zephyr star
| From: Richard Crawford [---------------] Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2018 12:12 PM To: Peter Ledermann Subject: Thanks Hi Peter, I just wanted to say “thank you” for providing the zephyr star as a gateway in to higher-end cartridges. IMO this was several steps up for me from my prior cart (2M Bronze). I am thankful that it is offered at the price point it is, to allow me on my “smaller” budget to participate at such a great level of playback. Thanks for doing what you do! This is a no-regret upgrade. Feedback after a few weeks of listening: #1 Feedback: Somehow, the words and meaning of a song come across more. I find it easier to understand what the song is about. I notice lyrics and retain them more easily. I had not expected this, and I can’t explain it, but it’s a good change! I agree with Michael Fremer, in that it is “a smoothy without being a softy”. It’s a great combination. More detail comes through which I hadn’t noticed before, such as: Slight changes in a person’s voice; The slight roll of an “R” that wasn’t there before, or breath on a microphone. All new and good details! #2 Feedback: With the prior cartridge, sometimes energetic highs could get uncomfortable to listen to. Not so with the star. The highs that previously had me clenching a fist to “get through", I can now relax through them and just enjoy! And yet, the highs are all still “there”. Nothing was taken away. To accomplish the above, was anything taken away elsewhere? No, I haven’t noticed that at all. Stylus cleaning: Your tip about blu tak for cleaning the stylus is really great. It is so easy, I don’t know why I would want to use another method ever, with any cartridge! I put some blu tak on an old plastic card and I just set it on the platter, or, when switching sides, on top of the record (since it doesn’t scratch it). Then I just dip it with the VPI tonearm lever. I clean after each side of a record… However, most of the time, I find the star is still looking very clean, more often than my prior cartridge. It has me wondering if the star is that much easier on records. My records still sound wonderful, … I doubt there is much record wear from prior… but for some reason the star hardly ever gets dirty! (I clean it anyway!) |
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From: Richard Crawford [---------------] Yes, that would be fine. Feel free to use it as you see fit. It is all genuine positive feedback, so I think it would be very difficult to use it out of context! The Michael Fremer quote probably belonged more with the “energetic highs” comment, that’s where it was intended, but I had failed to move it when simplifying my rambling! What I didn’t say before which was the icing on the cake for such a purchase, is the backing of the company after purchase for repairs and such. That is an incredible benefit. Also the moving iron design and the explanation of it is compelling. I’m looking forward to hearing some of your direct grace recordings at some point in the future. And thanks for the answers on the E-Z Mount screws and the alignment gauge. That makes sense, and it’s just nice for a novice like me to have some confirmation. Thanks again, have a good week! |
