Moving coil with a bit less leading edge

John...I seem to recall the bass performance of that copper Airy 3 I had left a bit to be desired. Some of the comments I've read from a few other Zyx owners(depending on the particular model)have also indicated bass reproduction was not a particularly strong suit. Have you been aware of any difference between the copper and silver models regarding that area?

Opus,

John's comments on the ZYX line are spot on. With regard to "smoothing":
Gold coils > silver coils
Silver coils > copper coils

It's not unexpected because it has nothing to do with conductivity, it's a function of inertia. Gold is massier than silver and silver is massier than copper. Assuming the same gauge of wire, the low mass copper displaces faster than the higher mass silver and is thus more responsive. Likewise with silver vs. gold.

I happen to hate that sort of smothing but if it's what you're after, a gold- or silver-coiled ZYX would provide it. They're more Koetsu sounding than the ZYX's I prefer so maybe your cup o' tea.

With regard to bass output/macro-dynamics, the 4D (formerly Atmos) has everything the Airy 3 lacked in that respect and more besides. Read the review by my signature for more info.

Pani yes it is possible, try a good tube phono stage.

Dover, I have tried 4 phonostages and 4 cartridges in my system:

1. Leben RS30-EQ
2. Naim Stageline
3. Naim Superline
4. RCM Sensor Prelude

1. Denon 103pro
2. ZYX RS30
3. Empire EDR9
4. Lyra Delos

All within the last 3 months. Though not all at a time but still lot of overlaps. At present I have the Naim Superline and RCM stages along with ZYX, Empire and Lyra cartridges. I am really confident that the phonostages I have tried till date are superb when it comes to tone, timbre and naturalness. One can actually believe they all have tubes inside (though Leben is really tubed). The fact that Lyra has a particularly (abnormally) sizzling lacking body treble (most obvious in sounds of Cymbals) is very apparent. I have not heard anything like that in other cartridges. I have heard my RCM phonostage with ZYX 4D and R100 as well, absolutely no such problem.

This is a common problem since most high end modern moving coils seem voiced to make vinyl sound like CD. Two suggestions in addition to the excellent & affordable Zu103 already mentioned: 47 Labs MC Bee and at much more cash, the Koetsu Vermillion.

Phil

The fact that Lyra has a particularly (abnormally) sizzling
lacking body treble (most obvious in sounds of Cymbals) is very apparent. I
have not heard anything like that in other cartridges.

The Lyra carts are designed to move all their energy from tracking into their
body and from that one into the Headshell from the Arm. When a Arm is used
which is simply inferior (and there are more of them out there than most will
believe) in that energy transfer - or has weak bearings - you get a lot of high
frequency problems while listening. It is not the cartridge, it is the Arm (+
Turntable, depending how the Arm mount was designed).
Zyx carts for example are exactly the opposite. They run well in ANY Arm, they
move no, or nearly no energy into the Arm. They make life much easier.
Lyra carts can show huge differences in Performance (Titan i is very famous for
that) , they CAN show, how good your System really is. Maybe there is one or
the other exception, but the Delos is not among them.
Arms are a special chapter, everyone thinks, when such a unit is ready to buy, it
is perfect and will solve all problems. Did you never ask yourself why some of
the most weak designs - technically - use wood? :-)