Alternative to Zyx Ultimate Airy

New cart and still curious..

Not a good place.

The proposed $2500 could fund a " better" phono stage to further exploit the potential of whatever cart is used.

$2500 used=$5000 MSRP

10 hours on a New Cart' does very little in my experiences to show the Cart' user, the overall qualities inherent to the Cart'. There will be snippets of insight to the Cart's capabilities from 50ish hours, at 100 hours the snippets should start to have gathered into a broader picture. At 150 hours there will have been a revelation, maybe this is the time to commence with an inquiry, about what can be offered b other Cart's. 

Two Tonearms with Different Carts, or One TA with changeable Headshells is another option seen to have alternative Cart' Options at hand and ready to use.       

There's a Miyajima Carbon here on Audiogon for $2150. 

I own the Zyx Ultimate Airy and am very happy with it. I have achieved all that you are looking for using SUT (Bob’s Devices SKY 20-S) and an Audio Research Reference 5SE preamp. I’m sure there’s a better cartridge out there, but this is a very good cart. 

As a result of my experience of experiencing a Wood Body Miyajima Cart' in use in a. Very famiiar system. I am yet to hear the Cart' do anything else than create a very good impression.

Have you looked at the Hana Umami blue? An Absolute sound Best Buy in 2024.

Please note.  Not looking for better, just an alternative with similar characteristics.