Raul,once you find the BEST low noise/low distortion tubes,you then HAVE musicality!! |
Bwhite,I don't really mean to denigrate you for posting,as you're intentions were all good.You seem to know a thing or two,as well.As for Salvatore having a ZYX,I knew this,so what?I like his general suspicious nature,as you state,as well as his approach to the hobby.As for him recommending the ZYX line,I'm sure the line is really superb,but was just a bit sceptical,as to the ALWAYS over the top raves,over the apparent competition.
Cello-you still haven't mentioned what YOUR price for the cartridge was!!!!!!!!!!
As far as Salvatore (the NEW HP,IMO)goes,he is still not to be taken as the HOLY GRAIL,nobody should.Hobbyists have learned alot over the years,and the gap between the "Thinking and careful listening" hobbyists and the so called experts has really dwindled.
My only gripe with Salvatore,is that he kind of indicates that his set-up is very accurate,and accurate enough to pass judgement on some of the most sought after and highly rated discs out there,which he then rates very poorly.I generally have no problem with this,however,I have both the original and re-issue,or later pressings,of much of what he rates,and he is DEAD WRONG on many titles.EX: I own 2 copies of the Dutch pressing of THE PRINCE OF THE PAGODAS,as well as one copy of the earliest British pressing.Saslvatore claims,wrongly,that the later Dutch pressing is far superior.This is laughably incorrect!Maybe in his set-up,and with the voicing of his system,but in my circle of friends,some of his disc comments are really where his achilles heel is exposed.Believe me,some of the guys I know ARE right in this matter,as it is THEY who literally wrote the original reviews,on these discs,and we have already compared titles.
Basically,all I'm saying is that there is NO one best of anything,except my 2 kids,and a good "Ring Ding Junior"!Especially in the incredibly competitive arena of phono cartridges,where the audio envelope is still being pushed,regularly, even as compared to the best in digital.I do have a nice digital set-up(for new music),but the magic is still in analog,IMO,IMO,IMO!!The next time you hear a supposedly SOTA SACD etc. system with mind blowing equip,and music,as I did at HE 2005,in the ISO-MIKE demo,using TAD-Model 1 speakers EMM/4 channel,just go home and play a good DIRECT DISC(even if the music sucks).That will level the playing field immediately. |
Larry,your interest and experience with cryo'd interests me.Food for a future conversation.
As for anything under my table.No way.I've tried other stuff and LOVE the way it now sounds.Also,my table cannot have anything under it,due to the suspension type.The shelf sits on 4 spikes,coming out of my custom wall shelf,which is bolted into 2x6 beams.More or less finalized,for me.You are a truly nice person for being so open about lending things out.That is one reason why I'll give you a holler when I come down to FL. this summer,to visit my folks.THANKS!! |
Larry,I think I did state,or imply in an obvious manner, that my response was, a good bit tongue in cheek.I,also commented that Bwhite did nothing wrong,and it is clearly obvious that he was being "more or less happy to share a viewpoint,on something he was excited about".We all do this.Also,I really feel bad if you actually think(and I'll bet you don't)that I consider you to be some kind of shill for Sora Sound.
That being said,sometimes,when the opportunity arises,and the subject matter is interesting,it is fun to "stir up the pot" a bit.I'll bet you checked back on this thread with anticipation,hoping something came up that you could respond to and add to,as well.I think we ALL love this about this forum.You know YOU LOVE this,Raul!!There is nothing wrong with that,as I see it.So long as we all stay mature,and without ambivalence.
However I DO like to think that some of my comments are,at least from my vantage point,accurate,and you DO LOVE to "RAP UNIV",don't you?There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that!!That's one of the things I like about seeing a ZYX question.I know I will see a,usually interesting comment from you.Where's Doug,BTW!There are other great cartridges out there,as well.I LOVE my Temper-V,and have owned a Temper/Koetsu Onyx Platinum/Urushi/Onyx/and Black before this cartridge.However I suspect my Temper-V is by far the best of the lot,BUT,and this cannot be dismissed easily,I know MUCH MORE about correct anolog setting up now,than I did over the years that I owned and loved all my previous cartridges.So,even though the odds favor my latest transducer,who knows how "really good" my Koetsus could have been,in my current,tweaked out to the N'th degree system!That's why I never go NUTS over it when the potential subject lends itself.My friend who has a GREAT SOUNDING Lyra Titan(his previous problems were not the Titan,as I once mentioned,but tube related,and thank God I have only three tubes in my set-up,where he has 42,ouch!!)loves the crap out of that design,whereas some of my other pals would NEVER "cheat on" their Koetsus,as I did when I left it for my TRANNY (am I SICK,or what?).
What this all boils down to,as long as we all stay civilized,and don't start with the high school name calling,is that this is all a HOOT,and only adds FUN to the hobby.
BTW,Larry,the Symposium Ultra Shelf worked great under my NOW,and FINALLY,correctly set up COSMOS.SOTA did an unbelieveable,over the top modding of my "Twice sent back" table.Truth is that they are SO INCREDIBLY NICE TO DEAL WITH,and felt so guilty about my table having to come back 2 times,that they literally gave me a new table,with the exception of the irreplaceable "Fountainhead" base that they shined and buffed to a "PROOF COIN STANDARD".I did not ask them to do this,but it shows REAL customer service,rather than just a "FIX" and ship attitude.I'm a very happy puppy,again!! |
Cello,I(with humor,and tongue firmly in cheek)knew I would draw you out of your orange grove,with my little dissertation,though I don't think I'll need my egg sandwitch when all is said and done.
Bwhite-Don't be so sure there are not those "philes who "JUMP" on somethimg in even shorter auditions than a glass of wine and a finger sandwitch.I've known many.
Raul-thanks for not finding any ammunition to "Blast"me with.You are a little too nice to me!!
Thomasheisig-You have touched on a point that ALL analog lovers should know,and some probably are remiss here.As a matter of fact,to take it even further,regarding the ALL IMPORTANT phonostage,the choice of tubes are SUPER CRITICAL(in a tubed stage,and it is here that tubes are most necessary,for tailoring one's sound preferences,even more-so than any other area,IMO).I,and a friend are in the process of doing a "personal" tube rolling survey and each set of tubes (we take 3 in our phonostages)seem to give a DRAMATIC and different presentation to the system.We have tried at least a half dozen sets of the finest NOS types available,and the journey still goes on.So much for the preference of the manufacturers at hand.You simply have to learn to "Think Outside the Box",and be willing to fiddle about! |
Although the intention was well meant,and appreciated(by analog's "pushing the envelope" fans),a lunchtime installation is laughably incomplete,in ANY kind of comparison.Especially in something like a cartridge,where so many factors,some taking MULTIPLE listening sessions to become obvious,are at play!!
Also,as to the ZYX UNIVERSE,which I'm sure is a fine performer,it simply MUST be compared to ALL of the top performers(and there are,now,MANY)to become as HOLY in perception as some of the AUDIOGONERS have allowed this design to appear to be.In each case,when the previious cartridges,of the new UNIVERSE owners,are mentioned,you MUST take into account that other(previous)equipment may have been refined as well.All systems,usually,are in a state of constant refinement(not necessarily upgrades of major components)so enough with this"The Universe is GOD's gift" attitude.Let's see what happens when the ultimate test of time allows comparison to many of the BIG HITTERS,in the cartridge domain.
At that point I will be more than happy to peel the egg off my face,and make an omlette.Until then I think a few well meaning,but over the top Philes are giving this particular model "long legs".
I'm also a bit suspicious of the price paid,for the Universe,by the few 'Goners that can't wait for the subject of this design to come up in a thread!!Although the ones I refer to I DO personally like,from previous correspondence!However I'm moving much more,these days,to the Arthur Salvatore way of looking at things,and I rather like it!! |
