Thank you all.
Do you guys use damping fluid on your tonearm?
So Airy 3 is not a pick up for rock music?
Speaking of Dynavector I was told that the XX-2 MKII would be a good match also for the tonearm.
Has anybody ever run any comparison between the XX2 and the Airy 3?
I know the bigger one XV 1s is better but also costs much more and I wouldn't like to spend more thatn $1900 on the pick up. |
wait a second... I said I DO NOT listen to rock music ONLY vocal, classical, jazz. :)) but it sounds like the zyx is a good choice on its price range.
I wish I could find a used universe or atmos because I ca't efford one new not even at this price....but in case I don't I am sure I will be pleased by the Airy 3 X SB I suppose. |
I was wondering based on Doug post (sorry by re-reading my post, I realized my question about Rock was a bit misleading) about the Atmos.
I mean what if I would step up to the ZYX 4D?
How would the 4D relate to the Atmos or Universe?
I heard that the Atmos and Universe are discontinued.
Would the 4D better match the VPI tonearm? or would it be pretty much the same of the Airy3?
Is the 4D really that better than the A3? Worth to buy that instead of the Airy 3? |
Thank you.
unfortunately I can't go for the Universe as it is too expensive at the moment and that is why I was deciding between A3 and D4/Atmos.
If the Atmos has the same family sound of the A3 and the Universe, but it is an half way between the A3 and Universe, than it might be a good compromise for the price and an excellent choice for a little more money.
Unfortunately I have read some posts on the net that weresaying that the Atmos has a different sound from the other ZYX which makes it work better with Electronic/Rock music and that will be more generous with not good recordings which is a characteristic of a low level pick up IMHO.
While the A3 and the Universe will tell you more about the record and the system and that is basically what I am looking for.
But the I read that the Atmos will outperform the A3 on all the aspects so I get confused.
If anybody could give more thoughts in this regard....maybe it will help...perhaps people who switched from the A3 to the D4 and mostly listens to acoustic/vocal music. |
Just one update:
I spoke with a dealer and he told me that the 4D is a better cartirdge than the Atmos saying that it is based on the same design but the magnets were upgraded.
I also said that the 4D supposedly performs better than the Atmos which I believe was already plenty as it was the Airy 3.... :)
Wherever I have read everybody states that the Atmos and the 4D are the same pick up...so I don't know. |
thanks for the advice. I know they are good carts but they belong to a different league of the 4D or Airy 3 I suppose.
Speaking of Atmos and 4D there is a webpage that explaines differences between the two models
http://www.kosmic.us/zyx-4d.html
section 4D & ATMOS FACTS
From what they describe the 2 pick ups seem to be different and seems like since they discontinued the Universe as well, the new 4D might be really close to the Universe.
Unless somebody runs a comparison between the 4D and the Atmos and Universe....I haven't find any information in this regard. |
Sorry but I don't se any hole actually.
The information was given says that 4D from 2008 onwards got a new magnetic circuit and new generator derivation from the Omega series which sounds great to me as the omega series is the higher level.
This modifications weren't made available on the Atmos as it was discountinued and thus replaced by the 4D along with the universe (discontinued too).
It would be very interesting to compare the Atmos Universe and 4D.
Prices are really high now but it looks like it was Mehran to offer such a good discount.
Retail prices has always been pretty much the same.
Now I do not know the policy of the company but if they do think they make really high end stuff, they probably don't like to see their stuff sold for much less than what they think they are worth it.
As customer I wish everybody would be as nice and as generous as Merhan!!!! that's all!!!
Speaking of the 4D I personally think it is very close if not better than the Universe accordingly to the description.
If the Atmos was already better than the A3 and half way between that and the Universe, if the 4D is even a bit improved my guess is that it steps on the Univers's toes!! I wish I would have them both (or all 3) at my beside and have fun trying to swap them!! :(( |
yeah I know what you mean!
I wish I could get the Universe....but I can't! :((
Speaking of the Atmos and 4D I don't see where the debate is.
If you read Sorasound's website, you will find that they say 4D is an improved model and they ask you to purchase the Atmos indipendently from the 4D whether it will sound better or worse.
It looks pretty coherent to me!
If you want to buy the new model you will have to spend more because unfortunately Mehran doesn't carry it otherwise you get along and you save some money and you buy the older Armos and/or Universe.
It would be very interesting to compare the 3 models.
Has anybody purchased the 4D after Summer 2008? |
Ciao Marco...Di dove sei? I am fromPerugia but I am residing on the US now.
Unfortunately you should have gotten the lower output.
If you read some review they tell you that the higher output are not worth the money.
Benz are the same though.
I tried the Glider H and it was horrible compared to my Denon.
Then talking to a store he told me there is a consistent difference form the H2 and the L2.
Same thing here with the ZYX.
Best choices are the copper coild low output.
I am sure that the Graham tonearms are better than the VPI...although I think the JMW 10.5SE is good enough for the pick up or at least to obtain an high league kind of sound.
There also triplanar which are excellent tonearms.
Sorry one question: can you tell me who is the imported/dealer of ZYX in Italy? For some reasons I can't find any info on that. |
Marco,
for the low output you definitely need a 61-62dB of gain.
It looks like your preamplifier doesn't put any extra game so for a fair comparison High out vs. Low out, I'd suggest borrowing a different phono section.
BTW what is your phono stage? |
nice stuff!! good for you.
Just one question: Do you or any other ZYX user here have the pick up set without anti-skating force?
I have read around that the 4D/Atmos as any other or at least most of the new high end pick up (including therefore the Airy 3) will run better with little or zero antiskating....is that true?
Won't this cause the cantilever to bend to one side?
I am really concerned to not ruin the 4D as it is a very expensive pick up and I would like to keep the cantilever as straight as possible for as long as the pick up goes :)) |
I haven't received my VPI yet.
I have ordered it and I should receive it in the next couple of weeks, thus I don't know how the AS mechanism works yet but I know it is a supplied (It looks like it is made up with fishing line and little weights).
Now I am relly afraid of running the cartridge with no antiskating, I wouldn't like to bend the cantilever and I have actually read some odd experience from VPI and ZYX's users.
However speaking with Mike at VPI he told me that they have a ZYX on their tables too and it runs without AS and that I shouldn't be worried about it.
I usually set the antiskating/weight combo using the Hi-fi test record along with my oscilloscope to obtain maximum tracking with minumu skating force.
I assume that regulating AS with this method will guarantee the best alignment for the cantilever.
I would assume that if the system sounds better without AS it should also measure better as well.
Has anybody ever measured the antiskating along with a scope?
I also assume that good catridge set up allignment will allow less antiskating without damaging/bending the cantilever, my two cents.
That's why I am ordering a Mint LP with the 10X magnifier glass for the VPI because I assume it is the best tractor around. |
I don't understand what you are trying to say.
Lets say you decide not to use AS and then you try to scope how the cartridge is tracking and you find out there is some distortion on one chanell.
Now you increase your AS and now both chanell are properly tracking.
Why would you say that by doing this the pick up should sound worse and have a shorter life? |
The HFN record is a test record and as far as my understanding is concerned it is equally recorded on both sides of the groove.
Which means that you will have both channell perfeclty tracking only if the cantilever is perfectly laid and force-balanced in the groove.
What you are saying is interesting and all in all you set using the finest instrument you have i.e. your ear!!!
I don't see though how scoping a real record would be of any help in terms of A/S, VTA, VTF, Azimuth regulation. |
Hi Mark,
I agree with you in a certain way.
Fine tune has to be done by listening, but certain things need to rely on precise measurements to maximaze the result.
An example:
How would you set the azimuth of your cart?
You first regulate it with a mirror and then, you can either trying to audition few known recordings or you can do it with a DMM and a special track.
While the first is more subjected to personal preference and can lead to a non-optimum result (i.e. you might prefere the sound on that vinyl a certain way and second you do not know how the recording was done) the other is more scientifical way.
I think same thing applies to AS regulation and VTF.
Sometime distortion, limited distortion, might be perceived as something "different".
There are interest studies in this sense.
IMHO It is very important to find scientific and especially repeatable measurements that can easily give you reading of distortion and other parameters.
It is the first time I am trying to set the cart as precise as possible, maybe because this is my first very high end cartridge.
The VPI tonearm lets me regulate the azimuth easily VTF and all the other parameters and that makes things easier. |
