The Vinyl Anachronist: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

by Marc Phillips

October 2008

Dynavector 17D3

Lyra Argo-i

Zu DL-103

After the end of my last column, I probably left AudioEnz readers with the distinct impression that I had chosen the Dynavector 17D3 as my back-up cartridge while I had my Koetsu re-tipped. The plot has thickened, as they say, and I have one more mid-priced cartridge to evaluate before I make my final decision. To make things more complicated, I'm still very intrigued with the Zu Audio DL-103 that I wrote about two columns ago. I've now put the Zu on my reference rig, a Michell Orbe SE turntable with an SME V arm. The Zu did a fantastic job of making my Technics SL-1200 more palatable, but on the Orbe it affirmed itself as one of the very best cartridges you can buy for under US$1000.

The question remained… should I keep the Dynavector and enjoy its incredible neutral presentation, or should I save a few hundred and go with the slightly more colored yet slightly more exciting Zu? Well, how about a third choice just to make everything a little more difficult?

The Golden Cartridge vs. The Golden Fleece

My high school athletic teams were called the Argonauts, so it's fitting that I was able to try the Lyra Argo-i cartridge before I pulled the trigger on the Dynavector 17D3. At US$1500 [NZ$2100], the Argo-i wasn't quite the budget cartridge I had in mind, but this was a review sample that was featured in TONEAudio last year, and technical editor Dan Babineau was willing to give me a great price on it. (This is a guy who uses a Koetsu Rosewood Platinum Signature, so he was sympathetic to my re-tipping plight.) I wrote him a check, and the Lyra was at my house just a few days later.

The Argo-i fits between the Helikon and the Dorian in Lyra's current cartridge line. This MC features low-output (0.45 mV) and is happiest at the same loading as the Dynavector, Zu and Koetsu (100 ohms). While it was a little tricky to set up due to its taller body height, I had everything up and running within an hour.

While this Argo-i already had a couple of hundred hours on it, it still needed a little more time to rediscover its low bass. Overall, the Lyra was more detailed than the Dynavector, and offered a little more in terms of soundstage width and depth as well. I still preferred the bass performance of the Dynavector a bit more; with the Lyra the deepest octaves could still feel slightly detached. But there was no mistaking that the Argo-i allowed me to hear deep into every recording, noting unfamiliar nuances on familiar recordings on a very consistent basis.

The Final Verdict

I guess I could keep trying cartridges forever until my Koetsu returns. But I was determined to keep one of these three cartridges for good, especially since I don't want to keep using my Koetsu as a “daily driver.” I do own an Ortofon 2M Blue and OM-10, but these are more suited to the SL-1200 than the Orbe. So I'm choosing… drum roll, please… the Zu!

It might seem surprising that I've chose a US$399 cartridge over a US$900 and US$1500 one. To tell you the truth, the price does have something to with it, since my original goal was to find something that was both affordable and good enough to live with for more than a couple days at a time. While the Dynavector and Lyra are extraordinary cartridges in their respective classes, I was looking for a workhorse, not a bridesmaid to the Koetsu.

To continue with the feminine analogies, the Dyna and the Lyra are like a beautiful woman all dressed up for a date. They smell nice and turn heads and make you feel like you're doing all right for yourself. But the Zu is the girl next door who you've had a secret crush on since you were a kid. You've seen her occasionally in her sweatpants and without makeup, but she still makes you feel comfortable and at home. In fact, the Zu reminds me more of the Koetsu than the other two. It veers away from tonal accuracy, but it gives you a big hug as it does so.

I'm keeping the Zu.

Marc Phillips has been writing about hi-fi and music under the Vinyl Anachronist banner since 1998. His earlier columns can be found on the Perfect Sound Forever website. You can discuss vinyl with Marc at Vinylanach@aol.com