Would Like To Hear From Strain Gauge Owners

I rest my case.

Dear Peter,

I have been following with some interest your discourse re your Strain Gauge cartridge. I find some of the comments made, on this thread, and others on the same subject, are out of line, and off-base.

For myself, I just want to thank you for the superb retip you've done on my Dynavector XX2MKII, which I just got back a couple of weeks ago.

It's hard for me to understand how a new Sapphire cantilever, and superior stylus shape, could make such a profound improvement in how this cartridge now sounds, which to my ears, is far better than I recall it sounding when new.

I did send an email stating my appreciation to Craig @soundsmith.com, but I wasn't sure you got it. I wanted to make sure you got the word.

Thanks again, and best regards,
Dan

Slowhand, I've been running a Soundsmith Straingauge, Mk 2 version, with entry level SG-200 energiser.
What can I say? It's an amazing cart, easily besting all my prev incumbents (Roksan Shiraz, Lyra Skala and Parnassus, Transfiguration Temper and Orpheus, ESCCo modded Zu Denon 103).
It has a natural warmth thru the bass region, but not the euphonic colouration that makes other carts sound eartbound by comparison. Mids are clear and accurate. Treble esp really soars.
It deals brilliantly with surface noise, and it tracks like a bloodhound, nothing seems to shake it's resolve.
I'm running it on a direct rim drive tt w/ air bearing linear tracking arm, and the synergy is uncanny.
One major caveat - it really needs to be set up precisely esp wrt azimuth, or it can sound thin and bass light.
But get it right, and you're in for a treat. My keeper for life, after 20 yrs of struggling to find "the sound".