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How Does the Soundsmith

How does the Voice MI cartridge stack up to low output MC cartridges in the $3000 to $6000 range? I am using a ZYX Atmos MC (.24mv) cartridge now with a VPI Aries 2 TT and a JMW 12.5 arm. I am using a modified Ayre phono stage.

I would like to hear from anyone that has compared the "Voice" cartridge to more expensive LO MC's.

How does the "Voice" do with complex music where a lot is happening on the recording?

I heard this cartridge at RMAF last year, but it is hard to draw conclusions in such an enviroment.
slowhand
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rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear Dgad: +++++ " The Colibri is probably the most detailed cartridge I know. It is truly a matter of personal taste. " +++++

I concur with you on that Colibri characteristics that almost no LOMC can achieve.

In the other side IMHO I think that more than " a personal taste " the subject on LOMC and MM/MI performance is more of which one cartridge type are nearest/truer to the MUSIC/recording and this judge needs that any one of us that are making this kind of evaluation/opinion have in deep/continuous experience with live music. Many times the " taste " of many of us in our home system perfromance has nothing to do with MUSIC and what this word means.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
mothra
110 posts
 
audiofeil, what are the cartridges of which you speak, just for the sake of my own reference?
cam3366
31 posts
 
Universe is one of the best out there. Hidden agendas abound herein....
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Excellent comparison by Dgad. As best one can tell from our pathetic attempts to describe music and sound in words, we heard similar things.

The Voice is more like a big muscle car. Tons of power but a bit smoother. It just goes.
Exactly right.

Whether one "should" have this type of sound, or any other type of sound, is entirely a matter of taste or, to put in terms Raul might agree with, entirely a matter of which sounds most like real music to your ears.
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rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear Doug: Yes I agree with.

I would like to add to this cartridges evaluation ( I'm not defending The Voice that I don't hear it yet. ) that could be a little unfair for The Voice ( or any other MM/MI sample. ):

First because almost all of you are comapring that RMAF set up against your fully dedicated and precise/fine tunning LOMC set up at your home audio system and second because probably The Voice was running at 47K where maybe the people in that show room don't try to change the load impedance a " little " higher.

Anyway, is good to read that there are more people that today are interested in the MM/MI alternative and this fact only can help to improve and make that the high-end audio industry grow-up in good terms.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
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