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Anyone compare Ortofon A90 vs Lyra Titan i?

I have an A90 which I have broken the cantilever off. Whoops. I plan on having it rebuilt by ortofon but have been told it will take about a month.

I have not heard a Lyra cart yet and am wondering what the differences may be. Both have been discibed as very neutral sounding.

I don't have system page yet so I will list my eq so you know what I'm working with.

Reed 3Q 12" tonearm.
Technics SP10 mk2a in home made 65 lb. plinth
Allnic H3000 phonopre
Aesthetix Callisto pre
Innersound amps
Innersound Kaya loudspeakers

I really like the A90 but I am looking at alternatives as I may add a second tonearm at some point.

Sean
sarcher30
thesoundhouse
250 posts
 
The A90 kills the titan. It is not even in the same room
dre_j
159 posts
 
I have done this direct comparison many times.

While the A90 is a fine cartridge, the Titan-i is my favorite and most honest cartridge.

You can't go wrong with either cartridge. It's a matter of preference, priorities, and system matching.

Dre
sarcher30 OP
596 posts
 
Thanks for the replies.

May I ask what tonearm you used to compare them?

Sean
dre_j
159 posts
 
Sean,

I used the Basis Vector IV for the most critical comparisons. I've also preferred the Lyra sound compared to the Ortofon in the 12" DaVinci Arm.

However, you must remember that my selection is based on my preference for total cartridge performance. I have close friends that prefer the A90 and others that prefer something else. As I've stated, it's a fine cartridge.

For your situation, my suggestion is to get the A90 repaired and enjoy it. Wait until after RMAF to select a second cartridge if you can. If not try, to get somewhere to listen to the cartridge you are interested in. Also, make sure, if possible, that the cartridges are setup reasonably well.

Dre
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