Dynavector XX-2

Glory, Thanks for your question.

I have never played them head to head on the same turntable. When the ZYX is down, the XX-2 goes on the Amazon and Schroeder, otherwise it stays on the Rega9. I am not a very good A/B guy. The XX-2 did a beautiful job on the Amazon and Schroeder, very similar sound as the ZYX line, nice and honest. The XX-2 just can't reach as far as the ZYX. There is an open, relaxed clarity with these two manufacturers. You don't think of adjectives like “warm” or “liquid”. You just focus on the music. If it’s good music, you are grooving. If the lp or the recording is not so hot, you get up and pull the record. When you hear the music through the ZYX, you hear things so much more clearly. Background passages or riffs from familiar (and old) lps are suddenly there. You are not sure that you knew they existed. It is amazing how much information is masked out by the noise floor…Of course the rest of your system has to be there to let the Z sing.

Did I even answer your question?

Glory, think Arthur Salvatore might write a bit about the ZYX compared to the DRT on his website.

http://www.high-endaudio.com/

Comparing the UNIverse to the XX-2 is apples to oranges. The Zyx is a great cartridge; the Dyna a very good one. However, at its' price the XX-2 is a good value.

FWIW, regarding the frequency measurement argument simply disregard it as audiospeak rhetoric. Those graphs and charts are nice to look but you can't listen to them. I've heard speakers measuring 20-20K flat that aren't fit for car stereo.

WHOA! The Dynavector XX-2 lists for $1650. The ZYX Universe for $7950. How can you compare the two?

Dear Gary: As good is the XX-2 the XV-1 is a step further ( whole ) in a cartridge quality performance and you can have it for 2.8K.
Of course that for the difference price between the Dyna's it must be a quality performance differences..

Btw, the cartridge selection is a very personal/subjective one and ( first than all ) with your music sound reproduction priorities.

One critical subject when we are looking for this kind of cartridge performance ( XV-1 ) is the phonolinepreamp: your cartridge quality performance will be best/worst depending of the quality performance of that phonolinepreamp!!!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.