ZYX Ultimate VX Astro Diamond

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.
Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

5N Large Crystal Copper Wire ( XX coil wire )

There is a copper wire with extremely large crystals that has been developed over many years by a major Japanese manufacturer. We are the first to use this ultimate copper wire in the VX series for the generating coil of MC cartridges.

It reproduces clear sound without any coloration, from delicate to dynamic sounds. This wire is essential for the VX series generating system. The combination of these two reproduces an ultra-realistic sound never heard before. This is the true analog sound.. (Product name: Giant Crystal Copper Wire)

Diamond Cantilever

The Ultimate VX ASTRO DIAMOND utilizes a State-of-the-Art cantilever design using a square diamond rod (□0.22mm). This creates a cantilever of low mass, the highest rigidity and superior dampening that allows the DIAMOND to track and respond to the most dynamic passage with great accuracy and extremely low resonance. In addition, this light and rigid diamond cantilever provides the quickest sound transmission of any material, allowing the fastest time response of the magnetic circuit.

New generator system

ASTRO has succeeded in completing the generator system that does not give any disturbance to the generator coils by applying special processing to all the parts that make up the magnetic circuit for the first time in the world, neutralizing all harmful signals. The playback sound that you listen to for the first time is just that. ASTRO enables to hear the original sound.

Analog is an excellent audio system that can reproduce infinite time axis (Z) information in the sound signal recorded on the phonograph record as the original sound. However, the time information related to sound quality changes the original sound into a different sound due to a number of harmful phenomena peculiar to the electromagnetic conversion system generated.

Reverse electric current generated in proportion to the strength of the sound signal of　the generator coils, eddy current in the coil bobbin that promotes the generation, change in magnetoresistance and magnetic flux of DC magnetic field due to eddy current, and further magnetic field induction of eddy currents in the north and south poles. All of these disturbances occur at the same time as the light velocity, and the time axis component of the original sound is thought to be instantly changed in the sound quality.

Symmetry damping

ASTRO has adopted a symmetry structure with dampers front and back of the coil bobbin for the first time by the world.

Conventional MC cartridges generally use a damper that is placed behind the coil bobbin to damp against the needle position.

Due to the nature of the material, the damper itself has mechanical problems such as non-linear response of the compression and decompression speed of the damper and fluctuation of the response depending on the frequency. However, by damping the vibration of the coil bobbin from both sides, it is released from the nonlinearity of the mechanical damping force of the material, and the sound signal vibration of the needle tip is transmitted straight to the rotational vibration of the coil. Sounds that have never experienced linear responsiveness from minute signals to high-response dynamic signals.

Coupled with ASTRO’s original sound reproduction generator system, you will be able to feel the tremendously real analog sound for the first time.

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifirer through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

Stylus Cover

ZYX Ultimate Exceed Diamond

New Gold-Silver alloy coil wire (G-S)

In the conventional Ultimate series cartridges, there were three coil wire choices – crystal copper, gold and silver. In the new Ultimate Exceed series of cartridges, there are two coil types – crystal copper and gold / silver alloy.

Although the resistance value of the G-S alloy type wire increases due to alloy processing, you can enjoy the unique, delicate, mellow and wide-band sound that combines the merits of gold and silver.

Diamond Cantilever

The Ultimate DIAMOND utilizes a State-of-the-Art cantilever design using a square diamond rod (□0.22mm). This creates a cantilever of low mass, the highest rigidity and superior dampening that allows the DIAMOND to track and respond to the most dynamic passage with great accuracy and extremely low resonance. In addition, this light and rigid diamond cantilever provides the quickest sound transmission of any material, allowing the fastest time response of the magnetic circuit.

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifier through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate Exceed Omega

New Gold-Silver alloy coil wire (G-S)

In the conventional Ultimate series cartridges, there were three coil wire choices – crystal copper, gold and silver. In the new Ultimate Exceed series of cartridges, there are two coil types – crystal copper and gold / silver alloy.

Although the resistance value of the G-S alloy type wire increases due to alloy processing, you can enjoy the unique, delicate, mellow and wide-band sound that combines the merits of gold and silver.

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifier through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate Exceed 4D

New Gold-Silver alloy coil wire (G-S)

In the conventional Ultimate series cartridges, there were three coil wire choices – crystal copper, gold and silver. In the new Ultimate Exceed series of cartridges, there are two coil types – crystal copper and gold / silver alloy.

Although the resistance value of the G-S alloy type wire increases due to alloy processing, you can enjoy the unique, delicate, mellow and wide-band sound that combines the merits of gold and silver.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate Exceed Airy

New Gold-Silver alloy coil wire (G-S)

In the conventional Ultimate series cartridges, there were three coil wire choices – crystal copper, gold and silver. In the new Ultimate Exceed series of cartridges, there are two coil types – crystal copper and gold / silver alloy.

Although the resistance value of the G-S alloy type wire increases due to alloy processing, you can enjoy the unique, delicate, mellow and wide-band sound that combines the merits of gold and silver.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate Exceed 100

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Exceed Bloom

Specially rigid black aluminum cantilever

Normally the sound of aluminum is very natural, but cannot follow to high frequency perfectly. In order to achieve both its characteristic natural sound and the wide range reproduction, the R50 Bloom 3 has a newly developed rigid aluminum cantilever for the first time.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also, it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal.

Stylus

The stylus used in the Exceed R50 Bloom is the line-contact stylus which can playback up to 40 kHz. And also it has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life.

Super High speed reproduction engine (magnetic circuit)

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay.

ZYX Ultimate Exceed Dynamic

Dynamic Cartridge

We at ZYX have designed many cartridges in our history. However, the Ultimate DYNAMIC design is the first model which incorporates a magnetic circuit that is very different from previous models.

As the coil bobbin is a non magnetic material, the signal output is only 1/6 of the required level. For this reason we have to use bigger magnet and have three times more windings on the coil in order to obtain the correct level of signal.

The reason for designing the Ultimate DYNAMIC model is that the non magnetic coil bobbin is similar to that of the cutter head on a record cutting machine.

This cantilever is of course a C-1000 carbon cantilever and the non magnetic bobbin is also made of a rigid and light composite carbon fiber plate.

When listening to the Ultimate DYNAMIC models, you will be lost for words to describe the superb sound quality.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifier through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate Exceed Astro

New Gold-Silver alloy coil wire (G-S)

In the conventional Ultimate series cartridges, there were three coil wire choices – crystal copper, gold and silver. In the new Ultimate Exceed series of cartridges, there are two coil types – crystal copper and gold / silver alloy.

Although the resistance value of the G-S alloy type wire increases due to alloy processing, you can enjoy the unique, delicate, mellow and wide-band sound that combines the merits of gold and silver.

New generator system

ASTRO has succeeded in completing the generator system that does not give any disturbance to the generator coils by applying special processing to all the parts that make up the magnetic circuit for the first time in the world, neutralizing all harmful signals. The playback sound that you listen to for the first time is just that. ASTRO enables to hear the original sound.

Analog is an excellent audio system that can reproduce infinite time axis (Z) information in the sound signal recorded on the phonograph record as the original sound. However, the time information related to sound quality changes the original sound into a different sound due to a number of harmful phenomena peculiar to the electromagnetic conversion system generated.

Reverse electric current generated in proportion to the strength of the sound signal of the generator coils, eddy current in the coil bobbin that promotes the generation, change in magnetoresistance and magnetic flux of DC magnetic field due to eddy current, and further magnetic field induction of eddy currents in the north and south poles. All of these disturbances occur at the same time as the light velocity, and the time axis component of the original sound is thought to be instantly changed in the sound quality.

Symmetry damping

ASTRO has adopted a symmetry structure with dampers front and back of the coil bobbin for the first time by the world.

Conventional MC cartridges generally use a damper that is placed behind the coil bobbin to damp against the needle position.

Due to the nature of the material, the damper itself has mechanical problems such as non-linear response of the compression and decompression speed of the damper and fluctuation of the response depending on the frequency. However, by damping the vibration of the coil bobbin from both sides, it is released from the nonlinearity of the mechanical damping force of the material, and the sound signal vibration of the needle tip is transmitted straight to the rotational vibration of the coil. Sounds that have never experienced linear responsiveness from minute signals to high-response dynamic signals.

Coupled with ASTRO’s original sound reproduction generator system, you will be able to feel the tremendously real analog sound for the first time.

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifier through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent. The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achieve an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate VX Astro

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

5N Large Crystal Copper Wire ( XX coil wire )

There is a copper wire with extremely large crystals that has been developed over many years by a major Japanese manufacturer. We are the first to use this ultimate copper wire in the VX series for the generating coil of MC cartridges.

It reproduces clear sound without any coloration, from delicate to dynamic sounds. This wire is essential for the VX series generating system. The combination of these two reproduces an ultra-realistic sound never heard before. This is the true analog sound.. (Product name: Giant Crystal Copper Wire)

New generator system

ASTRO has succeeded in completing the generator system that does not give any disturbance to the generator coils by applying special processing to all the parts that make up the magnetic circuit for the first time in the world, neutralizing all harmful signals. The playback sound that you listen to for the first time is just that. ASTRO enables to hear the original sound.

Analog is an excellent audio system that can reproduce infinite time axis (Z) information in the sound signal recorded on the phonograph record as the original sound. However, the time information related to sound quality changes the original sound into a different sound due to a number of harmful phenomena peculiar to the electromagnetic conversion system generated.

Reverse electric current generated in proportion to the strength of the sound signal of　the generator coils, eddy current in the coil bobbin that promotes the generation, change in magnetoresistance and magnetic flux of DC magnetic field due to eddy current, and further magnetic field induction of eddy currents in the north and south poles. All of these disturbances occur at the same time as the light velocity, and the time axis component of the original sound is thought to be instantly changed in the sound quality.

Symmetry damping

ASTRO has adopted a symmetry structure with dampers front and back of the coil bobbin for the first time by the world.

Conventional MC cartridges generally use a damper that is placed behind the coil bobbin to damp against the needle position.

Due to the nature of the material, the damper itself has mechanical problems such as non-linear response of the compression and decompression speed of the damper and fluctuation of the response depending on the frequency. However, by damping the vibration of the coil bobbin from both sides, it is released from the nonlinearity of the mechanical damping force of the material, and the sound signal vibration of the needle tip is transmitted straight to the rotational vibration of the coil. Sounds that have never experienced linear responsiveness from minute signals to high-response dynamic signals.

Coupled with ASTRO’s original sound reproduction generator system, you will be able to feel the tremendously real analog sound for the first time.

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifirer through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent.

The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX – North American Retail Prices

WARNING: We have seen ZYX cartridges sold on the web for very low prices. You get what you pay for: a 12 year ZYX cartridge, a modified serial number, a used one sold as new, etc. This is NOT a scare tactic. This is true. If you want to have lower priced cartridges, we often have demo and used cartridges with warranty. Buy one from us instead of a used one from someone else which they call new!

NO ONE CAN BEAT SORAsound SERVICE AND PRICES!

We do NOT ship outside North America, Mexico and The Americas. We expect others to respect our territories and our dealers too. If someone offering you a ZYX cartridge (on the web or otherwise) appears to be an un-authorized seller, please ask for the serial number. We can provide its birthdate for you! Same with any used cartridge. If you doubt, ask and save yourself some hassle (and money) later on.

Give us a chance please. You will love us.

Following you will find ZYX North American retail prices as of July 30, 2017. Based on the exchange rates at the time of establishing these prices, our prices are about same as Japan retail prices, in some cases lower. SORAsound and our associates always do our best to make sure you are treated fairly and are provided the best service and support possible.

ZYX Ultimate VX Series (Jan. 2026 Pricelist)

ZYX Ultimate Exceed Series (about 40% off)

ZYX Ultimate Series (about 50% off retail)

ZYX UNIverse

All prices and specifications are subject to change without notice.

All purchases are non-refundable, non-exchangeable. Please refer to SORAsound Policies. We will be happy to answer any question you may have. Please ask before purchasing.

Warranty: ZYX cartridges purchased from SORAsound and its authorized associates carry a one year direct manufacturer’s warranty with ZYX, Co. from the date of purchase, to the original owner. This warranty is non-transferable, applicable to the original owner only. ZYX cartridges are known for their great sound and quality. In case of a problem, like all our other products, it is the manufacturer (not SORAsound) that decides the cause of the problem, and whether or not it is covered under warranty or not.

If you purchase a ZYX cartridge from an un-authorized party (ex. grey market), your cartridge will have no warranty and no support.

Re-tipping is provided at 70% of the retail price. We will exchange your cartridge with a new one. We will also provide you with upgrade options.

We often have demo and / or used cartridges from customers who have upgraded. Please enquire. SORAsound also has generous trade-in, trade-up and MOVE-TO-ZYX policies.

No tire kickers; those who try to put a couple of dealers/associates pitting against each other for a few dollars; people who are just not happy with their lives making us miserable too; people who try to find fault with everything including the audio industry and try to tell us how to run our business; the ones whose offers I accepted but said they need to talk to their wives and get back (thanks for not getting back!), the one who broke his cartridge, blamed the cartridge, but had told his friend he was the one breaking the cartridge himself, etc.

No “cyber bullies” and “loud mouth bribing.” Some try to “blackmail” us by either threatening to post (or posting) negative things on the web regarding our products or service. Well, I got to tell you – my father was a judge and aside from integrity and love in my family, I learned not to ever let myself be blackmailed!

Bad boys and girls, please know that I’m always available for a candid and professional discussion and will forgive your badness but if you continue to be as you have been in the past, please do us both a favor and do not contact us.

Good boys and girls. This is really ALL our customers. As cliche as it may sound, we love our business because of you. You make it fun for us. We love you and do our best to make sure you are happy. Many of our customers have become good friends who visit us or call just to say Hi. You are always welcome to our home. Please do not feel you have to buy anything if you contact us. Just call. It’s always a pleasure hearing from you.

ZYX Ultimate VX Airy

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

5N Large Crystal Copper Wire ( XX coil wire )

There is a copper wire with extremely large crystals that has been developed over many years by a major Japanese manufacturer. We are the first to use this ultimate copper wire in the VX series for the generating coil of MC cartridges.

It reproduces clear sound without any coloration, from delicate to dynamic sounds. This wire is essential for the VX series generating system. The combination of these two reproduces an ultra-realistic sound never heard before. This is the true analog sound.. (Product name: Giant Crystal Copper Wire)

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent.

The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Double Structure Body

By combining non-metallic materials in the construction of the body, the resonance occurring on the body’s surface is excluded from influencing the generator system. An additional advantage is that this method of construction is both light and rigid.

High speed reproduction engine (magnetic circuit)

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours. The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate VX 4D

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

5N Large Crystal Copper Wire ( XX coil wire )

There is a copper wire with extremely large crystals that has been developed over many years by a major Japanese manufacturer. We are the first to use this ultimate copper wire in the VX series for the generating coil of MC cartridges.

It reproduces clear sound without any coloration, from delicate to dynamic sounds. This wire is essential for the VX series generating system. The combination of these two reproduces an ultra-realistic sound never heard before. This is the true analog sound.. (Product name: Giant Crystal Copper Wire)

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent.

The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours. The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate VX 100

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent.

The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Double Structure Body

By combining non-metallic materials in the construction of the body, the resonance occurring on the body’s surface is excluded from influencing the generator system. An additional advantage is that this method of construction is both light and rigid.

Magnetic Circuit for Real Stereo

This magnetic circuit has one of ideal construction which can achive said 15 items of vital design points. You will listen smooth and natural real stereo which sound balance of both channel is extremely even.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours. The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX R50 Bloom VX

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

Specially rigid black aluminum cantilever

Normally the sound of aluminum is very natural, but cannot follow to high frequency perfectly. In order to achieve both its characteristic natural sound and the wide range reproduction, the R50 Bloom 3 has a newly developed rigid aluminum cantilever for the first time.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also, it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal.

Stylus

The stylus used in the R50 Bloom VX is the line-contact stylus which can playback up to 40 kHz. And also it has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life.

Super High speed reproduction engine (magnetic circuit)

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay.

ZYX Ultimate VX Diamond

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

5N Large Crystal Copper Wire ( XX coil wire )

There is a copper wire with extremely large crystals that has been developed over many years by a major Japanese manufacturer. We are the first to use this ultimate copper wire in the VX series for the generating coil of MC cartridges.

It reproduces clear sound without any coloration, from delicate to dynamic sounds. This wire is essential for the VX series generating system. The combination of these two reproduces an ultra-realistic sound never heard before. This is the true analog sound.. (Product name: Giant Crystal Copper Wire)

Diamond Cantilever

The Ultimate VX DIAMOND utilizes a State-of-the-Art cantilever design using a square diamond rod (□0.22mm). This creates a cantilever of low mass, the highest rigidity and superior dampening that allows the DIAMOND to track and respond to the most dynamic passage with great accuracy and extremely low resonance. In addition, this light and rigid diamond cantilever provides the quickest sound transmission of any material, allowing the fastest time response of the magnetic circuit.

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure. The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifirer through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours.

The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate VX Omega

The new VX power generation system

The VX-MC power generation system is designed to supply a strong magnetic field to the power generation coil via a yoke that has a flat iron yoke at the front of the power generation coil and what is known as a ‘pole piece’ which holds the vibration system at the rear.

During playback, there are eddy currents which create an inverse magnetic field on the surfaces of both yokes; these are in proportion to the strength of the power generation signal from the power generation coil. Although this current is very small, it has a major negative effect on the generated audio signal of the coil. As the eddy currents generated in the yoke and the pole piece are in opposite phase to each other, the ZYX ‘EX’ series then was used this phenomena to cancel out the eddy currents.

This eddy current cancellation method in the ‘EX’ series proved to be very effective. However, as the distances from the coil to the yoke and coil to the pole piece are not equal, these eddy currents were not uniform and so could not be completely cancelled. For this reason, it was necessary to devise a new method which could completely eliminate the eddy currents.

With the new ZYX ‘VX’ series, we have succeeded in developing a world first new power generation system that can instantly eliminate the eddy currents at the point of generation. The eddy currents are eliminated simultaneously, on both the north and south pole surfaces of the yoke. We therefore avoid the negative effects that these would have had on the produced sound quality.

The VX power generation system eliminates any changes in magnetic field strength caused by changes in the magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit due to the influence of eddy currents. This makes it possible for the generating coil to generate power within a constant magnetic field.

With the advances in quality that the VX system brings, the listening experience is vastly improved.

Natural and clear sound is produced without any effect of intermodulation. The maximum amount of information is retrieved from the vinyl record with dynamic swings,natrulness and solid soundstage imaging – the sovereign aspect of analog playback.

5N Large Crystal Copper Wire ( XX coil wire )

There is a copper wire with extremely large crystals that has been developed over many years by a major Japanese manufacturer. We are the first to use this ultimate copper wire in the VX series for the generating coil of MC cartridges.

It reproduces clear sound without any coloration, from delicate to dynamic sounds. This wire is essential for the VX series generating system. The combination of these two reproduces an ultra-realistic sound never heard before. This is the true analog sound.. (Product name: Giant Crystal Copper Wire)

Lapis lazuli Balancing Weight

A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system. Having checked up materials and repeated audio monitoring, a nonmetal Lapis lazuli ball having hardness 5.0, specific gravity 2.5, diameter 8mm, and weight about 1 gram is put in at the most appropriate position to form the best cartridge structure.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball.

Composite Carbon Terminal Board

This world-first hard terminal board has been employed as the terminal board to lock up output terminal pins and statically holds the unit against any sorts of extraneous vibrations.

And besides this terminal board can be grounded to the phono-stage amplifier through the ground line of right channel output.

You must listen the purest sound by eliminated capacitance between 4 terminal pins.

World First C-1000 Carbon Cantilever in Moving Coil Cartridge

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever.

This composite carbon fiber is more rigid than aluminum, iron and titanium. In addition, its specific gravity is just half that of boron. Therefore we can be sure that the C-1000 carbon cantilever is the ultimate and ideal cantilever material for analogue record playback.

The carbon cantilever gives us the widest frequency range and a superior tracking performance. A further major benefit is that the mechanical sound signal picked up at the stylus can travel through to the coil in a straight and direct fashion by way of the 1000 pieces of mechanical carbon lines. This ensures that reflected, repeated or modulated mechanical sound signals are completely absent.

The overall result is that you will enjoy the finest, most natural, most dynamic and true to source sound that you have ever experienced.

Cartridge Case For REAL STEREO

Item 11,12 and 13 of the vital design points make very complex demand of the body’s electrical properties. Non metallic body which has two kinds of hard material is necessary in order to achieve these properties, and to prevent external disturbances from influencing the generator system and also it prevents eddy currents in the case from effecting the generator output signal and the resonance occuring on the body surfaces.

Super High speed reproduction engine

This circuit is specially processed to null magnetic resistance within magnetic gap, and enables high speed power generation against signals over entire bandwidth straightly without time delay. And besides this circuit can perfectly eliminate any eddy currents remaining at once.

Micro-Ridge Stylus

The stylus used Ultimate series has the edges of the diamond shank set parallel to the sides of the cantilever. Using this type of stylus, the hardest axis of the crystal is aligned to act as the contact point with the record groove. This gives stable and smooth tracing and produces a very refined sound, with the additional benefit of giving the stylus an extended life time 2000 hours. The stylus is of the Micro-ridge type, which was originally developed in Japan and offers the highest performance. The contact radius is always 3μm by the ridge made with 6μm thickness.

Pure 6N OFC Crystal Copper Wire Generator Coils

This perfect crystal copper wire produced by special process, in order to achive an even sound balance across the entire audible range.

ZYX Ultimate

The ZYX Ultimate series (100, Airy, 4D, OMEGA, DYNAMIC and ASTRO) use a carbon cantilever for the very first time in a moving coil cartridge. The carbon rod is made from 1000 pieces of composite carbon fiber, hence the name C-1000 carbon cantilever. For further details, please refer to ZYX, Co. website.

You loved Omega, you will LOVE ASTRO. ASTRO has succeeded in completing the generator system that does not give any disturbance to the generator coils by applying special processing to all the parts that make up the magnetic circuit for the first time in the world, neutralizing all harmful signals. The playback sound that you listen to for the first time is just that. ASTRO enables to hear the original sound.

ASTRO has adopted a symmetry structure with dampers front and back of the coil bobbin for the first time by the world. A spherical object fixed to the front nose of the cartridge is a balancing weight to accord the sweet spot of the cartridge body and the gravity point of vibration system.

The Lapis Lazuli ball has another important merit than centroid control. Due to its composition blended of a few kinds of sodalite having spherical shape, vibrating wave flown from the north pole of the ball is absorbed in the crystal architecture mingled inside, and vibrating wave running down the ball surface is finally cancelled at the south pole of the ball. Coupled with ASTRO’s original sound reproduction generator system, you will be able to feel the tremendously real analog sound.

We are proud to introduce to you ZYX Ultimate line that includes Ultimate 100 (replacing R100, Yatra and Fuji), Ultimate Airy (replacing Airy 3), Ultimate 4D, Ultimate Omega, Dynamic and more. Please contact us for details.

Also ZYX now manufactures interconnects, speaker cables and magnificent phono cables. All done by Nakatsuka san. Some of my associates who have been listening to these cables, did not take them off their system. So good!

We will be posting further details and pricing soon. Till then, please contact us for further details.

As always SORAsound has generous upgrade and Move-to-ZYX policy.

SORAsound has had a long standing relationship with ZYX Co. In fact, we started SORAsound in 2003 because of our friendship with Nakatsuka san and his offer to us to distribute his fine products.

You can always count on me, and SORAsound.

ZYX cartridges line up start with Bloom III as an entry level cartridge (of course much better than many other high end cartridges), go to Ultimate 100, Ultimate Airy, Ultimate 4D, Ultimate Omega, Dynamics and Diamond. In the following sections you read a bit about each cartridge and their specifications. Also you see some reviews included with their author(s) permission.

We will be adding more information here regularly. So please visit these pages again, and contact us for further detail.

Thanks for your support.

ZYX – FAQ

Here I try to answer as many questions as I can. Some questions will be answered with the help of your audiophile virtual friends. Please know that everything here is copyrighted by SORAsound. No parts of this website can be copied without SORAsound’s written permission.

When it comes to installation, most of us like to set our table/tonearm/cartridge once and forget about it for a few months if not a few years. This is possible.  Below you find some information and suggestions for your bedtime reading. If you think I need to add other stuff here, please let me know and I do that.

Everything is system dependant, person dependant, etc. In the great tradition of ours, please accept our disclaimers and please do everything and anything with care. Whatever you do, please keep the stylus guard on as you install and when you are not playing records.

Please ask cleaning ladies, kids with balls in hands, and unknown people/animals to stay away from your analog rig. You are responsible for use, abuse, mistakes, successes and the ultimate joy of your ZYX and audio equipment. Love from SORAsound.

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ZYX – Who Says What…..

On ZYX UNIverse Optimum…..

“Another ceiling has been shattered, another mountain conquered, and another superlative surpassed. The new ZYX UNIverse Optimum moving coil phonograph cartridge has raised above the very high pinnacle of performance set by the ZYX UNIverse Premium, reviewed here on 10 Audio”  — Jerry Seigel

2018 Positive Feedback Brutus Award just received.  “What amazing clarity! What tonal balance and impressive neutrality! What well-integrated harmonics, with a transparent presentation that made every album that I listened to for six weeks simply stand revealed for what it was! Frankly, I fell in love with what the ZYX UOX was doing, with nary a quibble or objection in hearing. This cartridge floated neutrality in all of its glory, without making it obnoxious…not a hint of the analytical, no glare, no midrange hump, no gush or lush…just analogical greatness…..It’s definitely in the front rank of my top-o’-the-heap phono cartridges. If you can afford the scratch, this is one that you should snatch!.” — David W. Robinson 

Richard Mac, Part-time Audio
“ZYX UNIverse Optimum is one of the finest phono cartridges I have ever heard”
[“The 0.24mv output UNIverse Premium, the immediate predecessor to the ZYX UNIverse Optimum, is already a titan amongst phono cartridges. In the 2016 review, I said “the ZYX Premium has achieved tonal perfection, with no identifiable weakness whatsoever,” and rightfully so. From its endless frequency extension at both ends of the frequency spectrum to its remarkable neutrality in tonal balance, to its vivid realism in instrument separation and sound staging, to its ability to render minute details, I truly could not find fault with the ZYX Premium cartridge.”]
“It is now the new reference standard for me, by which all future cartridges will be judged against.”

On ZYX UNIverse Premium …..

“The ZYX UNIverse Premium has achieved tonal perfection, with no identifiable weakness whatsoever.”

— Richard H. Mak, ToneAudio

“The sound of the ZYX UNIverse Premium meets or exceeds every expectation I ever imagined for the potential of the vinyl LP. It leaves me wanting for nothing. The ZYX UNIverse Premium is the most perfect and most successful audio component that this lifelong audiophile has heard. It is staying for the long term. ”

— Jerry Seigel, 10 Audio

On ZYX UNIverse II …..

“The ZYX Universe II X is the finest cartridge I have ever heard, in my own system or elsewhere. In fact, for only the second time, in my long audio life, I have heard a cartridge which has no weakness, even subtle, compared to the competition.”

Arthur Salvatore, high-endaudio.com

“ It is the music and the emotional intent of the composer that comes through with the UNIverse II. ”

” The UNIverse II delivers all of the phenomenal air, detail and clarity of the original UNIverse and extends those qualities to the bass…. . With more percussive impact and rhythmic drive the UNIverse II easily out performs both the UNIverse I and the 4D. “

Doug Deacon

On ZYX UNIverse…..

“It was God’s will that you asked us to build the UNIverse.”

Hisayoshi Nakatsuka, ZYX Co.

“I too am ‘in love’ with this (.24mVC) cartridge. I know this, because I met my own ultimate practical test of this ‘condition’; I now want to play all my favorite records all over again, and as soon as possible. This only happens when you experience a component that enhance the sonics of your system, to such a degree, that almost everything sounds ‘new’ and ‘fresh’. In short, your system sounds ‘born again’.

In conclusion, the UNIverse .24mV Copper is a truly great cartridge. It’s so flawless and difficult to criticize, that I find it’s easier and more accurate to instead describe its many strengths in a single concise sentence: Its utter realism is spooky.”

Arthur Salvatore, high-endaudio.com

“The ultra-high resolution of the UNIverse provides a very deep and wide sonic image, with layers and layers of depth, each blending smoothly into the next. If the recording was made in a large hall, or outdoors, or in a small club, you will know it.”

Jerry Seigel, 10 Audio, June 2007

“This cartridge puts you in the same sound space as the performance. There is no barrier between you and the music. You are not on the outside listening in on the performance. Close your eyes and the instruments and voices are in the room with you.”

Doug Deacon

On ZYX Omega…..

“In a nutshell, the ZYX Omega G is one of the most musically engaging and satisfying cartridges that I’ve heard in quite some time. Many times I found myself unconsciously reacting to the music on the albums exactly like I would at a concert or jazz club. Head bobbing. Shoulders swaying. Wanting to applaud after an exceptional solo.”

Myles B. Astor, Positive Feedback

“Its most startling characteristic is a degree of purity unheard of in a a moving coil design.”

“You’ll hear how precisely rendered are any of the sound it decodes, this it does with a purity and low distortion that elude everyone else’s design, and that means virtually all of the competition.”

“It has the widest soundstage of all the cartridges we evaluated, and ,thus, the very best separation figures (and even makes sonic “sense” of that wide separation)”

“And because of its carzy-glue-like way of sticking to a groove, it has the lowest audible distortion thus the purity and the sense of sparkle aplenty.”

Harry Pearson, Absolute Sound, Oct. 2010

“There is also this unmistakable protrusion to the front of the cartridge in the form of a 1 gram sphere of lapis lazuli that acts as a concentrator and “drain” of any unwanted resonances. Yes indeed, this is one different animal.”

Ray Seda, Dagogo, July 2010

“Ultimately enhanced power sound version of ZYX 4D. From surrealistic sound to airiness in three dimensional can be sensed. You will be surprised afresh with massive information grooved in a record.”

Japanese Hi-Fi Journal, [Translated]

On ZYX 4D (previously called ATMOS in North America)…..

“While Mr. Nakatsuka of ZYX may design his phono cartridges with an artisan’s sensitivity, the sound of the Atmos certainly owes a debt to some well-applied science. Its audible frequency response was demonstrably wider than that of other cartridges, creating a dense and highly rhythmic presentation that was not lacking in the little thing…..”

Marc Mickelson, SoundStage! April 2008

“Never have I heard a cartridge sound so unstrained when unraveling complex musical passages.”

Frank Alles, Stereo Times, June 2010

“My first impression on hearing ATMOS was that this would be a great rock cartridge. Even though I was listening to a solo harpsichord at the time, the power, weight, authority, punch and bass were clearly evident strengths. Switching to ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ confirmed my initial impression. ZYX ATMOS really delivers when it comes to rock. There is no need to turn up the volume to feel the heart beats.”

For others who prefer a more relaxed, jazz-in-a-smoke-filled-club atmosphere, with the emphasis on the rhythm and drive from the double bass ZYX ATMOS will deliver the sound you enjoy.”

Doug Deacon

“I can confidently say that the ZYX 4D is the most tonally neutral phono cartridge I’ve had the privilege to hear.”

Jack Roberts, Dagogo, Oct. 2009

On Airy 3…..

“The clarity of its highs, rich but detailed midrange, and solid foundation in the lower frequencies opened up so much more pleasurable listening–in classical, rock, and jazz. But it was especially fine with operatic voices–so extended, refined, and nimble to the nuances, power, and micro-dynamics of the greatest singers on earth. Bravo!”

Garrett Hongo, Contributor to SoundStage!

“Yes, the Airy 3x is a terrific music maker by all the standard parameters. But the overwhelming feeling of openness and freedom from any sense of hi-fi intruding on the musical message is the real strength of this wonderful cartridge. It makes you want to listen to music, lots of music. The Airy 3x is Captian Christopher Pike on Talos IV, freed of his life-support wheelchair. Unfettered. “The midrange is very smooth and yet present. Vocals and vocalists are definitely a strong point”

Jerry Seigel, 10 Audio, April 2005

“The midrange is very smooth and yet present. Vocals and vocalists are definitely a strong point”

“Another thing these cartridges do well is play low level passages really, really quietly. When the musicians are playing ppp the Airy’s portray it with a wonderful, hold-your-breath hush. If a mouse whispered you’d hear it.”

“The Airy3 on our Tri-Planar let the music kick us in the chest and frighten those poor cats. Bass guitar and drums were as rockin’ as with any cartridge I’ve heard. For you classical rockers, listen to eighteen tuned anvils on Solti’s ‘Das Rheingold’. Terrifying. Janos Starker’s Bach cello suites were rich and engaging with the Airy2. With the Airy3 Starker had us dancing on the coffee table. Now that’s a rockin’ cartridge.”

Doug Deacon

On R100 Series…..

“The ZYX [R100 Fuji] is also the purest and cleanest cartridge I’ve heard. Its sense of delicacy is without equal for me, especially in the high frequencies, which appear to have unlimited extension. Its tracking ability is outstanding, not only retaining its purity, but also its separation of instruments during loud, demanding passages.”

Arthur Salvatore, high-endaudio.com

“The R100H renders music’s foundation, be it orchestral, jazz, big band, or pop/rock, with a weight, precision, and realism that defies almost all others…..”

Scot Markwell, music.com

On ZYX ARTisan Phono Stage…..

“I played an Artur Rubinstein performance of Chopin. The effect was so pronounced, so immediately noticeable, that I didn’t make it halfway to my seat. I stood about six feet from the speakers and gaped. Rubinstein’s technique is frequently described as “chiseled”, a concept which never made a great deal of sense to me. After all, Chopin requires the greatest delicacy. Too much control, too heavy a hand, ruins the pieces…..

What I heard that night was the extraordinary way Rubinstein attacked a note and ended it. Each note was perfectly shaped, like a precious jewel, precisely as long as the artist intended: chiseled. A few nights later I recalled Artur Schnabel’s remark: “Anyone can play all the notes. What I do is play the space between the notes.” I heard this witticism when I was in music school, and like Rubinstein’s chisel, it never made a great deal of sense to me – until the ZYX finally made it intelligible.”

Dr. Richard Weiner, Bound for Sound

“With its combination of exquisite detail retrieval, rich midrange tonality, and the ability to delineate dynamically complex musical passages, the Artisan consistently paid homage to whatever music I played through it.”

Tim Aucremann, SoundStage! August 2008

On ZYX ARTisan Phono Stage…..

“This is, most likely, the finest head-amp I’ve ever heard. I state this because it is competitive with the finest transformers I’ve had, while all the many other (external) head-amps I’ve heard are simply not in that league.

Disclosure – The ZYX head-amp is a solid-state device! It is highly unusual for a successful cartridge manufacturer to also design and build an audio component that is so different in fundamental nature (non-mechanical in this instance), with such excellent performance.”

Arthur Salvatore, high-endaudio.com