@andychris If you will search audiogon you will find my detailed explanation how do they work with broken cartridges if you purchased them from authorized dealer (it's easy to check by serial number). 1) They can ONLY give you a NEW cartridge and you will pay at least 60% of 100% retail price. You can also upgrade to the next model. At least in the USA it workd like that and you can still contact Mehran at sorasound The cartridge must be an original, it means you can not send them back a ZYX cartridge if somebody else tried to fix it. 2) ZYX cartridge body is sealed, the original cantilever is way different from any other cantilevers on the market, check this picture of my ex Airy3. If you want to experiment with your broken cartridge you can send it to some other re-tippers, but it depends what you're gonna do (just replace the diamond or replace the whole cantilever). 3) If you want to replace the cantilever someone will have to crack the cartridge body. Then you will get a cartridge which is no longer ZYX cartridge. 4) The process via Nakatsuka-San is the best if you're ok with the price, you will get a brand new cartridge with new serial number. But i think you can source brand new cartridge somewhere else for lower price (maybe used or demo). |
chakster, 'the original cantilever is way different from any other cantilever...'' This description is not correct . As I mentioned the ''stylus mounting'' is different as can be seen on your picture. My Airy 3 is retiped by Axel with an boron/ Shibata combo while an new ''rubber donut''( aka suspension) is also provided by drilling an hole at one side of the body. One of the 3 screws on the generator must be loosened in order to get the generator out for this purpose. I ever started an thread about ''irreparable carts'' and assumed as such ''sealed plastic bodies'' as by Sony XL series and ZYX. Anyway an retip with a new cantilever/stylus combo should be possible . BTW according to Axel his Shibata is beter stylus than ZYX original. |
gilles130, I got the original as present but defective. The suspension has hardend. So I posted the cart to my friend Axel who added new (boron) cantilever and his best (Shibata) stylus. However he was willing to cut the cantilever cover and drill a hole in the body to reach the involved parts. The problem by ZYX is the ''glued together'' body so the only way to get ''inside'' is to cut or/and drill the body. Axel, alas, retired while I have no idea if other retiper would be willing to do such ''drastic job''. BTW this explains chakster statement that ZYX does '(cart) exchange but not ''refurbishing''. The sound of my retiped or refurbished ZYX is excelent in contradistinction to its looks (grin). |
