellent sound at budget price.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	(2) Audionics/Fosgate 4100
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Threshold / Forte 2
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Denon DP75, custom laminated steel/ABS plinth, Denon DA401 arm.
Speakers:	Thiel CS3
Cables/Interconnects:	DIY Mogami / Canare F10's , Kimber
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Various jazz, fusion and vocal.
Room Size (LxWxH):	24 x 15 x Cathedral
Room Comments/Treatments:	None
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Rebuilding a cartridge is time consuming and risky.
Product Strengths:	Excellent sound at budget price.