JVC Z1 Styli

[GrahamS]

I want to replace the original spherical stylus on my JVC Z-1S cartridge with an elliptical stylus. Jico list two different ellipiptical types, the DT-Z1EB for US$45.00 https://goo.gl/D8Ha78 and the DT-Z1E for US$33.00.https://goo.gl/w4HXzz I cannot find any explanation of the difference between the two. The Shibata stylus, DT-Z1 . https://goo.gl/kev3o7 . is listed for US$133.00. and the spherical stylus DT-Z1S is listed for US$43.00 https://goo.gl/GRNSEg. Can anyone enlighten me as to the difference between the Z1E and the Z1EB?

[paulf-2007]

I just bought a jico 7986-DE for my JVC Z4s, it says on the box, for Jvc DTZ3ED. It's suitable for a number of carts including Z1s and Z4s. Was $45 and with import tax and vat was around £45. I also have a Victor Z1s. Sounds ok, I haven't used it much yet.

[GrahamS]

I just bought a jico 7986-DE for my Victor Z4s, it says on the box, for Jvc DTZ3ED. It's suitable for a number of carts including Z1s and Z4s. Was $45 and with import tax and vat was around £45. I also have a JVC Z1s. Sounds ok, I haven't used it much yet.

I wonder what the difference is between the DTZ3ED and the DTZ1E which is only $33.00? According to the Jico website, both are elliptical and both are manufactured by JVC-Victor. Oh how I would like to talk to someone who worked for JVC-Victor in the 80's!

[GrahamS]

In searching for an answer to the above, I came across the following post on Audio Circle forum by a member whose screen name is griffithds:

All Z-1 bodies are the same. There is a Z-1, Z-1S, Z-1E, Z-1EB, Z-4 which is also a Z-1 and a few others. All the same. All the stylus are interchangeable. But they are not interchangeable with the X-1. The cartridge generators are very similar but they (Victor/JVC), changed the diameter of the tube that slides into the cartridge body so the X-1 and Z-1 are NOT interchangeable. But they do sound the same. I own both and have to get up and go over to the turntable to be able to make a correct determination as to which one is mounted and playing. That is unless you have the SAS stylus attached. No mistaking it when it is mounted. Also, when you order the SAS from Jico you can get the clear housing, the green housing or the orange housing. These are the different colors of the -1 (clear), the -1E (orange),or the -1EB (green), stylus housings. Exact same SAS stylus but just in case you want to stay with the same color of the 'Z' cartridge that you own, Jico supplies you with the option to buy the same color of stylus housing. The 'clear' housing is the color of the one that came with the Z-1. Just for information purposes, the Z-1 was a Beryllium cantilever with a Shibata tip. The 'E' versions were Elliptical tip. The 'S' version is conical or spherical. The 'B' on the 'EB' version was E for Elliptical, B for Beryllium.
Hope this answers your questions. If not, then ask again because someone could write a book on all the variations of this Jem!

[paulf-2007]

My Z1s has a grey housing as did my Z4s when I received it used. The jico has a red housing.

[GrahamS]

My Z1s has a grey housing as did my Z4s when I received it used. The jico has a red housing.

The grey stylus mount is the original JVC-Victor spherical. It is also available from Jico in grey as an option.

[GrahamS]

So, I tried to order a DT-Z1 EB stylus from Jico direct, but when I reached the payment screen I could not make payment. An "Error" dialogue kept appearing. Obviously, they are not trading. I then went to the Thakker GmbH site. They also list the DT-Z1-E as well as the DT-Z1 EB. The EB is supposed to mean "Elliptical - Beryllium." I ordered the EB version and I could only hope that I would receive a replacement stylus with a beryllium cantilever. That was on Wednesday afternoon 21/3/18.

The stylus arrived in this morning's mail. The box label says "Thakker-EU" and "DT-Z1 EB" and "Jico." It was a perfect fit on my JVC Z1s cartridge. I realise that it will need a certain amount of "running in" but I proceeded to play some of my favorite albums with it, listening with a critical ear. The standard spherical stylus is no slouch but I am amazed at the improvement! The sound is far more transparent and open. There is far more detail in the upper register and the high frequencies are smooth and clean. Vocals are more forward and the sound stage is wider. These are all things that I would expect from a good elliptical stylus but I did not expect the improvements to be so obvious.

Examining the stylus under a 50X microscope, I cannot tell if the cantilever is berrelium or not. How could I? There is, however, a black mark on the cantilever, just behind the stylus, that looks like the cantilever could have been joined or welded at this point. Perhaps Jico fit their stylus onto an OEM beryllium cantilever by cutting and joining the stylus mounting.

Here's a photo. You can see for yourselves. I don't think I will ever know the answer, but I'm happy with the result.

[jpolsan]

Hi,
I just wanted to revive this thread - how's the Z1S working for you?

I have also recently gotten hold of a JVC/Victor Z4S cartridge to match my direct drive JVC L-A31.
As it came with a sub-par spherical stylus but I didn't want to spend a fortune on a Jico Neo-SAS, I went to Thakker.eu and ordered an elliptical DT-Z3ED stylus for the cartridge, which is also made by Jico.
Here: https://www.thakker.eu/en/tonnadeln/dt- ... au/a-5657/

I got it at home (in the UK) within 5 days. I tried it yesterday for the first time for a good 4h and I must say that I am incredibly impressed by how fantastic it sounds!
I had a Goldring E3 cartridge fitted before and I have only done a very brief comparison with it. Of course, I have to break in the Z4S with the new needle but so far, the bass is very full and driving, with a bit more meat than the Goldring I think, the midrange very detailed, balanced and neutral, and the highs are crystal clear (more than I am used to with the Goldring!).
It seems so far that this cartridge grabs my attention more than the Goldring, for some reason I can't understand yet.

I have found a couple of charts of the frequency response and specs of the cartridge here:


And here:


It seems almost ruler flat expect for a slight dip all the way from 1.5kHz to 12 kHz.
Anyone here has had experience with these JVC cartridges? Are you guys happy with them?

[GrahamS]

I have now had plenty of time to run the DT-Z1EB Thakker stylus in, on my JVC-Z1 cartridge. I have to say that I am not overwhelmed. The sound is certainly very good, but it has lost the "character" that it had with the JVC Z1s stylus. The mids are more to the fore and the tops are not as refined. The lower registers are about the same but there seems to be a dip around the 200hz mark. BTW, all of the Thakker DT-Z1 styli are the same, just in a different colour mounting - DT Z! E, EB and ED

I have since bought an Audio Technica AT95EX which has become my every day cartridge. It has much greater "presence" than the JVC-Z1 with more refined top end, more detail retrieval and a much more controlled bass. It is astonishing for the money and the new model VM-95 series should be stunning. I have ordered a VM-95ML.

I also have an Ortophon OM10E. This sounds very much like the JVC sounded with the original JVC Z1S spherical stylus although it has an elliptical stylus. Polite and refined with sweet tops, good balance and an open soundstage. It's a very nice cartridge. I have it mounted in an Audio Technica head shell without additional ballast weight.