That is a interesting question. First I thought, a quick answer is possible, but the more I thought about it...
Lets say it different, after all those years with them I think, most Systems arent able to show their real potential. They have an excellent quality control, the specs are great (channel separation for example) and they have in general no sound. They are very detailed. Some say, they can sound thin and analytical but this is based on something totally different. The Lyras react very much with the linked comonents, specially the Tonarm. The better that one is, the more body, Gestalt, swing, PRAT and so on they will show. The cartridges are different to others. Others will go to a Point and thats it from Performance. No matter what you do, they wont tell you something new.
The Lyras (or most of them) do, specially the Titan i.
One of the best carts ever made, but unfortunately most will never know what this unit is really able to do. Most are mounted in Arms or Turntables which arent first rate and their weaks are transmitted into the cartridge and amplified. Good Arm with excellent bearing, superior vibration transfer, isolated Armboard and a top Turntable without creating any vibrations back into the spindle and platter are mandatory.
Lyra has made some great carts, independent from price. Their new Delos is such a remarkable cartridge. I am still impressed, but I got one of the first series. Who knows, probably it was carefully controlled, but it is a real good one.
Most System owners try to compensate something in their reproduction (more bass...more warmth...less of this and more of that...), most Lyras are straight in detail and speed. When it does not fit most users reflect it in an opinion.
But an opinion has rarely something to do with rethinking own components.
Of course similar can be said to other brands, I had a lot, but there are differences. Some brands I dont buy again, but Lyra always was a Part of my System.
