How Does the Soundsmith

Aptquark,
I mentioned in an earlier post that I own the Universe. It's a good product.

However, there are better phono cartridges available. I know this is contrary to some of the cheerleading you'll read here. Some of these folks are surrogates and/or friends of the previous Zyx distributor and have used the threads to champion this line for the past few years.

Over time they will gain the experience and realize how small their audio world was before hearing some of the real knock out cartridges.

After I bought the MMC-1 (the cheaper sibling of the Voice), I sold my Lyra Argo. Yes it is very articulate and fast.

But the SS Moving Irons have to matched to the tonearm for lower mass than the current favourites suited for moving coils, and this statement includes the so-called medium compliance version, which I have one. All my tonearms have 15 or 20 or even more effective mass (high mass Schroeder, Pluto, FR). Better use a 10 to 12g effective mass tonarm.

best regards, Hartmut

The Voice was demoed on a low mass Schroeder armwand. Also, the new Phantom w. the Titanium armwand is very low mass. Great cartridge for the money. The Oswald Mills System catered to its strengths in RMAF last year. I myself was ready to buy it after RMAF last year but held off due to no MM phono stage.

But... sound differences apply. The Colibri is probably the most detailed cartridge I know. It is truly a matter of personal taste. The Colibri for me is a finely tuned race car. Lets say a Porsche. You feel every bump on the road, the power and any mistake in user input you will lose control.

The Voice is more like a big muscle car. Tons of power but a bit smoother. It just goes. You feel the power, but the growl is sweet and the lines of the car are classic.

You should honestly have both types of sound if you can put it in your system. Especially if the LP is such that a ZYX or Colibri will show the failings of the LP.

Dear Dgad: +++++ " The Colibri is probably the most detailed cartridge I know. It is truly a matter of personal taste. " +++++

I concur with you on that Colibri characteristics that almost no LOMC can achieve.

In the other side IMHO I think that more than " a personal taste " the subject on LOMC and MM/MI performance is more of which one cartridge type are nearest/truer to the MUSIC/recording and this judge needs that any one of us that are making this kind of evaluation/opinion have in deep/continuous experience with live music. Many times the " taste " of many of us in our home system perfromance has nothing to do with MUSIC and what this word means.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

audiofeil, what are the cartridges of which you speak, just for the sake of my own reference?