My new Soundsmith Straingauge cartridge

Dear Swampwalker: Correct. In the past Panasonic/Sao Win and other strain gauge cartridges were designed almost in the same way that the ones by SS with one main difference that they worked according to the RIAA eq. curve

SS choosed to left the " cartridge " with its natural curve that is not similar/same than the RIAA curve: has high deviations comparing it to the RIAA curve.

One advantage of that aproach is that the signal does not pass for that " tortuose " RIAA inverse eq. proccess as any other cartridge but in the other side has the disadvantage that what you are hearing is different of what is in the recording due that does not conforms to the RIAA eq. curve.

So you hear differences because the signal is equalized in different way. If you use an external equalizer in your system you can change the signal performance, the equalized signal will have a different tonal balance that all other cartridges with out that equalization.

As with many audio subjects some of us don't give to much importance to many subjects, sometimes because we ignore it we have not the knowledge about and sometimes because we just don't care.

RIAA eq. curve is the standard and I mean it. For years is what was used in the LP recordings and existed a " war " down there for all the LP manufacturers accepted only one eq. curve. This not happen two years ago but 40+ years ago. As I said the RIAA eq. is the standard and till the recording manufacturers alond the RIAA do not change that standard all the records will came and comes with the RIAA eq. curve and not the SS one.

The SS is an alternative, any one of us decide what to do and what we want.

I remember very clear that when I visited a friend in USA he was sticky with the SS over all his other cartridges ( including the Lyra Olympos. ). When I heard his SS my first reaction was: impressive. After more time of playback I start to note that on recordings that I know very well things were happened in different way so different that I don't like it because music does not sounds that way.
I asked to switch to the Lyra ones and everything goes fine. The last day that he mounted again the SS and heard it for a minutes I just can't " support " what I was hearing an prefer to go to the airport.

But, that's me.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

I'm not going to join in this technical argument, since I'm unqualified to contribute.
What I can say is that this is one hell of a transducer. Bearing in mind it's on what I consider the most neutral and transparent analog rig I've ever owned (Trans Fi Salvation rim drive tt and Terminator linear tracking arm), it's just complementing these so well.
The sound was initially 'light' but when true bass notes arrived and left in lightning fashion, I realised it was a cart with the fat cut out of the presentation.
It really IMHO takes what's great in digital, and combines these with all the hallmarks of what's unique about analog.
There just appears to be no sound of diamond thru wax as notes arise and decay naturally in a soundfield with a vanishingly low noise floor, unique in analog in my experience.

Dear Spiritofmusic: The subject is not really technical/academic and I'm not saying that your SG cartridge is a bad one because it is not: it is only different and because those differences IMHO we can't compare against any LOMC/MM/MI cartridge.

The point is that taking the measures that SS designer posted in other thread the SG system has a deviation swing of 2db between 50hz and 12khz ( this is in its equalization curve. ), that's not my information but the SS directly.

That 2b deviations in the SS curve you can compare against the inverse RIAA where any decent phono stage has a 0.1 db +,- over: 20hz to 20khz ( btw I ask the SS designer which were the measured deviations below 50hz and over 12khz with no single answer and I wonder why: could be because is even higher?. ).

That's is not technical or academic. It is as if you in a LOMC cartridge equalize the signal by 2dbs is some frequencies!!!!

IMHO that's is critical and makes the SG a different alternative that IMHO we can't compare against any other cartridge.

I'm not questioning that you or other persons like it no what I'm posting are only facts on what you are hearing. I really can't understand why the designer never disclose this information, information tha's critical.

Now, maybe you can understand when I say that you are hearing another/different recording in any single of your LPs because you are altering in heavy fashion what comes in the recording, simple as that.

Again, I'm not questioning you or that different alternative what I'm questioning is that we compare against the other alternatives LOMC/MM/MI because we are not comparing apples with apples: both are way different.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Raul;

PLEASE STOP IT. You know NOTHING technically about my current design. You are a manufacturer who INSISTS on hiding that fact - because you have a hidden agenda. In fact, several of them. I have asked you repeatedly, as have MANY OTHERS on this and other forums, to STOP. You never do. As a result, I have told you NEVER to send me anything for repair - ever. Please never comment again on my products as you always do damage, and you never mention your true motives - one of which is to present yourself as some kind of expert. You are simply not. Again, please do NOT respond to this message, (which I know will be impossible for you to do) and just recede quietly into the background - for everyone's sake, even yours. Please think for a moment how many people you might have have misled, and alienated, because you insist on being the "expert".

Peter Ledermann/President/Soundsmith

Hi Peter, you may remember my phone call a couple of weeks back to you re your opinion of the significance of azimuth setting on lps not clamped while playing.
Well, I had the trial, and I liked it so much I bought your cart! One of the best audio decisions I've ever made.
My most abiding opinion of the cart is that unlike any other I've had in my system, it demonstrates a digital-like quality of notes rising from an almost non-existent noise floor, with minimal overhang, and decaying naturally into nothingness.
Except, unlike digital, even the best of, there is real tonal discrimination, and an amazing control of micro- and macro-dynamics.
I really feel it's unique in providing a perspective on music that combines the best of digital and analog qualities.