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New Zirconia Pipe Cantilever .. What's up with that ?

Reading Namiki website i discovered new type of cantilever available today:

Zirconia cantilever (Pipe) , well this is the only pipe cantilever (except for aluminum) available today to my knowledge, correct me if i’m wrong. This is something new.

"Because the material’s relative density is comparatively high at 6.0, we make full use of our technology to process it into a pipe shape. This cantilever plays a charming sound that is different from other materials."

Physical properties for currently available cantilevers described here.

**Any new cartridges with Zirconia Pipe cantilever available on the market ?

BTW: Browsing Namiki website, to my surprise, on top of the page i recognized that "unique cantilever" of my ex ZYX Premium 4D cartridge. In many of my posts i have mentioned this construction as something special, because the MR diamond is press-fit and the cantilever described by ZYX as Boron. Now i think that joint pipe for stylus tip (press-fit) was made of Zirconia and the rest is Boron Rod.

Since they are both hollow PIPES (black color) i assume they are Zirconia (no other black pipes from namiki).
This is what Nakatsuka-San using in Airy III and Premium 4D ZYX models (owned both models).




128x128chakster

Showing 3 responses by flatblackround

flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
I believe cantilever material has probably the least impact on cartridge performance.  Stylus geometry and cartridge type I.e. MM, MI or MC, output and compliance are much more important. If all else is equal, I seriously doubt anyone could distinguish boron from diamond from ruby.
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
The good doctor wants the cantilever to be a short stiff post.  The gemstone cantilever is good for this.  It allows for thinner wires, different suspension, different armature, a larger stylus etc.  This is all great.  I merely believe that ruby vs diamond vs boron are not the most important aspects in choosing a cartridge and would be difficult to distinguish if all else is equal.  I run a SoundSmith Boheme MI cartridge with a ruby cantilever.  I like it. Peters website on choosing a cartridge emphasizes stylus tracking the groove and various electrical characteristics hi output and low output etc. 
I recall a tv commercial in which a well heeled woman asks a clearly successful innovative architect to design her house around a water faucet.  
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
I did not mean to suggest that Peter is the “last word” if such a thing exists.  He is however an authority and I mentioned him only because I happen to have one of his cartridges with a ruby cantilever.  I did not buy it for the cantilever.  Nor did I buy it for ease of stylus and cantilever replacement. That was not the topic of your thread.  I prefer originals as well.  
To me tracking ability is more than staying in the groove of a warped record. It is all about responding to the modulations within the grooves.  I believe stylus, suspension and compliance are more important in this regard. 

My original reply to your thread was a reaction to the different physical properties of minerals used to make the cantilevers, the short stiff posts. My opinion is this difference is way down the list of what makes a good cartridge. You  are emphasizing that it is a new pipe construction which to me is a different issue. Fine.

You have more knowledge and experience with cartridges than I, so I defer.  However I doubt that you organize and rate your fifty transducers based on which mineral is used to construct the cantilever. This is the point I was trying to make.

Finally, why is it currently impossible to make the vintage type of cantilevers that you admire?  Seems odd to me.

All the best.


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