Strain gauge vs Zyx 4D/Atmos

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I am trying to not add any more fuel to the topic, but would like to ask Peter this question. Has any customer that Could afford the Strain Gauge go for the Sussuro/Paua instead? Or is the Sussuro short in performance against the Strain Guage?

A good phono Stage(say 3 to 5k) + the Sussuro is well above the basic Strain Guage package.

Sorry about all the questions, but i cant seem to find any direct comparisons between your Susurro range and Straingauge.

Yesterday i finally heard a Straingauge on one turntable and a Lyra Kleos going through a RCM phono on another. Both sounded great to me ears, with the prize going to the Lyra/Kleos Combo. Mind you the Kleos was mounted on a Kuzma 4point and a Stabi XL turntable and the Straingauge was on a Kuzma Stogi Reference arm and Kuzma Reference Turntable. So really we were not really comparing apples with apples.

Dear Leicachamp;

If the Lyra sounded better, that's great. THe whole purpose of this endeavor is to find what works for you.

As to the differences between the Strain Gauge and the Sussurro, I would say that They are day and night. 80 percent of fols who hear the two prefer the SG. About 2 days per month, I prefer the Sussurro. The Sussurro has gotten very high marks, for with we are very glad. We have a new top of the line MI cart being introduced at RMAF called the Hyperion. It is a collaboration with Frank Schroder, and we are excited to play it for folks. It does lots of things the SG does, so.....exciting.

I somewha agree with the statements made above, but, the statement about micro detail I would take some issue with, as if you will read in the owners reviews, that was one of their strong points about the Strain Gauge. I am happy to discuss the responses to magnetics VS. SG carts with you on the phone - I will be in the office tomorrow and part of wednesday, but then leaving for RMAF. Please feel free to call.

Peter Ledermann/Soundsmith

One addition note -I do not deny anyone's tastes -however, I question the statement about lack of upper order harmonics. The SG cart has lower distortion than most magnetic carts, a near perfect square wave, and amazing phase accuracy in terms of grip delay and lack of perturbations in a small region. Tube gear sounds more " musical" to many in part because it generates harmonics. I submit that some MAgnetics sound more welcome not because they are accurate but because they are possibly less so. Have these gentlemen taken spectrum analysis of the two or is this a tech statement based on listening??

Peter/Soundsmith

I am on a boat -typing is HARD HERE! GROUP DELAY was what I was trying to type -Peter

Raul et al,

Your argument on equalisation is irrelevant. Strain gauge cartridges have a non linear output and therefore require different "equalisation" to achieve a flat response. My understanding is that the output is close to the inverse of the riaa curve and the compensation required from the phono is not far from flat.
Nonwithstanding that, you actually need multiple phono preamplifiers to reproduce records properly as there are differences arising from the use of different cutterhead angles from label to label even for standard riaa. I have a colleague who has analysed the cutterhead angles across the various labels and recording studios, and has a built phono stage with adjusted riaa compensation for the various cutterhead angles. Records I have heard that supposedly conform to standard riaa, for which the riaa compensation has been adjusted for the cutterhead angle have been revelatory.