Sort of... My phono pre is built in to my McIntosh C220 preamp, and it is MM only. I have toyed with the idea of a Step-up Transformer, but the expense of a good one is daunting. I run my modded Thorens TD-166MkII with 2 pickups, each on its own 'arm wand: A Denon DL-160 (which is a High Output MC, so technically not a MM), and an Ortofon OM-30 Super. I have an OM-40 stylus in waiting for when the OM-30 is finished. Yes, there are differences between the Ortofon and the Denon, but they are mostly subtle. I spin some vinyl, but I have to admit that I mostly digitize my vinyl for use on my server and in the car (an ongoing 10+ year process). For this purpose, my vinyl rig is more than adequate. I get many compliments on my needle drops from fellow audiophiles, so I guess I am doing something right, even with my not-so-high-end rig.
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@nandric This is no more a ZYX, because the original ZYX cantilever/stylus combo is way different from anything else on the market if you saw them under microscope. At the same time i saw Axel's cantilever/stylus combo and compared them. I have contacted various retippers when my 4D was broken to see what they can offer. I think it's critical for ZYX cartridges and that's why they are what they are (unique in it's own class). |
@inna Why do you not care about them? I think i already explained in another thread not so long ago. BTW the Cartridge Man is just reworked Grado ? I would advice to check Joseph Grado (signature model) XTZ before buyin' Cartridge Man. The XTZ was TOTL and the price in the 80s was $750. I am a tape man so naturally I want to come as close to the tape as possible. Then you should check this TAS article (from the golden age of analog) if you haven't seen it before. Those guys comparing digital master tape, analogue master tape, direct-to-disc lacquer and the "live" mike feed; the report consists of a long conversation among J. Boyk, Keith Johnson, Doug Sax, and J. Tammblyn Henderson. "What cartridge, what exotic audiophile wonder of disc playback, was producing these marvels? What cartridge could have the "lowest distortion of all," "uncanny" resolution, better than master tapes? The answer is (I wish I could put a page turn here): The Stanton 881 Mk II. The scene shifts. Kavi Alexander, auteur of the remarkable Water Lily Acoustics series of analogue vinyl discs, is monitoring disc production by comparing test pressings to the master tape. What cartridge is he using? Another moving magnet, this time the Technics EPC-100 mk4... Audio-Technica AT-ML170 is very similar, and very close to the actual sound of the tape. In this comparison, he says, virtually no moving coil does so well; most have seriously apparent colorations." Personally, i prefer the AT-ML170 (i have a spare) and AT-ML180. |
Dear chakster, the logic of identity relation is not easy to grasp but the rule is that the same name refer to the same object. There are however different names which refer to the same object but we somehow have no problem with those. Say Vienna , Wenen, Bec, etc. refer to the same city in Austria which Austrians name Wien. The logical rule is then that whatever is true about Vienna is also true about Wien, Wenen (Dutch name) and Bec (Serbian name). So your statement ''ZYX is not ZYX'' is at least confusing. I think that your meant ''the old ZYX is no more the new ZYX''. The old Nandric is, alas, also no more the young one. I ever started a thread about ''irreparable'' cartridge but nobody was interested. My reason was my Sony XL 88 D as well the ZYX. Their body is made from ''plastic'' which is glued together so there is no entrance to the inside parts. The Sony was probably the first cart which was ''potted'' so nobody was willing to mess with this cart. Axel try for two years and give up. But he fixed my ZYX by cutting some parts from the body in order to get access to the generator and suspension. If your new ZYX is even more difficult to fix or rather impossible to fix then I am sorry for you considering the old as well the new prices for both ZYX kinds. Even if any of those ZYX is made and delivered from Eldorado I would not even dream to buy one (grin). |
I bet, some MC people are reading this and having fun. I don't belong to any camp. Kavi's opinion does carry weight for me. No, I haven't read that article but I will, thank you. I know nothing about The Cartridge Man, it is just that it is not one of more popular choices, which may mean different things. |
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