Comments / Observation on Dynavector 505 tonearm?

I had a friend who owned one some years back.It is widely regarded as a classic.Very unique.Call VPI for further thoughts on set-up&installation.

Hello Fernando, I've used 505 on many tables, including VPI HW-19 Mk III and IV. There are no problems. 505 is limited only by it's weight, so as long as the suspension can handle it, it's fine. It is also less affected by sound of different tables, because it is so heavy. IMHO, RB300 is a clean but dry sounding arm, 505 is a lot "fatter". It is definitely not the last word in resolution, but very musical and robust sounding. In addition, excellent tracker. Prefers mid- to low compliance cartridges, such as Koetsu, Shelter etc, but will work fine with Dynavector's own, Gliders, BPS etc. The good point about that arm is that you can change headshells quickly and readjust it's height in seconds to get correct VTA. I use it on Goldmund Studio with good results. The main downfall of course is luck of lifter, but I'm used to it. More info and a PDF manual are available at Dynavector page. Enjoy.

Thanks for your valuable feedback, I was not lucky enough to win the bid and pursuing another options such as aGraham Robin or STax-Saec.

Fernando

Hi: I am surprised that there seems to be a demand for this
arm. I could never get the one I owned to track right and
it sounded only fair. But, they look different and high
tech enough that some people are enamoured with them. Good
luck. I would like to hear that someone has used them with
good results. CEM

I am not sure this tonearm is as good as they say for some reason. I was very uncomfortable with its sound, tried it with quite few carts from Grado Statement to Ortofon Kontrapunkt to Dynavector's own XX-1 with no positive outcome.
YMMV of course.

I had a customer's DV-507 and his XV-1s for about 6 weeks. He wanted me to break everything in for him.

I don't know how this relates to the 505, but there were two usability issues which immediately disqualify it from consideration for me. Both make it easy for the owner to unwittingly trash a cartridge. The first one can be fixed (which I did for my customer) - to replace the nylon tipped set screw (gross VTA height adj) with an Allen keyed steel tipped screw. I realize why D-V chose the nylon, but the problem is that if this screw slips, your cartridge is at great risk, because there is limited upward travel of the headshell. It's very scary.

The second way you can lunch a cantilever is by being temped to use the very nice VTA adjustment scheme to adjust VTA in play (don't do this !!). You fine adjust the VTA by loosening a lever at the base and rotating it one way to raise and the other way to lower. It's a very slick design, but if you unscrew this lever a couple of turns, it disengages from the helical slot and down goes the tonearm on the cantilever. If you're aware of this, it's really not a problem.

Thirdly, the cantilever can only clear the LP by about 1/4" because of the limited upward travel of the headshell. This scares me too.

Having said all of this, the DV-507 was a reasonably nice sounding tonearm with the magical XV-1s riding on it. Truth be told, I think it was a bit too laid back considering that the XV1-s errs on the side of sounding slightly forward sounding. So, if you end up with one of these arms, don't get a cartridge that tends toward the lush side.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Dear Tom: Your first issue about thenylon set screw: this did not exist on the DV-505, so there is no problem here.

I agree with you that the changes in VTA have to do " out off the road ".
The thirdly is not a problem at all.

+++ " I think it was a bit too laid back , " ++++

Well, I think is a neutral tonearm with the right cartridge ( like own Dynavector XV-1 ). The perception of " laid back " sound is a subjective issue that have to " see " with what we like, but I respect your opinion. I own the 505 not the 507 . I remember that I installed my Koetsu RSP in the DV- 505 and with a very pretty sound ( maybe with a little low bass loose, but not laid back " per se ". ).
The 505 tonearm is an excellent tonearm with very cleaver design and a bargain at the " used " price that we can find it. I like to use it in a statically balance way.

Tom, try the 507 in this fashion balance instead dinamically balance way and let us to know what you experienced about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Tom: I celebrate your opinion about the XV-1: ++++ " with the magical XV-1s riding on it. " ++++

I always support this cartridge in this forum, unfortunatelly many peoples looks elsewhere loosing the opportunity to own and experience one of the best quality music/sound reproduction cartridges ever made by any music standards.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.