+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: jvc/victor z1s, wow!

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jul 2020

    Location: Yorkshire, England

    Posts: 57
    I'm Rob.

    Default jvc/victor z1s, wow!

    My fellow old cartridge fans,
    Last week a friend who's 78s and cds I bought sent me a box of odds and ends, and in it was a jvc z1s cartridge with what I believe is it's original (unmarked) conical tip.
    I got a bit excited about it, thinking it was something of a rarity (turns out I was thinkin of the x1 not the z1s) and so I tried it.
    WOW! This thing is brilliant! It is even better than my shure v15 (iii) with original shure micro-ridge stylus in a lot of ways, the midrange is the best I have heard on any cartridge. It is just a great sounding cartridge all round, even my wife, who I didn't tell about it and didn't warn I was tryin it, said "what did you do just then so that it sounds so good?" and "this is the best sound I've ever heard on this system"
    It does have it's downside which is it is a pretty noisy cartridge and picks up all surface noise, there is also a tiny bit of igd, but that is comparing it to the v15's micro-ridge vn35mr stylus which is noteably superb.
    I am a big fan of the old goldring g800, and I am fortunate to have a g800 Super E in my collection which is very good indeed for lesser condition lps, but for top quality, mintish condition records or large scale orchestras especially the jvc/victor is very likely to be my go to cartridge.
    The other thing this JVC does remarkably well is solo piano. The very best I have had for solo piano was a goldring g900IGC with it's original tip, but that didn't do anything else all that well in my opinion. This JVC gets 95% of the way there and is a better allrounder.

    Firstly, any other fans of this cartridge out there? What do you think of yours especially comparing it to other carts?
    secondly, what can I upgrade it with? a SAS from GICO perhaps, would that improve the surface noise?
    Conicals do generally sound a it warmer and thicker than other tips to me and I kind of like that in this instance. Will I lose much of that warmth if I upgrade the stylus?
    I am still in shock over how good this is, and it was free!
    The fact that it has in my opinion beaten my shure v15 (iii) in all ways other than igc is just incredible!
    Sorry for gushing, but as you can see I am really pleased!

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    I spent some time with a JVC X-1 (sounds like a rocket fuel!) with a Shibata stylus tip. Had the hottest treble ever and it put me off the Shibata profile, to the point that I haven't heard a more recent cartridge that uses it.

    Sounds like they sorted things out with the Z-1. Glad you are enjoying it!
    Barry

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jul 2020

    Location: Yorkshire, England

    Posts: 57
    I'm Rob.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    I spent some time with a JVC X-1 (sounds like a rocket fuel!) with a Shibata stylus tip. Had the hottest treble ever and it put me off the Shibata profile, to the point that I haven't heard a more recent cartridge that uses it.

    Sounds like they sorted things out with the Z-1. Glad you are enjoying it!
    Actually the x1 was top of the line the z1s was quite low down the chain I think! ut the trele isn't too hot on this, it doesn't have the "tiz" that the shure v15 has. I do think there is something to be said for conical tips, and if a paratrace is similar to a shibata then I am not a fan either, had a paratrace on some shure or other and it was just way too much of everything, especially surface noise and tipped up top end.
    Is the SAS stylus similar to a Shibata?

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    I think the names of the various stylus profiles varies according to the manufacturer, but for an in depth technical read see: https://www.vinylengine.com/turntabl...ic.php?t=22894, and for a description of the acoustical improvement wrought by the more sophiticated profiles see: https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/aud...stylus-shapes/.

    I started out with a Shure cartridge fitted with a spherical tip, before climbing up the range via the M55E (which I loved), an M75ED , then the V15 Mk.II (Improved) and then to a V15 Mk.III. Then I explored moving coil cartridges (Ortofons, Denons and EMTs), as well as the noteworthy Deccas, so never really heard a Shure with an advanced profile tip. (A friend of mine had a Shure IV, which I think had a hyperelliptical tip, but I never heard one in my system, so cannot really comment.)

    The Jico SAS profile (aka Namiki 'MicroRidge' ?) is considered by many to be the best for treble information retrival, and one which most closely 'mimics' that of the triangular profile of the record cutter.


    My favourite cartridge however is the Ikeda 9C III, which is a cantilever-less moving coil design, or if you like a moving coil version of a Decca 4. I can't find out what the stylus profile is (the accompanying notes are in Japanese, so are of little help), but here is a microscope photograph of the stylus, so I'll let you decide.

    Barry

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jul 2020

    Location: Yorkshire, England

    Posts: 57
    I'm Rob.

    Default

    I'm still enjoying this jvc cartridge. It might soon be my daily cartridge it is that good. I have a friend who says you either get good test results or nice sound, and this sure doesn't do so well on test discs though. If you see a jvc dd with one of these on it see if you can get it off!

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: Adelaide, South Australia

    Posts: 520
    I'm Steve.

    Default

    I had a Z1s, not a patch on the V15 type III or Goldring 1042 in my opinion.
    Even the lowly OM10 gave it a good run.
    Steve.

    Kit I have:
    CD player, TTs, Phono stages, Pre amps, Power amps, Integrated amps, DACs, Streamers, Speakers and a bunch of cables.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    JVC Z-1S cartridges were available new in OEM packs during the eighties and I bought several as I rather liked what they did.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    My experience with the JVC X-1, somewhat prejudiced me against the Shibata profile (it was designed to replay CD-4 quadraphonic LPs), but I have heard from others, whose opinion I respect, that the Shibata profile when fitted on other cartridge designs can work well.
    Barry

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jul 2020

    Location: Yorkshire, England

    Posts: 57
    I'm Rob.

    Default

    It is interesting that you heard it against a v15 iii and didn't think it was nearly as good. Just proves we all like different things in cartridges, either that or I have weird taste! What did you not think it did very well, do you remember?

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Gravesend and France

    Posts: 1,498
    I'm paul.

    Default

    I have a z4s on my office tt and a z1s in a box. I think the z1s came on the tt and I swapped it for z4s that I was gifted when I bought my stax 12” tone arm. Both nice carts.
    Bakoon 13r Denon DP80 Stax UA-70 Shure Ultra 500 in a Martin Bastin body with jico stylus, project ds2 digital Rullit aero 8 field coils in tqwt speakers

    Office system, DIY CSS fullrange speakers with aurum cantus G2 ribbons yulong dac Sony STR6055 receiver Jvc QL-A51 direct drive turntable, Leema sub. JVC Z4S cart is in the house

    Garage system another Sony receiver, cassette deck


    System components are subject to change without warning and at the discretion of the owner.

+ Reply to Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •