On my own personal journey through Hi-Fi and various changes to my system, one of the biggest advancements I’ve made was making the jump from a moving magnet (MM) cartridge to moving coil (MC) cartridge. A good moving coil cartridge can be quite expensive and as we say, the source is the most important part of the Hi-Fi system…

Going back just over a year ago, not long after I started working for Audio T, I had the opportunity to listen to a Rega planar 8 turntable with a Dynavector 10X5 Mk II high output MC cartridge. The system we had with this turntable at the time was the Trichord Dino+ phono stage going into the very new at the time Leema Acoustics Elements amplifier driving a pair of Spendor D7.2 floor standing speakers. I remember clearly the record and track I listened to. It was Iron Maiden - Lost in a Lost World from their album Senjutsu, it gave me goosebumps! The system on the whole is phenomenal but the source of the system, the turntable and cartridge is what pulled me in and made me sit down and listen. That listening experience has stayed with me; the clarity, accuracy and detail from the Rega and Dynavector combination certainly made the right impression. I have listened to many other brands of cartridge since then and I’ve found that Dynavector especially the 10X5 is the right cartridge for me. As a result, I now own a Dynavector 10X5 MK II, proudly fitted to my Rega planar 6 turntable. In fact, both my colleagues (Nick and Kerrin), have 10X5’s on their turntables. You could say that Dynavector has become a strong favourite among cartridge brands here in the Cardiff store. So, I thought it was high time I wrote about Dynavector and explored their other models and the brands history…

Dynavector’s Rich History

The company was started by Dr Noboru Tomonari in 1974, after retiring from a career as a professor in mechanical engineering at the Tokyo Metropolitan University. Noboru always had a passion for music and creating the best sound possible, so he decided to bring his mechanical expertise to the world of Hi-Fi and thus Dynavector was born.

Starting with his first commercially available cartridge, the XE1S, which was a design way ahead of its time. It comprised 8 alnico magnet in a V formation housed in an aluminium body. This was a replacement for his original prototype D13 cartridge, which we now know as the D17DX karat. Something that I believe sounds truly amazing.

Dr Tominari’s cartridges are not just about the diamond or the cantilever, it’s also about how the cartridge is wound and the types of magnets used.

Dr Tominari also designed a groundbreaking tonearm, the DV 507, which first appeared in 1984. The DV 507 is a bi-axis inertia-controlled tonearm so no matter what type of cartridge you fit it can trace the music signal grooves cut in the recording with extreme accuracy. The DV 507 also provides superb trackability even on warped recordings. The resolution and musical detailing are quite remarkable. He didn't stop there. He even worked with William Firebaugh of Well-Tempered Labs to come up with the DV500 turntable which featured the DV 507 arm, but sadly this turntable has been lost in time as it is no longer in production.

Dynavector also manufactures amplifiers such as the HX100 power amplifier and fantastic phono stages such as the P75 which compliments the Dynavector cartridge range.

Dr Tominari sadly passed away in 2003 but his dedicated team at Dynavector Systems, led by his son, Taro, continue his work ensuring that the irreplaceable legacy and knowledge of its founder is carried on for years to come.

Dynavector Cartridges

Now let’s get back to the cartridges and take a look at the three main models we carry in stock and why we like them so much…

The 10X5 MKII

Starting with the 10X5 MK ll high output cartridge, this particular cartridge is Dynavectors starting point within their range. Since the release of the original MKI back in 1978 the 10X5 set the benchmark in the Hi-Fi industry. Now, with the MKII getting the stylus upgrade from an elliptical to a diamond shibata lll giving us greater detail and a more open sound. Being a high output moving coil cartridge you can pair this with a moving magnet phono stage. I personally use the Nytech CDP 122 phono stage set to moving magnet. Soundwise, this one I personally class as a great rock ’n’ roll cartridge. Going from my music taste the 10X5 MKll is lively with detail and control, even tracks that are a little heavy on the bass have more definition and control. This one is a shop favourite, as mentioned previously myself, Kerrin and Nick own a 10X5, I feel that speaks volumes. Just recently Dynavector have released a low output version of the 10X5 MKll.

The 20X2L

Now onto another great cartridge we carry in stock the Dynavector 20X2L low output cartridge. To say this cartridge is more refined than the 10X5 MKll is definitely true. Before I talk your ears off about how good this cartridge is let’s talk a little about the spec. DV20X2 has a solid aluminium body and rigid magnet construction giving this cartridge a really clean look as well as its strength. The cantilever is a 6mm length of hard aluminium pipe. The stylus tip itself is a micro ridge diamond enabling the cartridge to track with less surface noise and following the groove on the record with perfect precision, giving a more open and transparent sound changing the listening experience. I can definitely hear why this cartridge is a good upgrade from the 10X5 MKll, I can hear a dramatic change in how the 20X performs, presenting cleaner lead guitar tones and more pronounced detail in other instruments like a Fender Rhodes piano. These elements becomes more engaging and less muddy in tone. In short the Dynavector 20X2L is a great fun sounding cartridge with a-lot of detail and character. The Dynavector 20X2L is also available as a high output cartridge.

The Te Kaitora RUA.

On looks alone this cartridge looks stunning on the end of many tonearms. Some would agree the Te Kaitora is a work of art not just in looks but sound performance too. The Te Kaitora was the result of collaboration between Dynavector japan and Dynavector New Zealand with both house’s bringing their most innovative ideas to the table. The Kaitora has a highly polished titanium headpiece made for maximum rigidity and not just for good looks. This cartridge has been wound with special grade copper wire utilising the use of alnico magnets giving the Kaitora a smoother presentation. With its boron cantilever and pathfinder contact stylus this cartridge certainly is the perfect build for the perfect sound.

To the Maoris of New Zealand, “Te Kaitora” means “The Discoverer”. Dynavector want us to embark on a voyage of discovery to the outer limits of listening to vinyl. Discover we certainly have done! The Kaitora sounds big and open with greater detail than any other cartridge I have heard at this level. Bass is more controlled and more pleasing to the ear even some of my heavier taste in music sounds more exciting, yet still incredibly controlled. On the treble side of things this cartridge presents a smoother and more tuneful presentation. We have compared the Kaitora with more expensive cartridges and in our humble opinion the Kaitora certainly holds its own. Yes, the Kaitora is a big jump from the before mentioned 20X, this cartridge is a work of art from the ground up and that promise of being taken on a voyage of sound is 100% true.

As we know Dynavector make many other cartridges in their range such a the before mentioned D17 Karat and the equally stunning XV-1T. For now, I am just scratching the surface and can’t wait to listen to more of the Dynavector range as I am certainly now a big fan of their sound and how my 10X has transformed the sound of my turntable. The only bad thing is I’d love to one day own a Te Kaitora, maybe some time in the future.

Why not pop in and see us to have a listen and tell us what you think. If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

Thank you for reading

Matt, Nick and Kerrin - Audio T Cardiff

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