Hi: I'm late to post, but I want to add my comments for the benefit of folks who are contemplating purchasing the VPI Zephyr. As a general matter, I concur with the comments offered above. Specifically, it's one of the best cartridges I have ever played. My Zephyr has about 15 hours on it, maybe even less. I don't know how long the break in period is, but I can't even imagine how much better the sound may be like after break in.
Specific comments include imaging and sound stage are eerie, almost like the singers, orchestras, bands, whatever, are performing in between my speakers -- no sh*t! Bass is tight as he*l and extended. If there's "real" bass impedded in the grooves, the Zephyr digs it out. Trackability is excellent. This sucker plays old records that give other cartrdiges indigestion. And vinyl hiss and pops, hardly any. Almost as clean as CD. I almost reached for my CDP clicker to replay a track, but realized I'll have to get off my butt and do it the old fashion way. Oh well, we audiophiles DO have to make sacrifices. By the way did I mention the Zephyr sounds great too -- ya think??
Ok some specific advantages that some folks may find particularly relevant. I own a VPI Classic (w/ Classic 3 arm upgrade) to twirl my vinyl. If you look at some of my other threads, I have had a tough time matching a cartridge to the Classic. In the case of the Clear Audio Maestro and Virtuoso, I picked up a bass resonance. One possible explanation may have related to the resonant frequency of the cartridge/tone arm combo.
I then tried an Ortofon 2M Black. It sounded pretty good, but I heard a crackling sound when tracking transient dynamic grooves. Lots of hiss and pops too. A possible explanation might have related to the fact that the 2M uses a Shibata stylus, which is essentially a line contact stylus. As some of the posts above mention, tone arms that use an unstabilized uni-pivot arrangement, like the Classic, may have a tough time tracking unless azimuth is perfect. Good luck!
In fairness to the gear, as I mentioned in other threads, I realized that I didn't tighten up some set screws at the bottom of the tone arm base which might have caused the problems. At this point, I'll never know for sure because the cartridges mentioned above are history. I didn't get a chance to find out if tightening up the set screws would have made a difference.
Ok, now the weaknesses . . . . . .
Well, it's time to get back to the music. I'm spinning a remastered new release of Roy Orbison's greatest hits. Da*n, I can even tell the type of breath mints Roy used.
