I have joined in the ZYX Family


Funny how change comes about. I’ve been intending to get a tube preamp for years 10-12 years. Instead, I got a tube amp which sounds great. . Tube amp with SS preamp sounds GREAT. FWIW, the SS Preamp was a Stereophile Class A Conrad Johnson PFR. So, its not like I was shooting in the dark. The PFR is a really good preamp. And the Bob Latino ST-70 seems to be a great fit along with the Silverline Sonatas. So I set out to get my turntable up to its optimum. I have a Teres 340 which has an Origin Live Illustrious 3 with Benz Ebony L cartridge. I put the OL Illustrious on it as a temporary arm. I figured the Teres deserved much better. But Maybe I am wrong. It sounds great. However, being an audiophile, I can’t leave it alone. So I set out to get a new tonearm worthy of the Teres 340. But then someone reminds me that a cartridge will make more difference than a tonearm upgrade, especially since the tonearm is a pretty good one. . So I consider the idea and come across a ZYX 4D for a good price. Thank you Raulirigueus(sp) for the idea. In the process, I saved some $$$ too. I’ve wanted a ZYX for quite some time. NOW, I see what all the fuss is about. This cartridge is fabulous. Next up is to clean the electric. Oneac seems to be a good way to go. But, who knows. My plans often go sideways. But I’ve really made some big steps forward thanks to some good advice and the good Lord above who over rules my ignorance. FWIW I often pity those who miss the beauty of good music. I love it. Thanks for your help along the way.
artemus_5
Chakster, I fully agree that price is not necessarily proportionate to excellence in audio equipment. That's exactly why I like the ZYX UNIverse cartridges so much; they do (or did, until the price of the UNI was doubled) give good value for the dollar in the realm of the LOMC, where the dollars per unit of pleasure ratio is very high.  I would not argue with you that the dollars per unit of pleasure ratio is much lower in the MM and MI types of cartridges, by comparison.  And some MMs give any MC a run for the money.

I am surprised at Ralph's experience and its outcome.  I bought a new Koetsu Urushi in Tokyo and then noticed that the cantilever was bent. Via the auspices of the Tokyo dealer who sold it to me, Koetsu replaced the cartridge for no cost.  This was 2-3 months at least after I had returned home to the US.  On the other hand, we know a priori that re-tipping of MC cartridges by their makers is going to be expensive.
I have mentioned Miyajima cartridge for that reason, the retipping of those cart are very reasonably priced by the manufacturer. However, i don’t have Miyajima cartridges.

But i had a great experience with Japanese shop where i bought my new SPU Spirit Ltd model, the sound was nice, but when i noticed misstracking on some records i just decided to return it back to Japan. I got full refund including return shipping, because it was factory deffect. In case with an expensive cartridges full support by the distributor and manufacturer is very important, otherwice we could buy them used for half price at least.
Re tipping from other than the original manufactuer results in a different sound.

I give the old cartridge to person that does not need perfect sound and then buy new. I do not trust rebuilt no matter who does it.

With clean Lps I get 5 to 6 years of great sound. I play 3 to 4 hours each day. Use Last Stylist on each side.

I fear there are too many cheapskates using cartridges. But cartridges are very high markup products and why overpay! You can find them for 50 to 60% off if you know were to buy. They even show up on Audiogon by dealers other than SoraSound.

I have bought from 2Juki many times, and never been let down. The S/N on the cartridge body is NOT altered, only the sales region on the box, to protect his sources from getting cut off by ZYX.

I have never used a warranty on a cartridge in 40 years!

SoraSound let Ralph down IMO.

don_c55, Your reasoning is based on guesses which are different

than assertions. Assertions should be based on arguments which

should not contradic each other. You are against retipps but you

buy second hand carts by which one can't know if the previous

owner retipped his cart. In additon you presupose that only the

manufacturer can do this job (retip) correctly such that the cart

will sound ''as before''. From this guess it follows that you have

no idea how moving parts in an MC carts look like and how they

are connted with each other. First of all all manufacturer get their

cantilever/styli combos ready made by their supplier. Styli are

produced by big ''jewel companies'' and not by cart manufacturer.

The 'nose'' of an MC cart consist of stylus, cantilever, coils and

the part on which coils and cantilever are fastened (glued). This

''nose'' is connected with the rest of the geneartor colled ''joint

pipe''. Usualy there is a small aluminum pipe in fron of the ''nose''.

In this pipe the cantilever is glued. Why do you think that this

work can only be done in the ''right way'' by the manufacturer?

To put this otherwise: why do you think that an retipper is not

capable to do this work ''as good''? The retip with the whole

cantilever/stylus combo is much more easy then gluing an new

stylus in place of the old one. Why is that so? For a manufacturer

to replace the stylus only means that one expert extra would be

needed for this job. If you are well informed you should know

that no manufacturer is willing to retip his own carts. They prefer

to offer new carts instead . The exception are cart producers

who also own an retips service. Van den Hul and Peter Ledermann

are examples.

This myth is also assumed by our ''cart expert'' from Mexico who

obviously has no idea how an MC cart is constructed.

When one look at the generator on can see those 3 screws.

Those are meant to fasten, tighten and center the tension wire

which connect the ''nose'' (moving parts) with the rest of the

generator or the  ''joint pipe''.

If one need a new suspension because the old one become to

soft causing ''low rider'' or to hard because the suspension dry

out causes limitation of the cantilever movement such that

the cart's tracking ability is so reduced that the cart can't be

used at all.

Well in order to put a new ''ribber ring'' instead of the old this

tension wire need to be removed first because the suspension

is behind the coils and does not belong to the moving parts.

This presuposes that the menitioned 3 screws must be reachable

from outside. In case of any ZYX this means that the body of

the cart must be cut or drilleed in order to get access to those

screws. That is because the body by all ZYX is glued together

acrylic without any access to those screws or inside of the cart .

That is why I stated in my former post that stylus worry is not

sufficient. Obviously no member of ZYX club has ever got

suspension problem. But if one would like to anticipate possible

problems one need to be well informed.