Product Description
The XV series is an accumulation of engineering excellence and refinement. The XV Ultima is the ultimate expression of Dynavector’s XV cartridge series and the direct successor to the XV-1t. It retains the design that has defined the line since the original DRT XV-1 (1999) and XV-1s: eight Alnico magnets providing a stable magnetic field, a V-shaped front yoke that holds the magnets and makes the nude cartridge easier to handle, a square-shaped aperture in the yoke, a four-part magnetic equalizer to capture the magnetic field accurately, and Dynavector’s patented Flux Damping, which counters flux fluctuation during playback to stabilize the magnetic field and reduce distortion in the generated signal. The body is Urushi-lacquered over precision-machined, heat-treated bamboo, selected for its acoustic properties and the stability it provides to the magnetic assembly.
The Ultima is further defined by two distinctive elements. The coil bobbin is manufactured from research lab-grade ultra-high-purity iron, maximizing purity for low distortion and ideal response to magnetic changes. The bobbin is then precision-cut into a cross-shaped armature and wound with ultra-fine pure copper wire. Both the cross shape and the fine winding reduce the cartridge’s moving mass for accurate tracking and faithful reproduction of fine groove detail.
The latest improvement in the Ultima is the application of Dynavector’s Special Annealing Process to the front and back yokes, the magnetic equalizer, and all eight magnets. The process addresses the crystal-structure distortion caused by machining, which reduces magnetic permeability and cannot be fully reversed by conventional annealing. Calibrated to each component and drawing on the tradition of Japanese swordsmithing, it restores pure iron to its full magnetic potential.
The XV series has long been known for natural timbre, stable imaging, and an unforced sense of presence. The Ultima takes these qualities to their fullest expression, with exceptional resolution, smooth extension at the frequency extremes, and a deeply layered soundstage -instruments and voices dearly placed and rendered with warmth and detail.
