Shelter and Triplanar matching ?

Doug: "Extra mass on the cantilever means reduced transient speed and rolled off waveforms."

That seems like a reasonable explanation. I see where the ZYX Web site cites both silver and copper with the same coil wire diameter (.035mm) and same weight (5.0gm).

If both cartridges weigh the same and have the same wire diameter, maybe its not extra mass on the silver's cantilever that accounts for the sonic differences. Maybe its fewer windings of the heavier metal. (??)

Could a different number of windings between silver and copper yield different signals?

I see where the ZYX Web site cites both silver and copper with the same coil wire diameter (.035mm) and same weight (5.0gm)

If both cartridges weigh the same and have the same wire diameter, maybe its not extra mass on the silver's cantilever that accounts for the sonic differences.

You're reading too much into that 5.0g weight specification.

First, it's only nominal. I've weighed six ZYX's to the closest 0.01g and they were all different. The variations were larger than could be accounted for by any differences between the coils.

Second, a specification to the nearest .1g is too imprecise to capture any coil variations. You'd have to go out several more decimal places to measure that.

Third, even if you did that, variations in other components would swamp coil variations.

The coils are so tiny compared to the rest of the cartridge that the only way to know anything useful about their mass/weight would be to measure or calculate it directly. Coil weight cannot be deduced from overall cartridge weight, no matter how accurately that is measured.

Maybe its fewer windings of the heavier metal. (??) ).

Could a different number of windings between silver and copper yield different signals?

Given identical magnets, more windings = higher output. Since the output of each cartridge is the same, the number of windings should be the same.

Good questions, but I think my hypothesis is still valid.

I had a conversation,two weeks ago,with a major arm mfgr.He claimed that the best conductor was silver,and that "anything using gold" was inferior.He stated that gold was only useful for keeping oxidation at bey!We were talking arm cabling,here,but there must be some parallels.As for copper,I don't know.To me,from my personal experience,whatever sounds good in a given set-up,is "best".Whatever the make-up!

Also,about a year ago AJ Van denHul was interviewed,in Hi-Fi Plus magazine.He had his own take on the gold/silver/copper issue.Quite interesting stuff,actually.Worth seeking out.

BTW-DOUG,how come you can get away with a Koetsu "knock",and last fall,I almost had my balls cut off for alluding to an antiskate issue?I'm sure there are alot more Koetsu lovers out there.So my advice to all Koetsu fans is---"Let's get Doug"!!I want to see no less than a dozen posts!!! -:)

Hmm!It must be nice to be one of the "chosen few"!! -:)

Dear Doug: +++++ " Probably the most Colibri-like " +++++

Do you mean that this one has " spark " over the others ?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Doug: +++++ " Probably the most Colibri-like " +++++

Do you mean that this one has " spark " over the others ?

Dear Raul,

If I understand what you mean by "spark", I'd say yes.

The silver and (especially) the gold UNIverses lack a bit of necessary "spark". They are a bit too polite (only a little for the silver). They sound "pleasant" but they don't quite sound "alive". Some people enjoy a bit of artificial smoothing but it reminds me I'm listening to a stereo and not to live music.

The copper UNIverse does not do this. It is the most honest and therefore the most lifelike of the three, just the right amount of "spark" compared to live. I remember Mikelavigne especially liked that about his Colibri - and between the three UNIverses the copper does this best.

Regards,
Doug