UNIverse Cu ,XV-1S,Shelter 9000 wt BATVkp10seSupe

Dear Richard: The 90X is a very good choice and an improvement in the quality sound reproduction over the 901.

The XV-1s is a very good cartridge too but has a different presentation than the 90X: it has a more natural/neutral balance and IMHO overall is a little better.

Both are great with your kind of music, my choice: XV-1s but you can't go wrong with either.

Btw, I understand that HW use the XV 1s like his reference in its own VPI products, this could means something, don't you think?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

>>this could means something, don't you think?<<

It could mean there is a very close business relationship, don't you think?

Rauliruegas - You wrote "it has a more natural/neutral balance". If you have time I'd like to know if this means that you feel the XV-1 is a bit warmer in character or a bit less warm in character.

My dealer steered me away from the Zyx line to the Shelter because I prefer warm/lush.

Xagwell, if you asked your dealer for warm/lush, neither the Shelter 901 nor a ZYX was an appropriate recommendation. I own a 901 and I've owned multiple ZYX's. None of them is warm/lush. If you asked your dealer for warm/lush he should have recommended Grado, Benz, Koetsu, Allaerts, Miyabi, etc.

It's good that you enjoy what he recommended but you were misled about the sonics. I'd be inclined to ponder the possible reasons behind such a recommendation. One hopes ignorance played a larger role than willful misguidance based on some other motive.

FWIW, ZYX's aren't sold through dealers. They're sold direct by the US importer, with a discount that in effect lets the buyer keep a dealer's normal markup. For this reason, few dealers will recommend a ZYX (unless, like AudioFeil, they're more interested in being honest about what they hear than in making a sale).

Hey Doug, I sincerely hope it was my ignorance, but for the record, my dealer represented both cartridge lines. I contaced him about the Zyx line because of the "quiet" reputation. I had no experience with Zyx/Shelter. Its been so long now that I can't say verbatim whether I stated "warm and lush", but after extesive discussion which included his experience with both and the sound attributes I "believe" I prefer, I chose the Shelter. In addition, I received as usual quality feedback from the Agon community about both lines prior to making the choice. Specifically, it was Agon feedbcak that influenced me to select the 90X over the 901. Nonetheless, I heard an appreciable difference/improvement over my Glider. Specifically, the 90X "smoothed out" several passages on my test recording on Pablo featuring JJ Johnson, Ray Brown, and Milt Jackson among others. I am about as satisfied as someone with this hobby can be, which means I'll want to try another cartridge pretty soon anyway.