ZYX Universe and Lyra Titan


I've been reading a lot about the Universe lately but have not read any comparisons with the Titan. Anyone heard them in similiar set-ups? Since I own a Helicon, I receive about a $1,400 credit trading it in for a Titan. Is the Universe $1,300 better at $4,700? I recognize the subjectivity of the question but does anyone have any strong opinions? Thanks.
richardmr
Gmorris,you had to have read some of my previous posts!I have friends in both camps.Honest to GOD,and this has NOTHING to do with envy,the better sounding set-ups are in the homes of my friends who could care less about the "LATEST" mag rave!

I do have one dear pal,who tells me on a weekly basis,"I felt like spending some money,this week"!He does have a great sounding set-up,yet I can't even begin to relate how many expensive tweaks,cords,pucks,NOS tubes,cones,stands/shelves etc.,he has gone through to feed,literally,a perception of money equating to good sound.We are talking musical chairs.He is a poor listener,of his own set-up,only,and thank goodness he has some friends who try to give him some perspective.

Ex:--He had 14 thou,invested in power cords.I,knowing his propensity for simply spending dough,told him,in jest,that he needed to round off the Powewr cord number to a "nice fifteen thousand dollars".He proceeded to upgrade(?)his pre-amp cord from a 3500 dollar model to a 6000 dollar one.I love the guy,and he knows it(thank God he has no kids),yet fortunately for me,he is a veritable testing lab,for my own system!Now watch,as I'm going over to him,next week,as well as my pal Sid,this latest cord winds up being fantastic.Who knows?

Best regards.
I think I was your first response and now happened upon all the commentary. When Frank Scroder, who I believe makes the best tonearm in the world with a 6-8 month waiting list, tells me the Universe is one of the two best cartridges in the world that is pretty good backup to my ear. For the price that you can get if from the US distributor, it cannot be beat.
Retroinferno:
Presumably, from your account Frank Schroeder has auditioned every available cartridge arm/table combination in the world.

Maybe they are the best that he has tried in his arms in his system.
Lugnut:

My wife accuses me of being too much of a pedant at times.

I tend to have problems with sweeping pronouncements of “BEST”. As an experienced audiophile I am sure that over the years you have seen many components with the anointed mantle of “BEST” ending up with a half-life of a only few months.