Another great read, Ron, thanks! FWIW, I've been listening to that Amanda McBroom LP since I was practically a kid, and I've always thought her voice is rather alto rather than "deep", as you put it wrt ZYX.
Brilliant Stuff, Ron! You are becoming a trusted and reliable source. Unfortunately, when others write reviews today, their tone reeks of vested interests. They come across as the Marketing Executive for the audio brand. The other guys are fake, while you are authentic.
More! More! More! More!
P.S. I have read some of the best audio writing on this site from you, Al, PeterA, Mobiusman, Marty, and others whom I can't recall at the moment.
More! More! More! More!
P.S. I have read some of the best audio writing on this site from you, Al, PeterA, Mobiusman, Marty, and others whom I can't recall at the moment.
Hey Steve,
Obviously, I waaay behind on my reading, but I had no idea you had one of the best turntables in the world! Congratulations!!!! I always thought you were a playback designs DSD dude...
If you don't mind me asking, how did you pick the TechDas? And why did you pick the TechDas over, say, a Walker?
Obviously, I waaay behind on my reading, but I had no idea you had one of the best turntables in the world! Congratulations!!!! I always thought you were a playback designs DSD dude...
If you don't mind me asking, how did you pick the TechDas? And why did you pick the TechDas over, say, a Walker?
Yeap, all of them; and because we don't laud you with each and everyone of them that doesn't mean they are not all superb!
I agree entirely. Great post Caesar.
WBF perhaps should consider a blog for reviews by invited reviewers. The talent on here is amazing.
My review of the SME+Zyx vs Graham+Anna here http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...Steve-Williams&p=385049&viewfull=1#post385049
Hate to rain on the praise parade here and not doubting what Ron heard on the day.
A somewhat flawed review as each cartridge was listened to on different tonearms. Over a period of a couple of hours not weeks like most reviews?
Is this what reviews have become now?
Why couldn't the cartridges have been changed over to the other tonearm and listened to for a week or so, or at least the next weekend?
Just makes analog reviewers like Fremer and our Myles Astor well worth their time and effort spent reviewing and listening to cartridges - IMO
A somewhat flawed review as each cartridge was listened to on different tonearms. Over a period of a couple of hours not weeks like most reviews?
Is this what reviews have become now?
Why couldn't the cartridges have been changed over to the other tonearm and listened to for a week or so, or at least the next weekend?
Just makes analog reviewers like Fremer and our Myles Astor well worth their time and effort spent reviewing and listening to cartridges - IMO
Hi which is why my review says SME+zyx vs Graham+Anna, and recommends not using Graham + Anna, and instead trying Anna on SME or Kuzma 4P. While one cannot choose between Zyx and Anna based on that review, one can decide to choose not having Anna on a Graham - and investigating further from there. For example I checked my findings with ddk and he too said it was the Graham holding the Anna back. It should be seen as a collective review - for example Steve has heard it more than a couple of hours - he lives with those combos.
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showth...l=1#post385049
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showth...l=1#post385049
Hi Bonzo. My main point is this is classed as a review and published in Mono & Stereo. Reviews are not generally published after a listening session of a couple of hours.
However, if the "reviewer"never bothered to change tonearms he had at his disposal, it can't seriously be viewed as a review imo.
However, if the "reviewer"never bothered to change tonearms he had at his disposal, it can't seriously be viewed as a review imo.
Agreed, and more than just changing arms for comparison ... the most difficult items to "review" are analog based ... much time, w/proper references, and a bevy of experience is required. An afternoon listening session, is just that, an afternoon listening session.
When reviewing cartridges or tonearms there are so many variables it is crazy! The wrong VTF, the wrong SRA, the wrong VTA, the wrong azimuth, the incompatible phono cable, the wrong cartridge loading, the wrong phono stage...and on and on and on!!
The only real way to determine the sound of a cartridge in one's system is to mount it on the tonearm that one uses and listen in one's own system for some extended period of time. Unfortunately this is virtually impossible to do
with numerous cartridges. An example of this is occurring with me right now, in another thread I ask about the Koetsu Urushi Tsugaru. It seems that few people have actually heard or use this cart.Yet, there is a general opinion that
it is probably great in the mids and soft everywhere else. Whether this is actually a set-up issue or other upline fault is unknown; but the 'stigma' is enough to give me second thoughts!
The example above of the Anna being less than a great match to the Graham is very interesting. This is not something that I would have expected, but it is also not that surprising given all of the above!!
The only real way to determine the sound of a cartridge in one's system is to mount it on the tonearm that one uses and listen in one's own system for some extended period of time. Unfortunately this is virtually impossible to do
with numerous cartridges. An example of this is occurring with me right now, in another thread I ask about the Koetsu Urushi Tsugaru. It seems that few people have actually heard or use this cart.Yet, there is a general opinion that
it is probably great in the mids and soft everywhere else. Whether this is actually a set-up issue or other upline fault is unknown; but the 'stigma' is enough to give me second thoughts!
The example above of the Anna being less than a great match to the Graham is very interesting. This is not something that I would have expected, but it is also not that surprising given all of the above!!
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
I don't think one should infer that the sound of the Anna on the Graham Elite arm was shabby at all. It isn't. I have lived with and listened to it since last August and now the SME 3012R arm with the ZYX UNIverse Supreme 2 cartridge for the past 2 months as well. I must admit I am interested in how each cartridge would sound on the other arm.
What-ever take away you get, from above, fine, good social media ... FWIW, IMO, all that jazz ... b/c the Anna uses a very aggressive stylus (replicant100) it may require VERY careful setup & matching. Like many aggressive stylus/stiffer cant types, performance goes south quickly when all the proper conditions are not met. I don't use Orts anymore b/c my preferred loading method dictates otherwise, but I consider 'em the best built carts in the business bar none. Tonearm choice is another matter altogether, esp with carts that throw a ton of energy back into the arm/TT, which IME aggressive stylus carts seem to do. Ironically, my only real exp with Koetsu is past afternoon listening sessions ... no worthwhile takeaway to express there.
you also have to look at the cartridge<->phono stage optimization too....both gain and loading. and even phono cable.
it all matters at the top of the food chain.
I love my MC Anna but have not heard that ZYX so who knows how it would shake out when thoroughly vetted.
it all matters at the top of the food chain.
I love my MC Anna but have not heard that ZYX so who knows how it would shake out when thoroughly vetted.
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
I use Nordost for the Graham Elite arm and IIRC a NOS Van Den Hul cable for the SME 3012 arm. I love the Anna as well Mike
absolutely, even thermal issues w/both the mechanics and electronics are monitored and optimized in my system, esp when archiving/ripping.
The ZYX types are getting more popular in these hills, people seem to luv 'em, but that can be said for any brand eventually. So far, I've found 'em consistently a touch too soft, or as some may claim, "smoother", esp at the freq.extremes, a characteristic that may very-well compliment some systems/people more than others ... but all that is really here-nor-there considering my limited experiences with such.
Interesting observation that the Zyx' are soft at the frequency extremes. I do find that ride cymbals sound softer than I would like but didn't know why...
Do you hear the same thing with deep bass?
Can't really recall specific details with any accuracy, I do remember feeling at times that certain more dynamic LP were presented perhaps a bit too polite for my taste, but again, that's not necessarily a bad trait. I strongly suspect you have farrrrr more knowledge of these particular carts, in a relatively static environment for eval, than I ...
Actually not really. Before my Zyx I've only owned Dynavector, so not much personal experience with carts!
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