Mono Cartridge Zyx Airy 3 or Mayajima Zero

I use the Zero for mono. On the whole, it is very good. It is the clearest cartridge I have heard. Surface noise is low, so low that a few of my records, which I had graded as VG with a stereo cartridge, had to be regraded to NM on the Zero. Also, it is a very good tracker.

But, it lacks the ultimate refinement of my higher end Koetsu - then again, it's a small fraction of the price.

I use higher end Sowter step-up transformers, with Nude Vishay loading resistors. The Zero likes a low load, about 2K on the secondary if I remember correctly.

Thank you,
I read many wonderful reviews about the Mayajima zero but none of the Zyx mono. Is the zyx not good? 

I have heard the ZYX in another guy's system.  It sounded excellent.  IMO, you cannot go wrong with either choice.  Having said that, I have pretty much decided to buy a Zero or Premium Be Mono, for little more than half the cost of the Zero.

Unless you have hundreds, or more, mono records, a mono cartridge is a waste of money IMO.

A good stereo cartridge with the pre-amp set to mono playback, will give 95% of the sound quality of a mono cartridge, when playing a modern micro groove mono 33 rpm Lp.

Old mono records (78 rpm) have other more important problems, such as differing record equalization, groove width, and accurate recording speed.