After we sent back the ZYX Exceed Bloom to SORAsound, Mehran got the Ultimate Eceed 100 over for review. The Ultimate Exceed 100 is the next cartridge up in the line from ZYX and you get a couple of upgrades along with it, including a carbon cantilever and a micro ridge stylus. Both of which should lead to more detail and accuracy. These and other upgrades to the Bloom do come at a cost, the ZYX Exceed 100 U.S. MSRP is $2400.00, $1000 more than the Bloom, so is it worth it? We plan to answer that and more in our review as well as compare it to other carts on the market at a similar price point. I was very impressed with the Bloom at its price and have high hopes for the 100, so let’s get into it.

Unboxing and Setup:

The Ultimate Exceed comes in a wonderful wooden box, inside a more normal cardboard box, however, that is placed inside a fabric drawstring back that is reminiscent of Asian tapestries. Once out of the box, I got the cart mounted on the VPI 10″ unipivot arm on my VPI Prime. I set the tracking force right at 2.0 grams, in the middle of the recommended range. I used the VPI protractor to set the alignment and a level to make sure my tracking angle and azimuth were correct. I also use a machinist square to help with azimuth as it is perfectly square.

I used my PYXI phono stage as well as the new Avenger Phono from VPI. On the PYXI I set the loading to 150R, Zyx recommends greater than 100Ω. I also tried it all the way up to 47KΩ. The PYXI offers impedance loadings of 150R, 220R, 470R, and 47KΩ. On the opposite side, the capacitance loading options are 47P, 147P, 267P, and 367P. I settled on 150R for impedance and 47P for Capacentince. The Avenger does not have adjustment so when listening to it it was as simple as plug and play.

Sound:

I mounted the Ultimate Exceed 100 on my VPI Prime with the 10″ 3D Unipivot arm, for phonos I used my PYXI as well as the new VPI Avenger phono stage. If you read our review of the ZYX Bloom Exceed some of this may seem a bit familiar as the sound is similar but with more refinement and detail. The cartridge is neutral tonally and faithfully traces and recreates the music on your favorite records. The level of detail over the Bloom is relatively substantial. I played back many of the same albums I used in the Bloom review to compare notes and see what differences I heard. Listening back to Aurora’s “Runaway” from All My Demons Greeting Me as Friends the vocals are smoother and more organic, and the micro details are more present. I also added some different albums to the rotation to see how this cart would perform with vastly different genres.

The difference in sound quality between the affordable PYXI and the more expensive Avenger phono stage was not subtle and goes to show that this cartridge can take advantage of the better phono stages on the market. The Avenger is a battery-powered phono stage and it has a dead silent background. The resolution is impressive for the price point and I think it could easily compete with much higher-end phono stages. Mat was using it with the 10,000 dollar AT-MC2022 cartridge and the Avenger Statement at Capital Audiofest and it felt right at home. It was certainly up to the task of amplifying and applying the RIAA Curve to signal from the Ultimate Exceed 100. I felt as though I was certainly getting the maximum performance from the ZYX.

Since I have it in, I also mounted the Ultimate Exceed 100 on the VPI Forever Model 1. This table is quite a bit different from the Prime, calling back to the HW19 for its footprint, but with some modern amenities. You get upgraded feet to aid in vibration control as well as the platter and tone arm being mounted to an isolated plate. The arm is the S arm which is a gimbal design with a bend. The arm is also not a tube but rather milled out of a solid piece of aluminum so you don’t get the resonance as you do with a tube-shaped arm. The only downside as that I had to max the weight to get close to the 2.0-gram tracking force and still had to add weight so I put the finger lift from my Prime on it. The sound though was worth it, I have to say it does sound better on this table. I noticed clearer and deeper bass, the mids had better definition as well.

I listened to Mac Miller’s “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” anniversary set, which is one of the best anniversary sets I have seen. I absolutely love the mastering on this album, everything is put together well and not competing for the limelight, background sounds are clear yet distant and the front stage is actually upfront. The imaging from the Ultimate Exceed 100 creates a great visual, especially with well-produced albums. Panning from one side to the other is clear and smooth as it moves left to right or vice versa, it doesn’t just jump creating an illusion of a center speaker or even multiple.

The ZYX Ultimate Exceed 100 is certainly deserving of a quality system. It is revealing and accurate and if your system is up to the task it will be translated to the final sound. I don’t have a cheaper table anymore to see how it sounds but I presume lower quality arms would limit it. There are certainly some great value tables that punch above their price points and it may be a good upgrade if you feel as though your table has more to offer over the current cartridge. It elevates the sound of the Bloom by taking what it does and refines it like aging a scotch for a few more years. The flavor is similar but it’s matured and you can find more nuance.

Falling In Reverse: Popular Monster

I bought this album for my wife as she is a big FIR fan, but I also quite enjoy it. It has a blend of rock/rap/emo/metal sounds that create a great a very distinct sound. The first song “Prequel” has this very low bassline that it builds on that I’m not quite sure what instrument is used, though it may be a synth. There is a very orchestral sound to the song with the use of choir backing vocals that create a massive sound stage The micro detail and transients are crystal clear. When the music picks up speed and dynamics the Ultimate Exceed 100 keeps pace. The double kicks are offset by the higher strings and none of the musical information is lost. The last track is one of my other favorites, it is a cover of Last Resort by Papa Roach. Rodne returned to the orchestral sound for this track, which suits the nature of the song very well. In the forefront is the piano with strings building the background and large bass drums creating the song’s foundation. The vocals stand out as lifelike and present in the room.

(Listening Back) Aurora: All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend

This album showed quite a bit of improvement over the Bloom Exceed. The background sounds in Runaway are more noticeable allowing for a better build of the layers of the music. The channel separation is more defined as well and there are quite a few instances of instruments being more to one side than the other or completely separate even. Imaging is also improved over the Bloom. Her vocals are not as drastically different, however, there is a better smoothness to her voice making it a bit more organic sounding as I mentioned above. Tonally they are very similar which makes sense as many companies have a sound or lack thereof that they tend to stick to, meaning if you like how your system sounds on the Bloom you will like the Ultimate Exceed 100 even more. Instruments throughout the album as wonderful texture and realism as well. There is also a brightness, not harshness, but a light spaciousness that lifts the sound.

Taylor Swift: Folklore, Long Pond Studio Sessions

I wanted to play something a little more delicate with softer notes and the Long Pond version of Folklore was the perfect album. This was recorded live as an acoustic set that was part of a movie made about the album. It has a much more intimate sound than the normal studio version of the album. The Ultimate Exceed 100 is not only fast but also gentle when it needs to be, the sense of space in the album is expertly represented. Her vocals as I expected are natural and silky. To build on that the whole midrange has good body and dimension. The highs throughout are light and the bass has impact but isn’t overpowering. The overall balance is great and lends well to acoustic sets.

Overall

I especially like how open the music sounds, as sometimes it can be closed in or dull with more entry-level cartridges, but with the Ulitmate Exceed 100 the music has a breath of life and soul. Their trademark stereo sound is unmatched by any cartridge I have had in for review. Detail, balance, and imaging are all striking and well worth the cost of the cartridge. The cartridge is tonally neutral making it easy to integrate into any system. It can take advantage of a quality phono stage but still has good quality even with a more entry-level phono stage such as the PYXI.

Associated Equipment

• Marantz SR7009 (Preamp)
• Java Hifi Single Shot (integrated and preamp)
• McIntosh MC250
• Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra Mono Premiums
• VPI Prime with 10″ 3D Unipivot Arm
• VPI Forever Model 1 with S Arm
• VPI Shyla Cart
• SOTA Pyxi
• VPI Avenger Phono
• Sonus Faber Sonetto V
• Magnepan LRS+
• Vienna Acoustics Bach Ultimate
• Synergistic Research Powercell 8 SX
• Synergistic Foundation SX Loom
  • Esprit Power cable used with Java Single Shot
• Akiko Audio Triple AC Evolution

U.S. MSRP: $2400.00

Conclusion

ZYX impresses me again, the Bloom Exceed was a great cartridge, but the Ultimate Exceed 100 takes what the Bloom brings to the table and kicks it up a notch. You get additional detail, more dimension, and improved imaging. It is 1000 dollars more but if you feel as though your system can take advantage of the refinement, it is a worthwhile upgrade. The cart itself will benefit from a better phono stage and table, but it also sounds great on my Pyxi, which to be fair, I think is worth more than the asking price in terms of quality. With the Avenger Phono though, there was a noticeable difference in sound quality. I am pleased with the quality of sound and it makes me excited to try out more cartridges from the ZYX line as this is still within the realm of their entry-level. The sound however is anything but entry-level. Do yourself a favor and check out their line, and see which one might be the best fit for your system.

U.S. Distributor: SORAsound

Disclaimer: SORAsound provided Hifi Chicken with an Ultimate Exceed 100 for the purpose of this review. SORAsound, ZYX, nor any affiliate paid in full or in part in exchange for this review.