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Lyra or ZYX ?

I am on a look out for an upgrade to my Denon 103pro. Primary requirement is Drive, pace and timing along with natural flow. I know both Lyra and ZYX cartridges are known for good pace and timing but which of them sounds more natural ? I listen to both Patricia Barber and Beatles alike so I want a cartridge which has that natural flow to music not just emphasizing shortcomings.

The reason I chose ZYX and Lyra and not a warm Benz or Grado is because I am also looking for a detailed cartridge. Within my budget I can look at with ZYX R100 Yatra or Lyra Delos.

Please share your experiences.
pani
dover
2,229 posts
 
Pani - one other suggestion to check out. On the Platine Verdier you can put a steel or ceramic ball bearing into a cavity on top of the bearing axis. The bearing can be adjusted so that just a little weight, not more than a few hundred grams is handled by this ball bearing, assisted by the magnets. This gives vibrations from the platter an additional path for getting away from the record and out of the platter. If you can do this on your Nouvelle it will improve the focus on your existing set up.
pani OP
1,218 posts
 
Doug, there is a ZYX RS30-02 on sale for $500. This is a mouth watering price provided this cartridge is as good as current ZYX cartridges are. Do you have any idea about them ?
lewm
12,849 posts
 
I own both an RS-A1 and an FR64S. The RS-A1 is really excellent, but it is also a bit crazy in terms of its ergonomics. (You need a steady hand or a shot of cognac.) The FR64S is probably superior for a low compliance cartridge, in terms of both performance and usability. You should be able to buy an FR64S in excellent condition for well less than $2000. If possible, find one with silver internal wiring. (The arm tube will have a label: "Silver wire inside", or similar.) Most have copper internal wire, which is probably OK too.
If cost is a major barrier, then you might consider the RS-A1, or one of many other good vintage Japanese tonearms that can be had for $1000 or less.
pani OP
1,218 posts
 
As an update, I bought the ZYX rs30-02 cartridge. Much much better than Denon 103pro. For the tonearm, I have an option of buying Graham 1 tonearm for about $1.2k and a Graham 2.2 for $2k. Not sure if the additional $800 is worth the investment!!

Has anyone tried Graham and ZYX combination. Is it worth pursuing ?
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
When I owned Graham 2.2 I used Zyx with it. Top combination. The Zyx are in
general not critical to Tonearm matching.
In my opinion the higher you go with Graham Arms, the better is the result. This
design became always more and more heavy (see the different weights or
differences in the weight of the housing), the Phantom for example became
MUCH more heavy. All this supports an improved resonance control with a
wide(r) range of carts.
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