Seek cartridge w/ following description :

Opus88,

The ZYX Airy 2-X-SB meets your description almost perfectly IME. The Airy 3 and UNIverse do not have that distant a hall perspective, so you can avoid them (and their higher prices.)

Read my review for all the boring details. IIRC we actually discussed the hall perspective differences between the Airy 2 and 3.

I haven't heard one on an SME but they're a good match on mass/compliance specs. Street price is $1950.

Dear Nsgarch: That's the same what I think till I try ( all them ) on others tonearms that make a better match.

+++++ " If that is what you hear, then you need to check your system. Something is not right I think. Let me know if I can help you out. " +++++

Tks for your offer. I have no problems with my system, the issue is that there are others tonearms that make a better match with those cartridges, that's all.
I'm not saying that those cartridges can't work with a SME tonearm. No, it can but there are better alternatives.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I agree with the Helikon and I also like the Dynavector XX-2 (retain 1650) but can be had from hong kong for 900

Dougdeacon: You state "The ZYX Airy 2-X-SB meets your description almost perfectly...The Airy 3 and UNIverse do not have that distant a hall perspective, so you can avoid them." Didn't you mean to say they DO have that distant a hall perspective, but the ZYX Airy 2 does not, and therefore would be more to my liking ?

Opus88,

I think I wrote what I meant. Here it is in different terms...

Of the three top ZYX's, the Airy 2 has the most distant hall perspective. Something like rows 5-10, obviously somewhat subjective and always dependent on the recording.

The Airy 3 puts you closer. Front row to podium is typical. This is due to its more extended top end and to its generally more free and open character.

The UNIverse puts you wherever the microphones were. Its noise floor is far lower than its lesser cousins, so it reproduces very low levels of information. You don't just hear orchestra members turning pages, you hear them breathing. Yet at the same time you hear hall echoes clearly delineated from the direct sound of the instruments. On a good record this simultaneous sense of intimacy with the musicians within a large, clearly depicted soundstage can be almost uncanny.

Hope that helped clarify,
Doug