Bwhite,I don't really mean to denigrate you for posting,as you're intentions were all good.You seem to know a thing or two,as well.As for Salvatore having a ZYX,I knew this,so what?I like his general suspicious nature,as you state,as well as his approach to the hobby.As for him recommending the ZYX line,I'm sure the line is really superb,but was just a bit sceptical,as to the ALWAYS over the top raves,over the apparent competition.
Cello-you still haven't mentioned what YOUR price for the cartridge was!!!!!!!!!!
As far as Salvatore (the NEW HP,IMO)goes,he is still not to be taken as the HOLY GRAIL,nobody should.Hobbyists have learned alot over the years,and the gap between the "Thinking and careful listening" hobbyists and the so called experts has really dwindled.
My only gripe with Salvatore,is that he kind of indicates that his set-up is very accurate,and accurate enough to pass judgement on some of the most sought after and highly rated discs out there,which he then rates very poorly.I generally have no problem with this,however,I have both the original and re-issue,or later pressings,of much of what he rates,and he is DEAD WRONG on many titles.EX: I own 2 copies of the Dutch pressing of THE PRINCE OF THE PAGODAS,as well as one copy of the earliest British pressing.Saslvatore claims,wrongly,that the later Dutch pressing is far superior.This is laughably incorrect!Maybe in his set-up,and with the voicing of his system,but in my circle of friends,some of his disc comments are really where his achilles heel is exposed.Believe me,some of the guys I know ARE right in this matter,as it is THEY who literally wrote the original reviews,on these discs,and we have already compared titles.
Basically,all I'm saying is that there is NO one best of anything,except my 2 kids,and a good "Ring Ding Junior"!Especially in the incredibly competitive arena of phono cartridges,where the audio envelope is still being pushed,regularly, even as compared to the best in digital.I do have a nice digital set-up(for new music),but the magic is still in analog,IMO,IMO,IMO!!The next time you hear a supposedly SOTA SACD etc. system with mind blowing equip,and music,as I did at HE 2005,in the ISO-MIKE demo,using TAD-Model 1 speakers EMM/4 channel,just go home and play a good DIRECT DISC(even if the music sucks).That will level the playing field immediately.
Cello-you still haven't mentioned what YOUR price for the cartridge was!!!!!!!!!!
As far as Salvatore (the NEW HP,IMO)goes,he is still not to be taken as the HOLY GRAIL,nobody should.Hobbyists have learned alot over the years,and the gap between the "Thinking and careful listening" hobbyists and the so called experts has really dwindled.
My only gripe with Salvatore,is that he kind of indicates that his set-up is very accurate,and accurate enough to pass judgement on some of the most sought after and highly rated discs out there,which he then rates very poorly.I generally have no problem with this,however,I have both the original and re-issue,or later pressings,of much of what he rates,and he is DEAD WRONG on many titles.EX: I own 2 copies of the Dutch pressing of THE PRINCE OF THE PAGODAS,as well as one copy of the earliest British pressing.Saslvatore claims,wrongly,that the later Dutch pressing is far superior.This is laughably incorrect!Maybe in his set-up,and with the voicing of his system,but in my circle of friends,some of his disc comments are really where his achilles heel is exposed.Believe me,some of the guys I know ARE right in this matter,as it is THEY who literally wrote the original reviews,on these discs,and we have already compared titles.
Basically,all I'm saying is that there is NO one best of anything,except my 2 kids,and a good "Ring Ding Junior"!Especially in the incredibly competitive arena of phono cartridges,where the audio envelope is still being pushed,regularly, even as compared to the best in digital.I do have a nice digital set-up(for new music),but the magic is still in analog,IMO,IMO,IMO!!The next time you hear a supposedly SOTA SACD etc. system with mind blowing equip,and music,as I did at HE 2005,in the ISO-MIKE demo,using TAD-Model 1 speakers EMM/4 channel,just go home and play a good DIRECT DISC(even if the music sucks).That will level the playing field immediately.
