How low does your Dynavector 10x5 go? *

I just dropped my VTA on the RB301 from 3mm to 2mm (apparently you can flip the Rega 2mm 3-point spacer upside down to get 3mm). I like the sound better at 2mm...

But it's a low rider now and I'm worried it's a little too close for comfort. Also perhaps too much weight on the back of the stylus tip. Any thoughts?

 

Although it's tough to tell from just one picture, that looks like excessively negative VTA--in other words, the pivot of your tonearm is way too low.

Edit: Well, taking a second look at the angle of the LP, maybe not. Assuming the top of the cartridge is essentially parallel to the record surface, then it looks like the cart suspension is shot.

John K.

 

Great question. The 10x5 on my Rega P25 rides very low, similar to that shown in your photograph. I look forward to any input

 

Visually, it appears the tonearm is parallel to the record surface at 2mm VTA, but I'll verify with a straight line tonight. Perhaps 2mm just isn't enough for such a low-rider -- or maybe it's really shot. I don't see the stylus giving way too much when placed on the record...

I really do like the sound better at 2mm, but worry about the clearance. My former Elys2 (which I dumped for the Dyna two days in) had loads of room under the cartridge shell.

Here's another picture that may offer a clearer angle. Such a cool looking cart.

 

Are you using the standard Rega felt mat? I see you have one of the newer ones with the threaded holes. First time I have seen it without the notches in the sides.

 

Yep, standard staticy mat.

Ian -- are you using 2mm of shim or more than that? How does yours look on the vinyl?

 

Yes, 2mm. I have a P3-2000, with RB-300 arm. I know the shims are a bit different for the newer arm, but if it is 2mm it should be the same.

Speaking of 2mm, that is about the distance between the vinyl and the lowest point of the cartridge (not counting the stylus itself) on mine. It is hard to tell from your photos if it is the same since they are not taken level with the vinyl, but from what I can see yours is comparable to mine.

I have to admit when I first saw your photos I thought it looked too close, but after checking mine I realize mine is quite close as well. I think it is just how this particular cartridge sits. I haven't had any problems with the cartridge itself coming into contact with the vinyl. But I definitely needed to use an allen key to raise the tonearm lift to a higher position than I had back when I used an Elys cartridge.

I think you are okay. If you want to shoot another pic at the same level as the vinyl surface I can probably tell you for sure.

 

My 10x5 sits pretty close as well. I am always looking for it to bottom-out but never does.

Pat

 

I'll post another pic tonight. My wife is starting to wonder why I keep running to the basement with the camera....

Ahh, the basement. To think I somehow survived the first 7 years of my marriage without one.

Any chance of a VTA adjuster for the three-point mountings anytime soon?

Also -- first mod for the P3-24 will be bolts for he tonearm. The wood screws (ridiculous for 900 bucks list) aren't going to last.

 

I use a 2mm shim and I'm pretty sure that there's more clearance than these pictures. I haven't got a decent camera unfortunately, but I'd say there's about 4-5mm clearance.

 

I had a Dynavector 17D3 which is also a low rider with a very short cantilever...it rode closer to the vinyl surface than my current cart for sure but still, in the pic posted at the start of the thread looks to me like the back of the cart is sitting too low.

I sometimes have a hard time eyeballing whether or not the tonearm seems parallel to the record surface, so FWIW I have a technique I use that I find makes it easier. I put an old vinyl record I don't care about on the platter of my Technics SL-1200mk2, and then place two standard CD jewel cases on top of it so that the spines are facing me and are parallel to and close to the tonearm when the stylus is resting on the record. I find this way I can judge much more accurately whether the tonearm is parallel...basically you then make the tonearm parallel with the top of the uppermost jewel case, which is easier than trying to judge whether it's parallel with the record sitting much further below.

I mention this because if you check the tonearm levelness using this method you may find (as I did in the past) that you are quite a bit off from parallel. Or if not and it IS parallel then you can rest assured.

 

Another way is to get one of those clear plastic rulers. Measure the tonearm height near the cart and near the pivot point by placing the ruler on the record and sighting through it to the tonearm. On tonearms with uniform thickness, you could look at either the top or the bottom of the arm.

My Pro-Ject arm is tapered but the good folks who made it painted a white line on the side of it. I simply have to measure the height of the white line in at least two different spots.

 

Tonearm straight as an arrow at 2mm VTA. Cart riding low (maybe 1mm of clearance over the LP). The cantilever seems to give a bit when I drop onto the record. Should it?

 

Yes the cantilever will give a bit. That is the idea. I'm not sure why you are getting half the clearance I am. Both are close though. How does it sound? If it sounds fine and tests okay on a test record I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

What would happen if you take out the shim? I recall reading somewhere that Dynavector had changed the way they were making the 10x5, such that you no longer need a shim to use it with a Rega turntable. I think I read it here, and IIRC, the dealer the post referred to was in or near Atlanta. I don't recall if it was the Rega dealer or the Dynavector dealer, though.

 

I took it to the dealer today (Audio Alternative in Atlanta) and he agreed it was riding low and that the cantilever felt "soft". So we swapped it and now I've got about twice the clearance.

I'm just thankful a paid a little more and bought locally. Had I bought mail order as originally intended I'd be stuck. Alan at Audio Alternative has been great... calling me after hours to help with set-up, teaching me how to align a cart, optimize anti-skate, etc. And of course, swapping the cart for me.

Interestingly, I had dropped the tracking force all the way back to 1.5g to account for the bum cart, so the new one was mis-tracking a little until I increased back to 2.0g.

So all is good for now... thanks for everyone's feedback and assessment.

 

Good to hear you got things worked out. Sounds like exceptional service from Audio Alternative I will investigate further with my 10x5, but I had come to the conclusion that it is simply low riding cart by design. I wonder if your new cart will ride a bit lower over time as it breaks in?

Dan

 

it's good to hear about good service from an audio place. there are some good dealers out there. could you take a few snaps on the new one?

 

Honestly, I've never had better service anywhere. Audio Alternative sells all the "key" brands... NAD, Rega, McIntosh, Vandersteen, Totem, Thiel, VTI. There's little reason to go anywhere else in Atlanta.

You won't pay bottom dollar, but good lord... I didn't like the Elys2 that came on the P3-24 so we traded up to the Dyna on his recco. Alan set that up for me. Weeks later I had the issue with the Dyna so he swapped and and reset the new cart.

Oh, at one point I realized that the phono board in my Rega Cursa was an MC despite the sticker saying MM (bought it used)... so he swapped the MC with the MM board out of his demo Cursa.

Not bad at all... I'll definitely be there when I'm ready to drop some bucks on new speakers.

He's got a '89 era Linn Sondek in the used room for around $2k that looks *pristine*. I spent twice as much as I expected on the P3-24 after adding the 10x5 and TT-PSU. We both wish I had just "gone for it" with a Red P3-24 from the start, but I needed to go through this process to understand what I was getting.

He's got two VPI Classics on the way... one already sold!

 

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but it fits. I've just installed mine on an RP6 and the thing is riding darn low also. There is .5 mm clearance (that's the thickness of two business cards) from the record. The arm has a 3mm spacer and the VTF is 2.08g. I had 2 mm spacer and liked the sound better, but the clearance was even smaller. The old Elys2 was also riding fairly low, but nothing like this.

I've read several reports about Dynavectors riding low, but this seems excessive. Half a milimeter? Is this even remotely normal?