Is the Dynavector DV 10x5 as good as they Say?

I had the 10x4 (before upgrading to the XX-2), and, yes, it is as good as they (and I) say.
I can't imagine a better cartridge at the price, or even a lot higher. Clarity, dynamics, and tracking are incredible. You won't be disappointed!

I heard it when I was demoing my new amp and immediately decided it was my next upgrade.

It is a decent cartridge, but its list price in the US is way too high. If you buy it directly from Asian importer for around $200 - that's a different story.

Same for the Dyna 17d2MkII...If you can get one from Hong Kong via importer(Juki or Marcus)...you can save big on them. I read the reviews on that cart and decided to give it a try. Saved over $300.from retail.You may want to concider looking in that model with the great prices from overseas.-:)

Where does one contact these people to acquire these cartridges?

Very smart advice! get it in Hong Kong!shows how lame our boutiques are at setting up cartridges! Hope one day all retail operations will come out of Hong Kong.it'll be nice to see you guys get a nice demonstration of an audio product!and if you break the cantilever by accident during the set-up, i sure hope the seller in Hong Kong will supply another cartridge free of charge! I'd rather pay more and get good support from my favourite retailer. support works both ways. This type of advice is killing the good audio boutique who stock products, sevice products, support customers in their never ending quest for higher level sound systems. and it seems to me that the all the was asking was if the dyna was as good as they say! there is always someone who gets a thread sidetracked! is it good? answer: get it in hong kong! well i'll answer the question: yes it's a great cartridge.

Yes it probably is. Lived with 20XH for a while. (obligatory got it from hong kong). Good clarity, dynamics, and tracking like someone already mentioned.

I couldn't audition one locally, and I live in a metropolitan area! In fact I can't really audition any analog period. So sad. I doubt I could trust the shop set it up for me anyway. So what good is the markup for? And besides if you buy enough stuff this way, eventually you can replace a few broken items yourself and still come out ahead. Obligatory "Extended warranty? How can I loose!" /homer_simpson_voice=off. I wish I had a dealer like you DSC. I really do.

So how is it that we get sidetracked like this, LOL? just kinding. Sorry my bad. Really it's a good cart, even if you pay full MSRP. Take care!

Dogscanskate,
I hear what you are saying, but to be honest with you - I am not sure I am obligated to support the dealer. I did use local dealers few times, but in my opinion extra 100-200% expense is not worth it.
Good luck.
Alex.

C123666- member lookup.."Humanity" and "juki"

Dogscanskate,
Im glad we can agree on the Dyna 17d2 as a great cart, and worthy of some fine systems to be used in. I think it's great that someone could save some money in their purchase by an answer that speaks to that end..regardless of the thread getting somwhat "sidetracked"..I know of some that get totally carried away and have nothing to do with the original thought all all. I dont think this qualifies as one of those..

I certainly cant speak for you or others, but in 25 years of buying from local dealers and some not so local, I have mostly unsatisfing experiences from them all. I could list them all but, suffice to say, if I wasn't getting ripped off in my purchase or at trade-in time... then I had to endure the negative and snooty comments of the equipment I currently owned or thought about buying as not good enough or "this is way better" BS... I once drove 4 hours to audition some speakers, only to find they didn't carry them anymore..this after setting up the appointment with a floor salesman!!!.. only 2 days prior. Clueless at best! Another dealer sold me a set of powercords for my amps. I paid in cash, got a receipt and left the store. 3 months later, they called my home to demand money for items I "borrowed" or I should return the cords immediately...Unbelievable..I had to send a copy of their own signed receipt to prove my purchase. I wonder If you'd go back and buy more things from that Einstein...I didn't! In the end most dealers couldn't give me the time of day and it showed. I have no remorse for these guys...Sure, their are excellent dealers out there..but not where I grew up and started in audio.Sad to say, bad memmories linger..Yet, all that said..I still do visit my current local dealer and talk audio and see whats new. He's a great guy,only problem is, he abandoned analog many years ago.. I choose not to buy new with the exception of tubes,software and ancillary things audio, and as such use Audiogon for used equipment at substantial savings probably like you do too! So Ill agree with you that I "paid more"!! but certainly didn't get the "support" of the local dealer.

Of course I could just tell you that your entitled to your Opin. but that Ill buy my cart from whomever I d**n well please!...but let me also mention that in fact the Hong Kong dealer is a friend of mine whom I have vistited with 9 years ago years ago at his shop in Kowloon, HK, and established a personal friendship with. In fact, he would take back my cart, even if I trashed it of my own doing while mounting it..NO questions asked, and that from him! Im not so sure what a US dealer would do here..Maybe yes, maybe no. Maybe he likes you, maybe he's having a good day and you'll be lucky! or perhaps you'll have to get a ruling from the big shots of the company first and wait 3 weeks for a response..I dont know.

Lastly, With the trend towards HT and dealers having to cater to where they can best profit...many have all but abandoned analog. This is truly a sad thing.I think we can all agree on this. Of course there are those that know the magic of analog and as such continue to offer it. Sadly though, some who still sell vinyl haven't the foggiest idea how to set it up properly, but will gladly sell you anything and everything you need to get into vinyl, just so long as you buy it from them..another area of soreness for me. :)

Kehut,sorry to hear about your bad experiences with dealers, it makes me feel very lucky knowing a couple of shops that care for the customer's needs. i still say there are a lot of potential problems in buying gear from other continents. i was looking for a dyna xx2 and i can get it from the orient for about 900$ U.S. the dealer ships it to my location (canada) and if Customs opens the pack, i get an excise tax of at least 17% plus our applicable sales taxes 15.5% plus handling fees. is it worth it for me? not at all. i got a better deal from my dealer. and he installs it with me so he is responsible for any accident that could occur. and here in canada, there are no laws that protect a consumer or a supplyer in mail order dealings. it means that if i send the dealer in hong kong a money order, he is not obligated by law to send me the product. and if he sends the product before receiving payment from the buyer,the buyer has no legal obligation to pay up. is it worth the risk for me? not in a million years. maybe in the U.S. it's different, i don't know. this is what i was implying about trading with foreign dealers. AFAIK, the taxman wants his dues!:-)