Finally, in my opinion the Universe series would blow away the particular vintage LOMCs you just named.
ZYX Optimum phono cartridge - a defining statement
ZYX Optimum phono cartridge
Following is a review of the latest ZYX cartridge the Universe Optimum.
Without further ado I would like to thank Mehran of SORAsound who goes so far above and beyond in realizing this audio quest for his ZYX family.
I have owned all the ZYX Universe models since 2006. All have the characteristic ZYX warm, natural and detailed sound. Each was the low output 0.24mV design. The original Universe was solid is resolving difficult passages especially in chamber and jazz music. Moving forward to the Universe II the cartridge took on a lot of low end energy and prat. Rock music was more dynamic, the transients enhanced and it had that extra body in the lower register.
My system started with the Galibier Gavia turntable, triplanar arm and Doshi Aalap full function preamp. During the time I had my Universe II, I upgraded the tonearm to a Durand Talea, Daedalus Ulysses speakers and a KL Audio LP 200 electrostatic cleaner. All significantly enhanced my system.
Fast forward to stepping up to the Universe Premium. This was a very apparent jump in sonic realism. The sound opened up in a tangible and natural way. The instruments just hung there in space. The tonal qualities resolved further and separation was enhanced. Overtones, details, things like really picking out a buried bass drum or percussive elements.
Moving forward to the present - the Universe Optimum is just as much a quantium leap as the Universe II to the Universe Premium was. Everything snapped into place. Micro and macro dynamics fully rendered. Incredible detail and imaging. The presentation just occupies a space completely natural and open.
Instruments are even more defined, the sound converges around the source. The bass is so taunt that even the most subtle bass line is drawn out distinctly but in no way bloated.
Reggie Workman at times plays very subtle and his upright bass is buried in the mix in active portions of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Not so with the ZYX Optimum - the bass line is crystal clear and lower in volume. Toms, snare and bass drums were felt in a three dimension sense - the tautness, size and velocity and tone on the heads, particularly the bass drum are very apparent and accurately rendered. Cymbals, brushes or resonating piano keys have a distinct pulse and luscious decay when approprate. Stringed instruments have a warm bodied resonance. You are in the room for Bill Evans, Paul Motian and Scott Lafaro during Sunday at the Village Vanguard.
I was overwhelmed hearing my standard go by - Steely Dan’s Aja side 1. This album and all it’s nuances is in my DNA. Everything was rendered with such realism. This fully suspended the thought that I was listening to an audio system.I was floored with glee.
Vocals have such body and emotion whether it be Ella and Louis, James Taylor, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Rebecca Pigeon, Norah Jones, Sufjan Stevens, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, etc.. Vocal harmonies from CSN, The Beatles, Yes, Ray Charles, and Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings are very well defined and engaging.
Acoustic instruments are rendered organically with warm overtones. Electric guitars and synths cut through strongly when intended.
It’s been a true joy replaying familiar records and introducing new ones. It is interesting that lesser songs seem to grab me more and I appreciate what the artist had intended.
Jaqueline Dupre’s Elgar Cello Concerto has the most delicate then dynamic elements. The detail of the ensemble playing in Yes’ Fragile is magical - doubling of parts standing out like never before. Bob Dylan’s More Blood recording is an "in room" experience. The Living Stereo Charles Munch / Boston Symphony recordings - Ravel Daphne and Chloe and Fritz and the Fritz Reiner Chicago Symphony Bartok Symphonie Fantastic are explosive with quick and composed dynamics and subtle in the quieter nuanced sections. The drone of Chris Wood’s saxophone as it builds up in Traffic’s Low Spark of High Heeled Boys gave me goosebumps.
My whole system has been elevated in a major way.
The ZYX Optimum is one of those mind boggling components that dramatically converges on realism. The Optimum brings out the passion in reproduced music in ways I have never fully experienced before. The "you are there" essence is palpatible and so engaging.
Tom
- ...
- 46 posts total
Chakster, are you listening? The ZYX models you’ve owned are not in the same league with the UNIverse series. Therefore your opinion of ZYX is at best incomplete. Also, you consistently act as if anyone can just go out and buy NOS vintage cartridges that you love, and I do too. But in fact they are very very hard to find. You are giving advice about them that usually cannot be followed. Finally, in my opinion the Universe series would blow away the particular vintage LOMCs you just named. |
Dear Lew, Your last sentence ruined the whole ''introduction''. Chakster can't say much about Universe series because he never heard one but Lew is sure that the whole Universe series ''would blow away the particular vintage LOMC's'' which he has never heard. I own this ''particular'' FR-7fz which Dertonarm used his whole life and lately some Aussie was jubilant about. BTW I have the impression that you can't decide between your own Urushi, Ortofon MC 2000, Universe and some MM kinds. |
@nandric I think he's referring to the consensus you described so acutely in a prior post. Not provable but not unfounded either. @mijostyn I had to think hard about your question but in the end I'd go with the McLaren, even though the extra weight of the cabriolet brings your specified top speed down from 212 to a pokey 202. |
@jollytinker , What you think that Lew is referring to and what he really referred to don't need to be the same. He was referring to the lack of knowledge about the Universe while he himself has no knowledge about those LOMC' to which Chakster referred. This is called ''contradiction'' . But I can't compete alas (price wise) with someone whom dilemma is between Singer 911 and Mclaren 720s Spider (grin). |
@lewm Chakster, are you listening? The ZYX models you’ve owned are not in the same league with the UNIverse series. True, but do you know what is Zyx Premium 4D with Silver Base II ? That was another premium model at the time, not so long ago actually. And that model was not damn cheap at all, actually $5K cartridge (must be a great cartridge at that price). But it was enough for me to understand that the price means nothing. They can make $50k cartridge in the next 10 years, but i don’t care anymore, because the improvement does not cost that much and not so big, well, at least to my ears. I just don’t want to play these games anymore. Got enough vintage LOMC (very rare) to say that some of them are absolutely amazing, we have some rave reviews (for those who care) about Miyabi Standard for example. I have my advocate Nanric who |
- 46 posts total