John,
Please see my post on 7-3-08. I found my system overly smooth, distant and warm once I had a chance to listen to it after having made all of the changes to my front end (turntable, phonostage, interconnects). My goals for my system as a whole are "dynamic, full range, extended, well-controlled bass, wide sound stage, and likely err on the side of a touch of warmth..." The faster, leaner sound of the Lyra seems to have balanced out the overly smooth, warm character I noted earlier. I now have a more detailed sound, but no sense of excessive sibilance or piercing/overly bright/fatiguing highs. I am hoping the bass fills in a little as the cartridge breaks in. I had a chance to purchase the Skala new at the price of the other cartridges I was considering and decided to take the plunge...so far, so good...