ZYX Universe and Lyra Titan

Lugnut:

You stated in your response above that: “… I was more irritated with what I viewed as an unwarranted attack on Frank Schroeder. That is what my criticism of Gmorris was about.”

I simply wrote that: “ Presumably, from your account Frank Schroeder has auditioned every available cartridge arm/table combination in the world.

Maybe they are the best that he has tried in his arms in his system “.

This does not constitute an attack on Mr. Schroeder, who is in your estimation a very nice man. However, he is not an “Audio God”. He is not infallible, his opinions are just that: MERE OPINIONS, albeit probably more informed than the typical poster on these threads..
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Doublebass, I am glad you are happy with your Grado, but I can't understand how anyone could hang the blame for the poor sound in the Teres/Parasound/Forgettable Speaker room on the cartridge. (I think the speakers should been taken out and kneecapped, they were that bad IMHO.) I doubt even your (insert favorite cart here______) would have saved that room. I do own a ZYX and it exhibits none of the poor traits you judge it to have, but I also own a Dynavector XV-1s (currently in use) and am searching for an early Lyra Parnassus to have converted into an Olympos. I also have a Colibri coming for a trial run. My point is that I will own whatever has merit in my system and feel no need to defend any of my equipment. I am responding because you might be cheating yourself or someone reading this thread of a great cartridge choice for yours or their system. It truly IS one great cartridges of today.

The Brinkmann Balance/Marten Coltrane/Lamm room was one of the best sounds there for me. I would love to try a Brinkmann Balance in my system along with serveral top carts. Maybe someday soon...

Dear ZYX club friends: +++++ " The ZYX Universe had no deep low bass information at all. " +++++

The 76 doublebass opinion only confirm what for many months I already posted about the ZYX cartridges: faulty at the bass, several times and not only my opinion but severals others opinions like the 76db here. Please there are no excuses for that.

I wonder why you all ZYX club members are satisfied: I'm sure you have good ears and experience in live unamplified music.
Now that I do a research about your audio systems I can see that any of you have a full range system, so any of you can't hear how great is the bass problems in the ZYX cartridges, so don't try to defend what you can't hear and never can hear with your today system: HOW CAN YOU DEFEND SOMETHING THAT YOU DON't KNOW THAT EVEN EXIST ? YOU CAN'T HEAR IT !!!!!!! and you never did till you have a full range system, that's all.
Maybe in the next ZYX cartridges generation they can solve that bass problems.
I really desire that they do it because if they do I'm sure that my next cartridge in my system will be a ZYX one, but not before. All of us deserve more that what ZYX is given today for its price.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Lugnut: +++++ " Further, I was more irritated with what I viewed as an unwarranted attack on Frank Schroder " +++++

I never attack to Frank, I respect him like a person and like a great tonearm designer. What I already post about is something that every body understand and almost agree but you. I respect your opinion too.

Btw, I agree with Gmorris last post.

Every time that I disagree with you or with any of your members club always post that I'm attaking any one of you: sorry but you don't have any idea what " attack " means.

Stay calm and be happy: all of you.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi guys,
I just got back from Colorado, so please excuse the late response to retroinferno's post.
I don't recall ever stating that the ZYX Universe is "one of the two best cartridges in the world". If I ever did, there shurely must have been too much Tequila in that last Margharita. No, seriously - I wouldn't make such a statement, even I did listen to every high quality cartridge that was ever made(not many left though... ;-). Personal preferences are only one of so many variables when it comes to determining which cart is "best" for you. The Universe is a top quality cartridge, but in the room Chris Brady had the misfortune of setting up his Teres 360 NO cartridge would have sounded good. I couldn't stay in that room for more than a few minutes without getting a headache. Chris felt the same way and will return with a vengeance next year.
Comparing the Brinkmann table with the Teres 360 played via two totally different systems in different rooms and then drawing conclusions about the character of the cartridges used, well, those must be truly golden ears....or maybe they are made from Phyrite after all ;-)

Dear Raul, just for your consolation, I do listen to many cartridges mounted in other arms but my own. In fact, I own more arms than you do and have likely owned more carts too.
Neither of us should be bragging about it though and neither of us is any more right recommending a particular cartridge, arm or table than another "less well endowed list member" since it is all about INDIVIDUALS conveying the fun that playing with these grown man's toys and hopefully the enjoyment of the music that goes along with it can provide.
To sum it up, meeting old and new friends at the RMAF was what made the trip worth it, not the listening to systems that, while some might be truly great, can never be transported 1:1 into your own listening environment.

Cheerio,

Frank Schröder

P.S.: Patrick, I just wish Albert had left me a little more time to talk with you....