Amazing Guide to Buying ZYX Cartridges Cheap

This is a VERY IMPORTANT post for you to read if want to buy a ZYX Phono cartridge. SORAsound will do its best to beat all valid prices. Please see the questions and some answers / thoughts below:

• ZYX 4D: $2,200? or $1,800?
• ZYX Omega: $3,200? $2,950? $7,500 – $8,300?
• Dealer margin: 60%?
• Distributor margins of up to and over 80 some percent depending on the model?
• Extra discount to the North American distributor by ZYX Company / Sibatech to help the new North American troop compete with SORAsound? How much more?
• Distributors desperate to sell?

[Feb. 13, 2010 addition. Above questions now seem moot. Through simple google searches and a couple of phone calls we have found amazingly significant discrepancies among the RETAIL prices of ZYX cartridges, across the world. As an example, ZYX Omega retailing $2,695 in a European country, $3,040 in another, excluding VAT and bearing in mind the weak dollar.  Check out ZYX Omega G Retail Price Comparison Chart. More to follow].

ZYX Company retail prices are bogus. SORAsound wants you to be happy whether you buy from us or someone else. Based on the information below, you can decide what is a fair price for you and who you want to buy from:

• A customer decided not to purchase a ZYX ATMOS and go for a ZYX 4D for $2,200, an offer he said he received from ZYX North American distributor.
• I have heard of ZYX 4D in HK going for about $1,800. (not verified independently but my source is in the know).
• ZYX 4D retailing in a European country for $1,990 (yes, you read it right – RETAIL = $2568 minus 25% VAT).
• In the same European country , ZYX Omega is $3,800 minus 25% VAT (i.e. $3,040). This distributor had not listed ZYX omega price on his website. He quoted the price verbally but somehow feels funny because his Omega price is about $1,000 over his ZYX 4D.  He said he is under pressure to increase his prices. See ZYX Prices in a European Country (more pricing info, all available via a simple google search).
• Few trusted sources say they have seen ZYX Omega offers for about $3,200 to $3,500 in North America. Based on feedback from audiophiles I highly respect, I think it is still too expensive. Even if you like the sound, why is it that ZYX Omega costs about $600 more than ZYX 4D in Japan but about $4,450 in North America? If you love Omega, you should not pay $600 over above ZYX 4D price.
• People associated with the business tell me ZYX North American dealers now get 60% margin. This also means they can give you more “discounts.”
• I am also told that ZYX North American distributor gets extra discounts over and beyond what is normally given to other ZYX distributors. I guess it is a 30% extra discount based on other information I have. I am not sure.
• I have seen emails from North American dealers trying to sell into other countries at low prices.
• If you want to know ZYX prices in other countries, contact other ZYX distributors.
• Some ZYX distributors appear desperate to sell. More on that later.

Now, what does all this mean to SORAsound?

• SORAsound has to lower its prices further to be around 60% off ZYX North American retails, maybe more.
• SORAsound will be in the ZYX playing field longer given the difficulty we are facing selling our ZYX Company products.
• Out of respect to other ZYX distributors, SORAsound has so far avoided selling out of North America. Sibaetch has never recognized and thanked SORAsound for this. Through their actions, they are forcing SORAsound to sell into other markets.
• This is the beauty of free market. It would be good to see how this mess unfolds.

What does this mean to Sibatech/ZYX Company?

• Not many people even knew of Sibatech. Now some do.
• Given lower prices, Nakatsuka san can make and sell more cartridges, hence higher revenue.
• They realize SORAsound was correct with its pricing all along. They were dreaming of selling a “boil” for $7,500.
• They realize internet and audio sites including Audiogon have their own purpose. After all most their North American dealers already advertise directly or indirectly on Audiogon.
• They learn to price their product right to begin with. ZYX prices will get lower with the North American dealers trying to beat SORAsound prices, and in response SORAsound brining its prices even lower. Gone days Sibatech told SORAsound analog products must be given 10% discount at most.
• Let’s face it. They want the money. They could careless how much the products are sold for. They care about how much they make at the end.

What does this mean to customers?

• First, it may be best to avoid this mess.
• You will end up getting ZYX cartridges at a more reasonable price. But let us face it, you were never that idiot to pay $7,500 for a boil anyways.
• You know you can always count on SORAsound for treating you right (bearing in mind, I am no Ralph Nader, I have a business to run and still need to make money).

SORAsound always maintains a policy of open-ness with its customers. You now know almost as much as I do. Given the above information, you may be able to negotiate a better price with someone else but you can not have a better service from anyone else. Only SORAsound.

Audiophiles Are Not Idiots.