Lyra Etna Versus Kleos

I have a friend at a major audio manufacturing plant who has contact with a lot of the company's customers. He's told me that customers who use Lyra cartridges tell  him that the Etna is the best overall cartridge in the Lyra line. 

Dear pdsmith957: """  I am seriously considering buying the Etna now at $7000. I figure I will want to upgrade from the $3000 Kleos in two or three years, when who knows what the price will be for the Etna... """

sounds good that alternative but probably in those 2-3 years Lyra will has new models.

In the other side even than Lyra is a good choice there are other good cartridge alternative, one of them could be the Colibri by VdH: great performer too that is a challenge even for the Atlas.
The audio market is " full " of very good cartridge options.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

I'm curious why no one has mentioned the Transfiguration Proteus when recommending the Aetna cartridge. I think they are priced similarly and present a somewhat different but equally excellent sound. Unless of course the 2.0mv output is in question for the Proteus. I'm not certain of the Etna's output.

I know it sounds very ambitious but seldom will you hear such a recommendation, get an Audio Technica ART9, compare the Lyras to it and then decide if any of them is worth their money. I have heard the Lyras and owned the Skala for a good period of time. The ART9 is at least 3 levels better than the Skala. The only problem with ART9 is it is so cheap that you may be discouraged. 

I owned the Etna for about a year and loved its natural and full bodied sound, lots of meat on the bones if you will. Another cartridge you might consider is the ZYX Universe II, it strong suits are clarity, and separation of sounds in it's soundstage. Hopefully you will be able to audition some of these cartridges in your set up. Best of Luck