Just purchased a Yamaha PX-2 turntable for my second system. Seller said he is includeing a "Ruby Saphire" cartridge with the PX-2. I checked around and was unable to find any info on cartridges mfg by "Ruby" and was wondering if anyone had a clue as to who mfg the cartridge and if it is a decent enough cartridge. If the cartridge turns out to be real low end any suggestions on a replacement cartridge that would be a good match for the PX-2. The PX-2 will be replacing a semi-auto Sony PS-x500 turntable with a Denon DL-110 cartridge that I have used for a number of years. Actually the Sony sounds quite decent and wonder if the Yamaha will be much of an improvement.

If you don't like the PX-2 sell it to me :)

I know theophile is using a Dynavector Karat 17D Mk II on his PX-2

Yes, Dynavector Ruby . . . a moving-coil device. Be very careful with the stylus!!! Should sound terrific.

Fred Longworth
StereoTech Classic Audio Repair
http://www.repairaudio.com

Did you get the PX-2 that was on Audiogon? Let us know what you think once you have a good listen.

I was gonna guess Dynavector, too. Since the PS-X500 is semi massive, you won't hear as much difference as you would going from light plastic to massive. As you move towards the high end the differences are more subtle, and more expensive! Linear arms really clean up the last song on an LP, so pull out some favorite records where the last song is great, but sounds bad, and let us know what you hear with the PX 2.

You guessed right, it's the one from Audiogon and it's comeing with the factory shipping box, accessories, cartridge etc from the original first owner. I'll let you know which cartridge comes with the table. I once heard a members PX-2 and it sounded very nice, off hand I don't remember which cartridge was on it but I'm sure it was a good one. Hate to side line the Sony, I'v had it for 25+/- years.

I sort of keep my eye on Audiogon. Sometimes find some great stuff at reasonable prices there. Your PX-2 being a good example. Don't need to side-line the Sony. Run both. Am sure you find that they have different sounds. I have two completely recapped and aligned, etc., Sony tuners. I listen to the ST-5000FW for anything with voices and without piano. And listen to the ST-J75 for jazz, piano and orchestral music. Will be doing a similar thing with my Yamana and Sony TTs, once my wife tells me which house we are going to be living in. :D

Could also be a Grace cartridge. The F9 Ruby is/was supposed to be one of the best MM cartridges ever made. Never had the pleasure myself but I've only ever heard great things about the F9-E and Ruby.

Well.....if you are really, really, really lucky, it will the Benz Micro Ruby MC cartridge, which sold for $2500 before recent price increases. But, the Dynavector and/or Grace would also be an excellent find, if it is in good shape.

The Grace F9 ruby was the other "ruby" cartridge that I ran into a lot in searching and I read nothing but praise for it's sound/performance. The Benz ruby might be a long shot but you never know. My only guess is at the time the seller purchased a cartridge that was the equal of the PX-2 and either the Dynavector or Grace were highly popular. Re Audiogon I have no complaints re equipment I have purchased and prices paid, like Ebay prices can be all over the map. The equipment condition is better controlled than rolling the dice on Ebay with some exceptions. Lately noticed a few sellers listing items both on Audiogon and Ebay at the same time.

Majick,
G'day.Yeah I've got a PX-2.
I LOVE IT! :banana:
I know there must be better TTs out there.(I haven't heard any :no: )
Great TT,you will not be sorry.I use mine with the Dynavector Karat Diamond,as mentioned previously.Sounds great.
I invested in a SAP Relaxa 3+ mag-lev table(great by the way),which sits on a diy "rollerblock/ball" setup.
Absof*#@inglutely great sound.I have NO regrets about buying this TT(had you guessed?),and will mourn the day it curls up it's toes and(sniff sniff)dies :tears:
Enjoy it.
One question,how much did you pay for it.Oh and don't forget to register your PX-2 on 'thevintageknob'.Hi Axel. :D

Axel re the PX-2 I purchased it from the original owner off Audiogon for $300 and I'll make sure I register it on thevintagenob. After hearing all the encourageing comments I might let the PX-2 share the spotlight in my primary system with a VPI HW19 MkIII. The VPI sits on a commercial heavy weight computer equipment stand and the listening room has a cement slab floor, zero vibration/feedback to the TT. Like you I have mostly vintage Yamaha equipment, CX-2000/CX-800U/CDX-2020/CDX-2000/TX-2000/(2) MX-2000/PC4002M (pro amp 420x2). Speakers JBL L300 and 4301b. The build quality of this vintage Yamaha equipment is superb and will probably outlast me.

Very nice gear set. :thmbsp: When you state 'like you, I have mostly vintage Yamaha equipment'....you are speaking to several of us, but not Axel, who has chosen mostly vintage Sony :tears: (a most worthy competitor and leaves more Yamaha for the rest of us :thmbsp: ). But, Axel is not a total heretic, as he does have the odd vintage Yamaha piece, like the NS-10 speakers he listens to.
What you need for your new PX-2 or VPI HW19 MkIII is one of these :yes: http://audiokarma.org/ads/showproduct.php?product=347&sort=1&cat=13&page=2
And to make your vintage Yamaha system complete, you need these :thmbsp:
http://audiokarma.org/ads/showproduct.php?product=1943&sort=1&cat=20&page=1
Of course, I would happily take your L300s on trade for any of the above. :D

How about a couple of pic's? You can post over here. http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52897&highlight=Post+yamahas Sounds like a great system.

That is some really nice Yamaha gear. How did you get you're hands on an MX-2000, did you buy a TOTL 2xxx set?

I had a very rare opportunity to purchase a complete Yamaha 2000 system, preamp/tuner/cd player/two (2) amps for a princely sum.

You are a lucky man; the PX-2 proves it :)

There is another one on eBay at the moment. $255 the last I looked.

I was contemplating the Audiogon PX-2, but am still recovering from another recent purchase.

How would a PX-2 compare to a TD 125 MKII & MDC-800?

I don't think many people have owned both, but in the long run I might put my money on the TD-125 with the Sumiko MDC800. That arm is supposed to be GRRRR nice. The only place where the PX-2 might take a win is at the last track on a LP, the angel to the record is better so sound is properly cleaner.

What ever you decide, I would like the "looser". :)

---Edit---

Darn, Why do I have so many edit's..

Well there is also an PX-2 here in Europe, some jerk is trying to sell with a bin of 1.900 Euro. Last one sold here was about 360,- Euro.

I still own an Oracle Alexandria.I used it for 18 years.I wouldn't put it back and take out a PX-2/3.
These TTs are true sleepers.Because they flew under the radar at the time they were released,they haven't acquired 'audiophile cred'.They were also up against the Linn marketing machine which bellowed the superiority of that TT.
This meant that direct drives were automatically dismissed as triumphs of technology over sound quality.Big mistake.
The worst demo I've ever attended was at the showroom of the then importer of Linn into Australia.TOTL Linn/Naim system with budget Linn speakers.I've heard bedside clock radios sound better than that set-up.No fault of the components(I've heard them sound good elsewhere),but there was something definitely amiss.

Finally getting to update members re my newly aquired PX-2. It arrived double boxed, the inner box was the factory box with the foam containers. Everything was well protected and in good shape. The original phono cable had been replaced with what looked like home made cables, the original phono cable was also in the box. I later took off the home made cables that didn't have rca plugs and soldered on the original Yamaha phono cable. The ruby saphire cartridge turned out to be a Grace ruby minus the canteliver/stylus, guess you could call it a freebee and I doubt their's much chance of finding another good stylus. After changing the phono cables , I balanced the table, installed a NOS Yamaha MC-9 cartridge. No alignment guage was included but I was able to use a Denon cartridge alignment guage that is the same 50mm as the Yamaha. Aligned the cartridge on the headshell and balanced the arm. I powered up the system and I must say I was quite impressed by the PX-2 sound and performance. The Yamaha cartridge may need some breakin time and I'm sure it will sound even better with some more hours of play. All the table functions work and I'm very pleased with my new TT. I also installed a Omega One carbon fiber turntable mat and a Monster Cable disc stabilizer DS-250 that I already had, nether made a noticable difference in the sound or performance. Along with the Grace cartridge was a VPI platter "weight" that I have never seen before which is quite heavy. The Yamaha PX-2 is right up their with Yamahas TOTL equipment from the 70s and 80s and IMO will compete with the best in it's class. Looking at the build quality/performance that table if marketed today would sell for $2500 to $3,000.

Congratulations. Now its time to post the pic's of your new baby.

Yeah congrats majick,
Just because I prefer the PX-2 to my Oracle Alexandria,I've been told that I don't know how good the Alex really is,or that there must be something wrong with the Alex. :boring:
This flies in the face of the fact that I've owned the Alex from new,and lived with it for 20 years.I'd quite happily pit the Yamaha PX-2 against a lot of the belt drives I've heard in my life,and I'd wager it wouldn't be ashamed for the comparison.
If the axiom "garbage in =garbage out"is true then the PX-2 would stand revealed for what it is,good or bad.
My current system is the most revealing I've ever owned,and the PX-2 therefore must be responsible for a large part of that. :yes: Those who've suffered my posts here know that I don't use my system in a conventional manner,yet the PX-2 is one component which I am happy to use just as stock,no tweeking necessary. :thmbsp:
I do like it on the SAP Relaxa 3+ mag/lev stand. :music:

You guessed right, it's the one from Audiogon and it's comeing with the factory shipping box, accessories, cartridge etc from the original first owner. I'll let you know which cartridge comes with the table. I once heard a members PX-2 and it sounded very nice, off hand I don't remember which cartridge was on it but I'm sure it was a good one. Hate to side line the Sony, I'v had it for 25+/- years.

That was me - up until recently my PX-2 had the original Adcom moving coil cartridge on it. It was suppsedly a great bang for the buck back in the day, but it started having right channel issues lately so it's done. I ordered a Shure M97XE which went on last night and is in the process of break-in. I needed something to get me going while I did some more research. I'd say initially it's a bit dull compared to the Adcom, but it still needs break-in which should open up the highs.

Someone once said you're better off with a $100 cartridge on a $1000 TT than you are the other way around. We'll see if he was right....

jblnut

jblnut,
What other TTs are you familiar with?I'm not asking this as a challenge,rather getting to know your sonic references.
My system took a quantum leap forward this year,and the capabilty of the PX-2 was exposed to be(no joke)the best sound from vinyl I've ever heard.
I'll admit that where I live I haven't been able to hear top quality turntables for the past 11 years.Unlike when I lived in Sydney where there was a number of high-end dealers who stocked and demo'd top quality analogue.
I opted to bail out from the big city,and you can't expect a beachside holiday region to be a vinyl-lovers haven.
I cannot possibly say that this is the 'best' Yammie TT,however it is a serious TT sound-wise and will repay careful siting and good cartridges and phono preamps.
I'm very fussy,and very happy with the PX-2.:yes: