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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
jollytinker
213 posts
 
@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.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
OK jollytinker since we are daydreaming, what would you rather have the Singer 911 or a Mclaren 720s Spider. The Mclaren is about $100,000 cheaper. 
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
If value judgment are not truth functional or , to put it otherwise, 
don't satisfy truth criterions, how are we assumed to judge?
That is to say what kind of criterions are applicable? 
I think the same we use for valuations of literary works and
works of arts. The so called ''price quality relationship'' would
apply for person with the same income but we all know that
individual incomes are very different while this also apply
for personal preferences. So there is no easy way out. We
need to agree that we can't agree. But we can search for the
''soul kindred'' and share with them our hobby or passion. 


chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@jollytinker

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.

All vintage carts in my collection are old, but NEW, some of the even sealed (NOS), you have mentioned the Grace, i have nearly all Grace LEVEL II and F14 top models with all the exotic cantilevers. These are fantastic cartridges. An opened item does not require any service at all, i don’t service an old cartridges. I have no idea what do you mean by servicing an MM cartridge ? All you need is a brand new stylus wich you can change by yourself, and we don’t need a service for this operation. I am buyin spare styli too. I have NOS factory sealed styli that i will open myself when needed. A fear of dried up or softened suspension is a myth for most for the well know top of the line vintage MM/MI and MC, except for some notorious models that must be avoided.

I do not miss my two ZYX at all, because some MC cartridges like Fidelity-Research FR-7fz, Grace ASAKURA ONE, Miyabi MCA ... had a much bigger impact. I even bought Ikeda 9 III and Miyabi Standard ... and even if i will add many more rare vintage MM/MI in this list the total in USD will be lower than retail price for one ZYX cartridge. But the experience with so many cartridges is far more important than a wish to own something very expensive and pretended to be the best ever.

For this reason i’m asking for the background of a person who’s buyin the most expensive cartridges in the world. If this person have a decades of personal experience with many top of the line LOMC or MM made before ZYX brand was registered, and the ZYX is a result of his personal research i can understand it.

But if a person comparing one ZYX to another ZYX and dealing with all these cartridges for years i just don’t understand the hype. I’ve been there with two ZYX models that was extremely expensive for me (personally) and Premium 4D SBII was better than Airy III with silver coil. Dealers always pushing a new models and ready to offer "special prices" or exchange/upgrade. They can do all that tricks and you’re hooked. One day it’s time to say "ok that’s enough, i’m quit" (imo).

There are many cartridges that sounded so much better/different than any ZYX i have tried in my system (and all of them are much more reasonably priced for a "normal" person). The same dealers in the US can offer Miyajima for example.

Anyway, it’s all about personal preferences in sound.



lewm
13,110 posts
 
Chakster, are you listening? The ZYX models you’ve owned are not in the same league with the UNIverse series. Therefore your opinion of ZYX is at best incomplete. Also, you consistently act as if anyone can just go out and buy NOS vintage cartridges that you love, and I do too. But in fact they are very very hard to find. You are giving advice about them that usually cannot be followed.

Finally, in my opinion the Universe series would blow away the particular vintage LOMCs you just named.
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