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

128x128audiotomb
Audiotomb, i was not convicting you of any of those traits. Your way of describing your cartridge made me think of those things. I'm sure the cartridge is great but a more measured and scientific approach would go down better politically. For instance I know you are happy with the cartridge but you did not tell me how it tracked a test record or what the separation was like. Was the azimuth easy to adjust (stylus in alignment with coils and cartridge body? Many of us want to know if ZYX pays attention to detail. Is this cartridge worth the money or is it another luxury Hi Fi scam. What are we getting for our $17K? 
Atmasphere, that is most unfortunate but not unusual with these small cartridge companies. If you want service stick with Ortofon, Clearaudio, and Grado. I'm sure there are others. People speak highly of Soundsmith. But, these three I have personal experience with. People should shout out now about the companies they have dealt with both good and bad! 
Nandric, your point about the difficulty in repairing the original Uni is well taken, but I believe that all the later versions from Uni II on to the Optimum are “open” designs and can be repaired by any of the usual suspects, including the factory. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

chakster, by all accounts the universe line in general is superior to other ZYXs. So you haven’t sampled the best of them. The original Uni is probably my favorite LOMC, among ones I’ve owned.
Dear chakster, curious that you don't know how new Russian
rich spend their money. The first capitalist copied the (English)
aristocracy with their ''exclusive taste'' but in Russia you eliminated 
your aristocracy so the new rich have no idea what to buy and
use only prices to compete with each other. Next to watches
and (old) cars ($ 15 million for second hand  Ferrary) there are
not many ''objects of desire'' to show off. So $17 K for a cart
is the so called ''peanuts'' for them . Considering the fact that
there are more and more rich people no wonder the prices go
up. 

the cartridge tracked very well.

flying colors on the shure test record

our local turntable expert had it up on the scope and channel separation was superb.


He was very pleased at how quickly he was able to dial everything in.

A Durand tone arm is part of that set up equation



@lewm the new Zyx Optimum has a closed body. It's gone back to the clear acrylic used in the UNI II, not the coated material used for the Premium. I wonder how much that contributes to the changes in the sound.

I'd like to amend one point in my comments above: I said that the OP was imprecise in his description of the sound of the UNI Optimum. I'm not sure that's true. I was trying to address @lewm's criticism but I was being a bit sloppy. On second look I think @audiotomb is perfectly clear and I don't see where he's any less precise than a typical magazine review. Also his plentiful references to specific recordings are helpful. I put Steely Dan's Aja on after reading the OP's review and I also found that I heard new details - the bass lines for instance became much more 'musical'.  That's a welcome change with that LP in particular. it's one of the most emotionally fraught and saturated albums I can think of (just for me personally) so it's nice to hear it with 'new ears' so to speak. 

@chakster  I see your point and personally I would love to sample older MM carts from the so-called "golden age" but I've found that my efforts haven't been too fruitful (haven't seen the magic yet). The carts that interest me - a Grace Level II for instance - are pretty old at this point.  its like a car.  air cooled porsches are wonderful and superior in some respects to a more modern car (tank like build quality; seat of the pants thrill). but they're old and you need to know a thing or two (or spend a bunch of money) to get them fully "sorted."  On the other hand you can buy an artisanal car that takes the best of vintage technology and mates it with modern design and materials, like the Singer Porsche. But of course you'll have to pay a lot for the service. I would love to drive a Singer 911 but it's out of my range.