ZYX Ultimate Exceed Omega X /SB2

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

During September Locrian Audio became a ZYX dealer. We received an Ultimate EX Omega (subject of this thread) and the Ultimate EX Dynamic, for which I will come back in the future. ZYX was not in my radar for many years and I never owned one before my collaboration with the importer of ZYX, SORA Sound in Chicago. My reference cartridges have been the Shelter Harmony, Accuphase AC-6, Ikeda 9xx, Ikeda SAI, MSL Signature Gold, Ortofon A-90, Lyra Skala, Jan Allaerts and Transfiguration Orpheus. At the lower end, my go to cartridges are the VDH Frog and the current Shelter 901.

I selected the Omega because I was intrigued by the lapis lazuli balancing ball in the front of the cartridge, the C-1000 Carbon cantilever and the middle of the road pricing, affordable by most audiophiles with a solid analog rig.

The Omega arrived in a unique packaging that I had not seen before. A colorful silk-cotton pouch wrapped in a sealed clear wrap with the marks of the model and the serial number. Inside we have its light carton box with the model identification and the actual cartridge box secured on top by 4 screws. What is interesting, is the multiple non-tampering controls provided by ZYX that ensure the cartridge is brand new and never opened before. The two "Inspected" tapes come off only if you cut them with a sharp knife and the cartridge itself is wrapped with a tape that once removed, it is unusable any further. ZYX also provides a brush, 2 sets of screws and a small screw driver.

I will install the Omega on the Moerch DP-8 12" tonearm and once I have played about 50 records, I will start my critical listening and come back with performance impressions.

 

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

I installed the ZYX Ultimate Omega yesterday on the Moerch DP-8. I listened to 3 albums. The first impressions were great. I loved the timbres of the cartridge. The mids were excellent and the highs a little more recessed than my other cartridges (except Transfiguration Orpheus) but very natural and with high levels of energy. The bass was quick and deep. The double bass and guitar bass notes were precise. The soundstage was very wide and formed right behind the speakers. The depth and the air between the instruments and voices is present, especially in large symphonic works. However, I believe it can improve further when the cartridge is fully burned in. Once I have played for a while, I will embark on a fine tuning exercise of the DP-8 side and counter weights. This is due to the fact that I had to add one more counter weights (3 in total). As per Moerch manual, optimized placement of the weights, improves the depth significantly. Thus, I will need to spent a little more time to experiment in that area. The surface noise was absolutely minimal and the tracking was exemplary. More to come in a few weeks.

 

[ledoux1238]

Any update?

 

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

@ledoux1238 It is funny you asked. When your post arrived two friends and I were on the 8th hour of a ZYX Omega marathon with total allocated time of two days, maybe three.

The analog component chain of the system we used is: ZYX Ultimate Omega, Moerch DP-8, Accuphace C-47 phono (set at 200 Ohm load), Ypsilon Preamplifier (Mk II), German Physiks Stereo amplifier and German Physiks Unicorn speakers. All interconnects and speaker cabling from FM Acoustics. Power cables from Audioquest. The second session will be with the German Physiks PQS-302 speakers.

Here are our debrief notes:

- Musical and natural
- The right pace and timing
- Proper sense of space
- "Incisiveness but not audiophile type analysis"
- No fatigue after 12 hours of straight listening. If it was not 2 am, we could have done another 4 hours
- Correct and realistic transients
- Detailed without being analytical to detraction level. The music event was always presented in whole
- "Impressed by dynamics"
- Maintained full composure in very complex music passages and tracked admirably. "The music did not overwhelm the cartridge from performing"
- No matter the genre, it was always emotionally engaging (jazz, blues, techno, new age, classical, world, etc.)
- when the music was relaxed, the system reflected it, When music was dynamic, the same.
- "The most live I have heard"
- "Full sound, articulate in the extremes, and excellent midrange, without "beautification." The dynamics similar to best digital but without the " edge" or forwardness"
- "Not the vinyl cliche sound"
- "the energy level was an experience"

We have switched to the German physiks PQS-302 speaker and we will come back with additional impressions, if we have additional comments.

Take care, Basile