For what its worth, my Dyna XV-1s also has no problme hitting the clamp. There is usually a 3-4 mm gap between cartridge and the clamp.
I think now that SDS may or may not help your system will depend very much on your electricity. Recently I tried using my computer UPS with true-online whatever it is that keeps the voltage very stable at 230v. In my apartment, electricity tends to fluctuate between 220-226v from what I can see on my UPS. Anyhow, it made significant improvement in my system. The bass is deeper, tighter with much better pace and midrange is more fleshed out. How could one attribute all these sonic improvement by steadier voltage regulation on a motor spinnng a record, I have no idea and I don't know how much better SDS would be over true-online UPS power conditioner but I think if you have a UPS lying around and wonder if your VPI may or may not benefit from SDS, you could use this to see if it makes a difference first.
I think now that SDS may or may not help your system will depend very much on your electricity. Recently I tried using my computer UPS with true-online whatever it is that keeps the voltage very stable at 230v. In my apartment, electricity tends to fluctuate between 220-226v from what I can see on my UPS. Anyhow, it made significant improvement in my system. The bass is deeper, tighter with much better pace and midrange is more fleshed out. How could one attribute all these sonic improvement by steadier voltage regulation on a motor spinnng a record, I have no idea and I don't know how much better SDS would be over true-online UPS power conditioner but I think if you have a UPS lying around and wonder if your VPI may or may not benefit from SDS, you could use this to see if it makes a difference first.