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Which would you choose- Lyra, Zyx or Benz for VPI

Hello. I am looking to buy a brand new cartridge in the $2000 range. The contenders are a Zyx Airey 3 with silver bottom and copper wires ($2300), a Lyra Skala ($2200 using my Helikon tradein), or a Benz LP ($2000 using my Ruby trade in). My system is a VPI Aries with JMW 10 arm, BAT P-10 phono, BAT 5SE Pre, BAT VK-60 amp, Quad 988's all tied together with Silver Audio Appasionata's.

I listen to mostly live acoustic performances of small rock bands (think Jay Farrar and Son Volt or Wilco) or jazz groups (most of the Groove Note line). I like to hear the transients of the kick of a drum and the strum of a Martin Guitar.

I was using a Helikon until my housekeeper damaged the stylus. I always thought it was too thin in the mids and bass but it had nice air around it. I then shifted across the board to the Ruby 2H. I've been using it for a year and satified but part of the reason for all the silver cabling is that I missed the detail and air of the Helikon.

I know there are many wisdom and experience beyond me soplease help me out. Which would work best based on your experience.

Thanks, Jeff
jspownell
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Doug, I've read some of your previous posts on the Zxy and on one you commented that the Airy 3 may be lively on a unipivot arm. Do you have any concern about that.
That was based on hearing it on Graham 2.2, and we did speculate it might be because of the unipivot design. Since people are reporting good results with their JMW/Airy 3 combos, I'm inclined to think it was some other factor about that Graham/Airy 3 combo that caused the excessive liveliness. That 2.2 just couldn't tame certain upper mid frequency energies. I gather from the posts above that JMW users aren't having that problem.

If in fact your table is inherently "dark", a warmish cartridge like a Benz might reinforce that. A lively, energetic cartridge like a Helikon or Airy 3 might help illuminate things a bit. The ideal solution is perfectly neutral components from top to bottom of course. Easier said than done.
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,381 posts
 
Jspownell,
Another ZYX/JMW user here. My Airy 3S-SB rides on a TNT6 w/12.6 arm. I went w/the silver version based on Mehran's recommendation relative to my system, and am very happy with it. I also considered both the Benz LP and the Cardas Heart(i.e. modified Benz), but thought that the Benz might lean a bit too far towards warmth at the expense of transparency. The ZYX silver versions are a bit warmer than the more neutral copper, but IMHO it is still more neutral sounding than most other carts I've heard.
Haven't heard the Skala, no opinion there.
One aspect of the ZYX that I find exceptional is its ability to play less than pristine LPs without surface noise. No other cartridges I've heard do as well on a mediocre record of letting the music through without annoying surface noise. If you're a used LP hunter, this is a worthwhile bonus and another factor in my overall satisfaction w/my ZYX.

Stltrains, FYI from what I've heard from VPI, the newer tables such as your Aries 3 are more neutral, (less dark) than the older VPIs. Many of their more recent design improvements such as the dual motor flywheel assembly and the HRX plinth layering are moving the VPI house sound away from dark-with-big-bass to a more balanced presentation. I agree w/your conclusion that the poster would risk too warm a presentation putting the Benz w/the older VPI. Cheers,
Spencer
audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 
I have the ZYX universe and it is perfectly resolving and tonally balanced on acoustic instruments

what is groove note jazz? were you refering to BLue NOte?
I'm a big fan of those and they sound spendid on a ZYX

Tom
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