VPI Classic and ZYX 4D

Stefanoo-Believe me the tracking will get much better! Much, much better!!! Just play the cartridge for another 20-25 hrs and don't get insane about it :) (this is true for the last three cartridges I've listened to including the Titan i, Air Tight PC-1 and the Zyx).

Then you can start dialing the cartridge in. BTW, the sound is also going to change quite a bit if the Universe is like the Omega (that I believe is).

As far as the Carmina Burana goes: I assume you're referring to the Harmonia Mundi recordings (there are five discs in the series) on LP? Actually they are all quite good-with 2 probably the best.

Best,

Myles

@Mark: I can't think of any good reason to use damping fluid with the ZYX. If you do, there's real problems elsewhere in the system. The ZYX Omega S LO works wonderfully in the VPI 10.5i arm.

I also wonder what you mean by lengthy break-in? 50 hrs? 100 hrs? I find that sort of time normal with all MC cartridges that I've had. The ZYX needs time like all cartridges but one really begins to hear what it is capable of, by 50 hrs.

Damping is at best a crutch IMHO--or the cure is worse than the disease.

Myles Astor

@Mark: I'm using the ZYX Omega-S Gold LO cartridge right now in a VPI JMW10.5i arm with no problems at all.

@Stefanoo: How many hours do you have on the cartridge? I've found with most new cartridges that they don't track real well until they have at least 50 hrs of playing under their stylus.

@Stefanoo: Yep, how all five LPs in the series.

BTW, the ZYX is a darn good tracker. It handles two of the hardest cartridge tracking tests I know of on LP without pausing-the original Saul Goodman Mallets, Melody and Mayhem on Columbia and Ameniya's Summer Prayer on RCA/Japan. The former album has some bells that most cartridges run away from; the latter has all types of percussion cut at some pretty high levels that doesn't faze the ZYX. So sit tight and let the cartridge loosen up.

Listen--I thought my copy of one of the Music Matters jazz lps was defective when I played it with a relatively new Titan i. It mistracked like a mother and the LP sounded defective. Emailed Ron and then had to tell him that it turned out to be the cartridge :( After the Titan i was broken in, no problem playing this LP.

Patience, and what audiophile has any, is definitely a virtue :)

Myles