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Does size really matter? :-

I've seen stylus size discussed in regards to 78s and mono records, but never as it pertains to our good old stereo LPs. I was recently looking at cartridge specs, and was astonished by the difference in the size of the styli. Let's take, for example, 3 cartridges I'm considering:

Sumiko Blackbird Elliptical 0.3 x 0.7 mm

Dynavector 17D2MKll Karat Square .06 x .06 mm

Zyx Bloom Line Contact 6 x 35 um

Converting the first two to um from mm, we get this:

Sumiko 300 x 700

Dynavector 60 x 60

Zyx 6 x 35

This indicates the Sumiko is 50x wider and 20x longer than the Zyx! The Dynavector is between them. Even allowing for the different stylus profiles, this seems like an enormous difference in stylus size. Am I missing something?

I've read in other threads that the Zyx owners talk about the Zyx getting deeper into the groove, retrieving more info and, more importantly, contacting a section of the groove that, in the case of used records, previous styli haven't touched. Considering the above figures, these statements now make much more sense.

My big question is, why don't more manufacturers use the smaller styli? Are there advantages to larger styli that I'm missing? It doesn't seem like cost should be a factor, as the Zyx above is a US$490 cartridge. Do the smaller styli wear quicker? Easier to break? Harder to align?

Just wanting to get A'goner's thoughts. If there's a previous thread, please point me to it - I did a search, but didn't come up with anything relevant. Thanks.

David
armstrod

Showing 6 responses by dougdeacon

dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Good insights from Jcarr, as usual (hi Jonathon!)

To clear up one possible source of confusion regarding ZYX stylus specs, the entry level Bloom does not use a micro-ridge stylus - it's an elliptical. I presume this was done to control costs.

Higher priced models do use a micro-ridge.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
The differences in size are truly astounding, especially if you compare them under magnification. A friend once photographed four styli at 200x and printed them out for me. IIRC it was a Grado (forget the model), a Denon 103, a Shelter 901 and a ZYX R100 Fuji.

The photos made it difficult to believe these four objects were even made for the same purpose. The Grado looked like a jackhammer bit and the Denon like a chisel. The Shelter was more like a chef's knife. The ZYX was a surgeon's scalpel. Truly incredible when seen side-by-side.

I presume styli like ZYX uses are harder to make accurately. Styli like the Grado's are so huge that accuracy at the ZYX level would be, um, pointless.

In addition to the benefits already discussed, a small, line contact stylus obviously can "see" smaller groove modulations than a large, conical stylus. Large styli slide ride over high frequencies that fine styli can trace.

I don't know about wear, but advanced styli are certainly more sensitive to alignment. A large conical doesn't care much about SRA. A small line contact needs perfect SRA to reproduce its timbre, imaging and soundstaging magic. Once you've heard that however, it's very hard to go back.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Are there any other cartridges you know of, affordable or not, that use a stylus as small as the Zyx?
The Lyra Olympos (discontinued) stylus was longer but it looked similarly narrow to my naked eye, but I never saw the specs. Current top Lyra's like the Titan might use something similar. Check VdH and Dynavector too.

The ZYX stylus is measured in a somewhat odd way because it's shaped in an odd way. If you cut a horizontal cross-section through the stylus at groove contact height, it would look something like an ellipse with a little ridge sticking straight out from each of the narrow ends. The end of this ridge is all that contacts the groove wall.

In the booklet that comes with the Airy 2, Airy 3 and UNIverse ZYX quotes the radius of these ridge ends as 3um, so 6um in diameter. The radii of the main part of the ellipse would be much larger, but it doesn't touch anything and the size isn't quoted AFAIK.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Armstrod wrote:
Maybe I lack imagination, but I'm having a hard time picturing the shape of the Zyx stylus you describe. Any chance you could upload the pictures your friend took of the Zyx and the others? It would be educational for all of us.

Sorry for the slow response, took me a while to find the photo and a site to host it. Here you go!

http://show.imagehosting.us/show/1191025/0/nouser_1191/T0_-1_1191025.jpg

Even at 200x the ZYX's microridges are nearly impossible to see. But the differences in both size and shape are very clear.

Regards and thanks to Styx for the photos,
Doug
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
David,

I only know that all four photos were taken by a professional photographer and that his email said they were at 200x. He sent them to me as a single image specifically so I could appreciate the visual comparison.

The Denon, Shelter and ZYX are definitely at the same magnification. I've owned/used those cartridges and that's exactly how they look.

That Grado does look incredibly huge. FWIW, the photographer owned the Grado, demoed (and photographed) my Shelter 901, then bought the ZYX R100 Fuji on my recommendation. He said it outplayed the Grado by an enormous margin. He's still using it happily today.

Doug

P.S. As interesting as this topic may be, I agree with Raul. Don't buy a cartridge just by stylus size or profile. Compatibility with your phono stage and tonearm are primary, and compatibility with your musical and sonic goals is more important than any technical measurement, even for an accountant!
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Armstrod,

What I was trying to say is that NO set of technical measurements, however complete, can identify the best cartridge for your system and your tastes. Specs can help you avoid serious mismatches. That's about all. If you expect any more than that you'll be disappointed.

No one has measured all the synergies that happen between components. Hearing them is still the only way to know them. Next best is the experience of others, though of course that's less reliable due to differing systems, differing ears and differing tastes.

Indigorose,
Glad you enjoyed those. I was as amazed as you when I first saw them.

Photo credit, as I mentioned above, goes to my friend (and occasional A'gon poster) Styx. You should see his wildlife photos. Amazing stuff, National Geographic quality at least.

Doug
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