VPI Classic and ZYX 4D

Stefano, have you seen this?

It's made by VPI, and sounds like it may help.

Cheers,
John

I would check with VPI to see if they have a different counterweight. I have a Basis 'table/arm, and I had to order a different counterweight for heavier cartridges, like the Dynavector XV-1s, from Basis. Hopefully you get a chance to listen to the 4D at it's best. I, myself, wouldn't feel comfortable attaching a coin to the tonearm.

Currently I'm running a ZYX 4D-X SB2 and I have to say that I am very impressed. I like the 4D-X better than my previous UNIverse-S. The UNIverse had a sweeter midrange, but the 4D has better resolution and extension. Some of this may be due to the silver vs. the copper coils.

Cheers,
John

Stefanoo, I would think that you would need a lighter counterweight, not a heavier one. You would need a heavier one if your counterbalance was running off the end of the tonearm and you were tracking 1.95 grams. As I read it, you can't track any lower than 1.95 grams with the counterweight all the way in touching the base. I would think there would be some drag effect from the counterweight rubbing the base as the cartridge tracks. To move the weight out away from the base, you would need a lighter counterweight. Besides, as the cartridge ages, you may want to track lower than 1.95 grams. FWIW, I'm tracking at 2.00 grams.

Doug's comments seem to be pretty accurate. I've never heard a UNIverse-X. I bought the UNIverse-S because I was moving from a Koetsu Rosewood Signature, and I was afraid that moving to a UNIverse-X would be too lean for me. I lived happily with the UNIverse-S for over 4 years.

The dealer I bought the 4D-X from also had a Omega-S. He said the 4D-X sounded better than the Omega-S. After 4 years with the S version, I decided to go ahead and give the X version a try. I'm glad I did. I also have a Dynavector XV-1s that just came in, some day I hope to get around to mounting it and comparing it to the 4D-X. To be honest though, between how good the 4D-X sounds, and how nice the weather has been, I don't know when I'll get around to it.

The Mint LP tractor is a great tool, I wish I had bought it sooner.

Cheers,
John

So your old rega 300 and 103 tracked better than the VPI/ZYX, the main question is did they sound better? I have a Denon receiver that measures better than my VAC amp, but somehow my VAC amp sounds better......go figure.

I don't have any tracking issues with my Basis/ZYX 4D, but then again, I listen to music LP's, not test LP's.

Cheers,
John

Actually, if you re-read this thread, there is only one person who says this....me. I am the first and the second one. Also, if you re-read my last post, you will see that I did NOT say that the UNIverse S-SB sounded worse than the 4D-X SB2, I said they sounded DIFFERENT. The edge in dynamics and speed going to the 4D the edge in sweetness and musicality to the UNIverse.

Which one a listener would prefer would depend on what the listener is looking for sonically. Don't worry about which is best, stop listening to test tracks and just try to enjoy the music. The ZYX 4D-X is a fine cartridge.

Cheers,
John

Actually I just re-read my first post and I did say the 4D was "better" than my UNIverse. That was probably just initial excitement (I'd had it for less than a week at the time). After time to think about it, I feel that my last post is more accurate, they are simply different....that's all.

WOW! That is heavy! I see the recommended tracking force is 1.7-2.5, so you are right on the top of that range. I haven't listened at that high of VTF, my ZYX 4D seems to work very well in the 1.90-2.10 gram range. Right now I'm at 1.95 grams. I actually just dropped the VTF from 2.05 to 1.95 and it sounds a little better IMHO.

I have to admit that I'm pretty impressed with my 4D-X. It is the copper version with low output. I've had it for just over a month now, it replaced a low output UNIverse with silver coils, which I owned for 4.5 years. I was expecting this to be a step down, since I don't have the $$$ to spend on a cartridge now that I did in 2005, but I feel like it's a lateral step instead. The copper 4D has better articulation and extension, the silver UNIverse was a bit sweeter in the midrange.

FWIW, my 4D is mounted on a Basis 2500 Signature table with Vector 3 tonearm, phono stage is a Klyne 7PX5.