Cartridge help: Ortofon Cadenza vs. Soundsmith Paua

Dear @djfst :  """  I have to disagree with you about the system causing the listening fatigue without the possibility of it being the cartridge  """

I respect your stament. I'm still with my post where you can read:

"""  top/decent cartridges and listening audio system at " normal " home SPL . """

where if the tonearm/cartridge set up and cartridge electrical/mechanical set up was made accurately and the cartridge is already with at least 150 hours of playback then there is no doubt that the " fatigue " ( we are talking about. ) comes from other or other links in the system audio chain.

Please read the 3-4 last posts in this thread with a cartridge that outperforms almost all the cartridges mentioned in your thread:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/calling-all-vdh-colibri-fanatics-and-experts

this cartridge is a " pain in the ass " way before you really can enjoy it. VDH knows that and that's why they asks to return it after 300 hours for its fine tunning but after this FT it's just marvelous.

Anyway, the cartridge choice is a very personal choice. Good luck.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

One additional thing I would consider is repair/rebuild costs.  Lyra has a pretty tough repair price structure as has been discussed here a while ago.  That policy led me to look at Ortofon and SoundSmith.  Peter has fixed his repair costs at what seems a reasonable percent of the purchase price and Ortofon's price to rebuild their cartridges is far less than what was reported Lyra's was.  As I am not a detail freak, I would think sticking with either Ortofon's offerings or SS's would be the way to go.  While I'm not in the pay grade to afford your choices new, I went with a pristine Ortofon Jubilee and am happy with that choice.  I am hoping to purchase a mid-level SS cart in the future as he deserves to be supported and I've loved the sound of both the Strain Gauge and Hyperion cartridges through his electronics and his smallest speakers.  Impressive to say the least!

Here is SS cartridge warrantee and rebuild/retip statement:
"Our Cartridges are guaranteed for one or two years, with the exception of the Hyperion and Helios, which are covered for a full 10 years, including free retipping (!!) to the original owner. An absolutely unheard of warranty for cartridges. And - we can rebuild any of our cartridges always and repeatedly for only 20% - so they are the best long term values around. Cartridge rebuilds for other manufacturers? Yes, over 40 years of this work - One year warranty."

Ortolan rebuilds the Cadenza Bronze for 930 pounds.  I didn't do the conversion to dollars.

I demoed the Transfiguration Axia from my dealer in my system, but ultimately decided to order the Soundsmith Paua.  I'm currently breaking it in.  Thanks for all the suggestions and help.

I guess I should resurrect this thread. I bought a cadenza bronze at the beginning of this year and mounted it in my vpi Prime Signature. It was nice albeit a little dry for my taste. Not special like my koetsu black was. I broke it in with the requisite 50 hours and then put another 50 on. Just could not love it. I caught the 50 off sale on the Paua mkii and from the second I mounted it was totally blown away. Once it broke in for about 50 hours it started throwing the largest Soundstage into my room that I have ever heard. Very wide and extremely deep. The cartridge is dynamic and detailed without any harshness or sibilance. Very smooth presentation and I don't feel I am missing anything from the grooves. Extended top to bottom with a very defined midbass. The rebuild price is 550 dollars not bad for a 4 thousand dollar cartridge. The only thing I fear is how much I will miss this when it comes to the point where I have to send it out for a rebuild