Dynavector no longer recommended..?

[edw]

brianmch -

I would try using the Black Cube SE at the MC 56/66dB setting depending on your preamp but with an 80 Ohm or 100 Ohm resistor with 1% tolerance inserted into the custom resistor socket. It should cost less then 5 bucks for the resistors, more if you get matched pairs. If you look at the PCB, you will seek the custom resistor socket and the DIP switch that turns it on/off.

I've not seen a Black Cube without this feature.

[brianmch]

Is that different than using the 100 ohm setting (#4 on)? I'll try most things once.

VTA and Azimuth block got in so I checked both of these. Azimuth was off but VTA was on.

Found a way to lower magnetism between the cart and scale so I got this set at 2g.

Pulled out the Mint LP jig and went through alignment again. The cantilever was off from the cart body. I aligned the cantilever and not the body to the two stripes on the Mint.

Still missing some things in the frequency spectrum but will do the resistor install as above.

Lots of hum.

(Am I fully off topic yet?) Mods, feel free to move this at your discretion.

[edw]

Is that different than using the 100 ohm setting (#4 on)?

Yes. From the Lehmann website
https://www.lehmannaudio.com/phono-stages/black-cube-se.html#technische-daten

Input impedance: 47 kohms, 1 kohm, 100 ohms
1 x custom load
1 x hardwire slot

[Brf]

How do you do that Edw? I always thought that an SUT used a MM input whose load is fixed at 47k on the Cube SE? When Dip switch 1 is in the MM position the others are off aren’t they?

How much different is sound from the SUT than the internal gain system?

The Lehmann Decade phono pre has a socket to add a custom resistor (no soldering needed). Your Lehmann Black Cube should have one too. I believe all their phono pre's do. Generally, SUT's do input into a phono's pre MM/47,000 Ohms. But you can change the loading to something different that is more optimal for your cart by adding a parallel resistor at the phono pre. There is a mathematical formula to do this. For example:

I use both my SUTs at the 15x turns ratio setting. This means the cart will see loading resistance equal to 47,000/15^2 or 208.9 Ohms.

The Dyna 20x2L typically likes to see 50-100 Ohms resistance in my experience. Too high a resistance and it will sound too bright. So you can add a parallel resistor to bring the resistance down from 208.9 Ohms. A "Y" RCA connector with the correct resistor soldered into a shielded RCA plug will work, but Lehmann Audio (and a few other pre's) has a dedicated socket for this that makes it easy. I use a 30,000 Ohms parallel resistor:

30,000 = 1 / [(1/Z) - (1/47,000)]

1/30,000 = 1/Z - 1/47,000

1/30,000 + 1/47,000 = 1/Z

18,312 = Z

then...

18,312/15^2 = 81.4 Ohms



As for the sound, you will be amazed at the increased dynamics, soundstage, and musicality, among other things, that an SUT brings. Even between my SUT's there is a difference.

My type of a response. Well explained!

[bpw]

I agree that it's wrong to assume that just because a cartridge isn't specifically mentioned it isn't recommended. In my experience Dynavectors perform very well on a wide variety of tonearms, including VPI. It's worth mentioning that Mike Pranka at Toffco (distributor) is a good guy and easy to work with.

Brian Walsh