Yet another wacko 'Help Me Decide' thread...

Overall enjoyment is the playback source. Bet on the cartridge!

Loricraft - every LP sounds better and you dig up more information than before and you wonder why you didn't get it earlier.

With the cart on the same (level of cleaness/dirty) LP, you only get a different presentation.

The Loricraft changes the playing field. BTW, I've no commercial interest in Loricraft, etc...

From a practical perspective, I would go with the ZYX. There are very inexpensive means to clean a record and chances are with a little effort you can get it close to where the Loricraft will get you, but there is nothing you can do manually that can work the magic that a good cartridge can do. When finances will allow, you can get the Loricraft and you will not have to replace a cartridge which you compromised on. In fact, you probably will hold onto the cartridge and then even with the Loricraft, you would have compromised the performance of your analog playback.

I'm still really torn.

The playback source is the *record*. Cartridges come and go - but one's vinyl collection is the fundament, the ding an sich that warrants great care and preservation. A clean record is a happy record. The absence of noise, grunge, clicks is the joy of a clean record. But yeah you can clean 'em by hand - though having a Loricraft (one of the v best) invites you to clean, making it quicker and less of a chore.

On the other hand...

Some aver the transducers as the heart a system. The record cleaner removes unpleasentry, while the cartridge unleashes beauty.

oh what to do what to do

Having owned them both, I strongly recommend them both. ;-)

You need a Decision Analysis Matrix (DAM) to perform Question Winnowing and Prioritization (QWaP).

DAM-QWaP #1: What RCM are you using now?

DAM-QWaP #1A: If the answer is "none" then get the Loricraft. You said it yourself. Cartridges come and go but vinyl is irreplaceable.

DAM-QWaP #1B: If you already have a decent RCM then it's a matter of which component will give you more enjoyment/dollar. That leads us to...

DAM-QWaP #2: What cartridge do you have now?

DAM-QWaP #2A: If it's a Lyra Helikon, Shelter 90X or someting of similar quality, the Loricraft will probably provide more enjoyment/dollar.

DAM-QWaP #2B: If it's a Grado Black, Benz Glider or something else that an Airy 3 would easily better, that leads us to...

DAM-QWaP #3: What phono stage and tonearm are you using?

DAM-QWaP #3A: If the phono stage has suitable gain and impedance and the tonearm suitable effective mass and resonance control, get the Airy 3.

DAM-QWaP #3B: If the phono stage has insufficient gain or inappropriate impedance, or if the tonearm is unsuitable for an Airy 3, that leads us too...

DAM-QWaP #4: Was the original question misguided?

Cheers,
Doug