Soundsmith - Hyperion vs lyra ETNA

I don't think you'll be disappointed with either.  I have had three main carts on my table for the past couple years.  A Koetsu RSP, a Lyra Atlas and a SoundSmith MIMC star and most recently traded up to a SS Sussurro.  
To my ears, the SoundSmith sits in the middle of the Koetsu and Lyra spectrums of emphasis. It is not distracting on the high end like the Lyra can sometimes be with its super realistic extension and it is not as romantic and groovy as the Koetsu. The SoundSmith carts do get out of the way in all the right ways.  Makes me forget about what cart is on  and enjoy the music.  You can tell you are getting everything off the recording without commentary. I really love how those SS low output carts sound. So quiet too!

Disclaimer...my system, my ears, haven't listened to the Etna. 

Karl, any experience with EMT? I have heard the Alas a few times and it’s either perfect or too sharp and on the verge of thin in the upper register. With Vandersteens it was perfect.   Etna just losses that. And perhaps you’re  right, the Atlas is very realistic. The new SpundSmith cactus cantilever sounds really integral and interesting. 

I went with Hyperion over Atlas because it was equally detailed, more musical and a lot more practical in terms of warranty, service etc.  The Atlas is an awesome cartridge, but on my system it was a bit too high strung.  My system:  cj: ART150 (recent upgrade from ARTsa, which was the amp at the time of the cartridge decision), GAT2, TEA1 ser.3. Speakers are Sony SS-AR2, turntable is a SL1200GAE.  I also have a heavily modded VPI Prime.

I have only listened to EMT outside my home so I can't tell you what kind of changes to expect compared to a Lyra or SoundSmith.   I do have the perspective of breaking a Lyra Delos. So what Bill says above is an excellent point about MI versus MC.  Much cheaper to repair the SoundSmith cart, plus at this level, should you ever need it repaired, Peter Ledermann will do it himself.

I'm interested in perspectives here as well. Currently using a Soundsmith MIMC Star in a VPI 3D-10 Gimbal. Love it but been wondering about a few things as I contemplate whether to upgrade.

Thing 1: Wondering how the new ES series Soundsmiths improve upon the prior versions (I purchased my MIMC Star just before they changed the cartridge body to the ES type).

Thing 2: Wondering what happens when you go from the MIMC Star to the Sussuro. 

Thing 3: I've been looking hard at the EMT line after hearing from several folks I trust that the EMTs fly under the radar but provide a very engaging presentation. I'm looking at the JSD 6 or JSD Pure Black (formerly the JSD 75th Anniversary). Heck, I might even try an HSD 006 just to experience the flavor. 

Please chime in as you are able......