ZYX UNIverse X-SB 0.24 sounding "too much"

Bill,

Our experiences differ, obviously. Dan and I hear what we hear. You hear what you hear. Which experiences are more "true" is nothing either of us can determine.

That said, if your UNIverse sounds congested during complex passages then I believe something's misadjusted, mismatched or flawed. In my system and others, no cartridge I've heard sounds less congested, including the two you mentioned.

Keeping the thread on topic (more or less), what phono stage(s) do you use?

Raul,

I experienced the same with the UNIverse and while nothing can hold a candle to the clarity, detail, dynamics and air of this cartridge, it seems to go awol on the really bottom end so it comes across as lean and one yearns for it to be unctuous as well as so clear.

I have played around with loading into transformers quite a bit but there always seemed to be some kind of trade off; as low end improved went up, highs became ragged.

ANYWAY, I was totally shocked when I tried the ZYX pre-pre (into the Aesthetix IO-sig). The low end appeared like never before, with no trade offs in the space or extension.

Now it is complete and you can have your cake and eat it with a UNIverse!

Steve

Hmmm .... very intereting.

Doug: Thanks for your input. Yes, the value of 6.54 was your value that you told me about through private email sometime long ago. I was having problems with an XV1s on a LP12 - if you recall back that far.

Audiofeil: Listening to my XV1s for two weeks before I switched to the UNIverse does indeed correspond to you experienced. Lack of bottom end (this was loading the SUT to achieve 100 ohms total). This was my initial reaction to what I was hearing, and the mid and highs were very open (airy) and more extended than the XV1s. However, loading it down to 9.04 ohms or there abouts is now sounding a lot better. To be honest, I've sorta forgotten what the XV1s sounds like now ;), but the fact that I'm still living with the UNIverse on the rig means it can't be that bad.

Rual: Thanks for your input.

Steve: Maybe I should try the ZYX pre-pre.

Sticking with my new discovery of loading way down low, is they XV1s supposed to be loaded down below 10 ohms also, around where the UNIverse is?

Thanks all,
David

Both Doug and I are avid Universe fans but our experiences with the cartridge differ significantly.
Whilst Doug indicates that the Universe is very finicky with set-up and sensitive to even the most microscopic changes to VTA, VTF and loadings, I however find it to be the most tolerant of modern LOMC cartridges.
From mounting it initially in a Hadcock GH228 Unipivot on a Rega Planar 3 to tranferrring it to a Raven AC-1 and then a Raven AC-3 and then a DaVinci 12" Ref Grandezza on the Raven AC-3, I have never lost the 'magic' of the Universe. Regardless of the tracking weight (1.6gm-2.2gm), regardless of the VTA (up slightly-down slightly), regardless of the azimuth (at least on the Hadcock...the DaVinci is fixed), regardless of the geometry of the overhang, the Universe has NEVER lost its alluring transparency and invisibility.
Nor has it ever been shy in the bass department (even in the Hadcock) as other posters have intimated. In fact it is at least the equal to (if not better than) the DV1s in this regard.
Why this difference in experiences?
Am I missing this cartridge's true greatness?
I have heard many cartridges in my systems including VdH Grasshopper, Koetsu Urishi, Clearaudio Concerto and Insider Gold, Lyra Helikon and Titan i, Dynavector DV1s not to mention all the MMs the best being the Garrott P77.
Yet all of them seem like 'interpreters' compared to the 'master tape' qualities of the Universe.
Nothing I can do to the set-up of this cartridge will eliminate its intrinsic superiority and I fear that Doug's consistent warnings will turn others away from buying this audiophile wonder?
Doug has more experience than almost anyone with this particular cartridge, but if the explanation for our differing experiences is that I'm not hearing the 'true' magic of the Universe?........then I advise everyone to buy one immediately as the 'impoverished' performance of the Universe still towers loftily above all others.

Just tried the XV1s at loaded down to 9.04 ohms as per the UNIverse. It sounds really bad and closed in. Took off the resistors (open load of 125 ohms), and it's magic. For some random reason, the loading that I'm getting best results seems to be similar to that of active gain stages.