Good carts with SME V

I love form and finish as a final solution in a product. A beautiful-sounding cart should have as good a material design and form and look as well as possible. But more than that? I get sceptical. If the sound is so-so, does it help me if I look at the beautiful cartridge? No, it is totally irrelevant. So all these exquisite stones and materials, the "look good" carts, who do they appeal to, serious listeners, or rich people wanting to show off?

Atmasphere - listening to Yes Close to the edge, side B track one with a heavy organ solo, I dont hear any breakup. Where do you hear it? I have a ca second press UK.

I’m surprised I didn’t read one vdh recommendation?  That tonearm is supplied with his cable.

I had the sme 4 In a set up that included a davinci grandezza 12” and a spj lyla arm. Although the sme 4 was my least favorite of the 3, it matched my frog perfectly and they produced an incredible presentation together.  I had a universe on the lyla and dynavector drt Xv-1s on the davinci.

The Xv-1s and davinci was a match made in heaven. It was the best combo I have ever experienced period and by a great deal.  The universe and lyla and the frog and sme 4 were fantastic as well.  They very close in their interpretations with each doing something’s better than the other.  If I had to pick one or the other I would have to pick the universe and lyla.  

But the frog was best with the sme for sure and that combo was far less expensive and would be considered a lesser pairing than the others simply by price and there prospective weight class.  But they held there own admirably. 

listening to Yes Close to the edge, side B track one with a heavy organ solo, I dont hear any breakup. Where do you hear it? I have a ca second press UK.

That's because you have a UK press which is pretty good :) The American press breaks up and so does the German, to a lessor extent.

Right! I have originals, some UK, some US - so I think I will resist the Steven Wilson remaster.