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Recommendation for a second arm/cartridge combo

Folks, I'm looking to install a second arm/cartridge combo on my C/A Maximum Solution table. Plan is to use my current arm/cartridge (Graham 2.2 + C/A Victory H) as the 'daily driver' and install a second arm for more intimate listening sessions. I initially considered the C/A TQ series linear tracking arms, but other pivot models, i.e. Schroder Reference or Dynavector 507, have caught my attention as well. The phono stage is a Klyne 7PX5 feeding a tubed F/S Paramount SE linestage, into a Rowland 302, into Eidolon Diamonds.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations the forum gurus can offer.
ca2284

Showing 2 responses by rauliruegas

rauliruegas
13,125 posts
 
Dear Ca2284: You have a very nice and high resolution system: congratulations. I really like your Eidolon's: great performers.

Whit that kind of money my advise is that you go for a better cartridge: Allaerts Mc2 Finish, Dynavector XV-1, Transfiguration W/V or Van denHul Colibri ( low output one ), these cartridges beats any ZYX, btw those cartridges are very very hard to beat.
If you go for a better cartridge you can have a better quality sound reproduction, remember that the cartridge is the source and is where you can get more for your money, and like Doug told you: "cartridges are for a few thousand hours. ". Enough for 4-5 years of three daily hours of use.

You can choose SME IV or Moerch DP6 for tonearms. This one has the advantage to choose from severals arm wands ( different efective mass ) depending of your cartridge.

Any of these combinations, hands down the Schroeder/901/R100 combinations. Not because the tonearm, but because the lesser quality of the cartridges.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
rauliruegas
13,125 posts
 
Hi: You can have another alternative. To buy a better Clearaudio cartridge. If you like the Victory then you will be in love with the Discovery or the Harmony. Musical Surroundings can take your Victory in a trade-in for those cartridges. Yes, both are better than the ZYX.
The problem with the ZYX are at the low mid-bass and low bass. Some of the people that own ZYX cartridges, in this forum, can't hear these problems because their systems have limited frecuency response in that frecuency range and can't reproduce clean and undistorted sound in that range. I'm not telling you that the ZYX are not a good one cartridge, it is, but there are many other cartridges that are better than ZYX.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
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