Glanz moving magnet cartridges

I'll throw my hat in the ring with Dgob, Raul, and Lew. In my system both top Azden and top Astatic are on the clinical side of the MM/MI continuum and closest to MC in general character. So far Empire 999 has the most warmth & presence, and as it breaks in is becoming more detailed. In fact it's difficult to find much of anything wrong with Empire (which as Deanman mentioned to me by email, lets you stop "looking" at the music.) It isn't easy to find the jargon to describe why these Empire cartridges are so convincing(though doubtless the jargon will eventually issue forth...) I reserve final judgment on all P-mounts(in my case P-76 and Azden) until I get around to rewiring to bypass the P-mount adaptor.

Dgob, I am so slow at this business of evaluation that thus far I have only got a feel for 3 cartridges: my own Grado TLZ (so-called because I bought it at least 20 years ago, and it was my one and only cartridge for several years), the Ortofon M20FL Super, and the Azden. So at this point, I am far from naming a "top 3". While the Azden is now much better than it was at first, largely due to correcting my own set-up errors and some break-in time, I am still not blown away, altho it is obviously excellent. This is why I have asked others to share their preferred VTA, VTF, and load resistance for the Azden. I am near to neutral VTA, VTF= 1.35gm, and load R= 47K, no added capacitance. There is plenty of evidence that 100K load or some number between 100K and 47K is better.

Just got my 1000ZE/X stylus from Garage a Records (to install on my 1000ZE).

Lew,
I'll be very interested in your opinion on the Empire 1000ZE/X when you have listened?

From my experience it sounds just great out of the box which might throw you a bit, and it gets even better.
To start with, I'd try it at higher than Raul's 1.0gm VTF although after 30 hours it certainly warrants lowering.

Lewm/Dgarretson,

I must admit that I have so far only heard the Azdens for limited periods - as I have posted elsewhere on Audiogon. My perspective on it might change but I have given my honest opinion of it now. Sadly, the Glanz, Technics, ATML-170 audition has been my main preoccupation and will remain so for some time to come. Lewm, I share and see no problem with your caution and slowness in making decisions. Act in haste...

On the Empire 1000SE/X, I believe it could be a fantastic performer but it is definitely on the warm side of my audio spectrum. I owned the one now used by Raul but is was in poor condition at that point. Nevertheless, the one statement that I made to Raul before I agreed to his suggested cartridge exchange was that: "From what I have heard so far I believe it could be a very special cartridge." The imaging and timbre were two of the most immediate qualities that stood out. However, and this might be down to the condition in which I found it, my Empire shared a feature with many of the cartridges that I describe as warm and that is its imaging capacity - or relative lack thereof.

Lewm/Dgarretson,

Corrections include: 1000ZE/X not SE/X (Downunder's humour obviously stuck somewhere!). Secondly, I meant its 'soundstage width and depth' and not its 'imaging' as an immediate positive.

Cheers