Goodbye ZYX Airy 3

I have upgraded my grey market ZYX Airy silver coil (from Juki) to official Premium ZYX 4D SB2 copper once. Those models are different. I have been used Airy-3 on EPA-100 with stock headshell of EPA tonearm with silver Van Ned Hul silver headshell leads and silver VDH internal tonearm cable. Later i bought official Premium ZYX 4D X SB2 and when i mounter it on ZYX Live 18 shell the improvement was so big that my girlfriend noticed that. The 4D is much better cartridge than Airy, well at leat for my music (jazz, funk, soul, latin from the 60s and 70s). I have noticed that i like copper version over the silver one (both low output versions used with ZYX CPP-1 pre-pre and WLM Minueta Referense Phono Stage).

Anyway i would like to read the review about 4D vs. Premium 4D.

Oops, i meant Zyx CPP-1 Pre-pre + WLM Phonata Phono Stage (Minueta is my AMP).

Anyone can explain how this grey market works? Juki always hide serial numbers on ebay and it fact when you got the products from him the stated serial number is fake even on actual cartridge. Manipulation with serials, manuals, boxes ... etc ... all looks weird. Some of his cartridges are older than you can expect, but many people still trust him. Some people report that it's not always perfect working cartridges. it's still risky to buy grey market stuff imho (even if the price is good). Slightly used original one from the agoners might be better altermative, at least no one is trying to stick non existing serian number on the cartridge you're buyin for $1500-$1850

Don, the ORIGINAL zyx cartridge is the one with REAL serial number. I know what i'm talking about as i bought Zyx from Juki few years ago and it was fake serial, different manual and box without serial numbers (where should be serial numbers printed). It was OK cartridge (Airy-3), but i remember distortion problems with one channel for a long time on new cartridge. Remember that grey market ZYX can not be serviced by Nakansuka-San (he refuse them if the serial is fake like with all Zyx from Juki). As i said in another thread retipping ZYX with some other vendor is no longer zyx sound. So if the warranty/service is not a problem for you that's ok. But for me support by manufacturer is important. It is not a problem to find USED/DEMO cartridge from original source (disctributors) or sellers you can trust (they do not manipulate with serial numbers). Appart from ZYX i can say the same about Ortofon he's selling (also fake serials). I even remember fake Orsonic headshells from that source. Definitely not everybody happy about it.

I never got anything free from Sora Sound, but everybody knows that Mehran is top seller who taking care of his customers like no one else in this business.