2. analog
  3. 1368310143

My new Soundsmith Straingauge cartridge

Well, after a bit of dillying and dallying, I finally got 'round to trying a home trial of this cart. After a couple of hours dialling in vtf, and esp. azimuth, it basically sold itself, and I bought it an hour later!
It's without doubt the fastest cart I've ever experienced, surpassing the Decca London Reference, but with none of that cart's tipped up 'whiteness'. But this blazing speed is combined with the natural sweetness of the Lyra Parnassus. It has the neutrality of the Transfiguration Orpheus with the dynamics and involvement of the ESCCo-modded Zu Denon 103. So, fast AND sweet, and neutral AND involving, combinations often too challenging for other so-called SOTA carts. All the carts I've mentioned I've had in my system over the years. But I admit, I haven't heard current contenders to the crown (Lyra Titan/Atlas, Ortofon Anna, Clearaudio Goldfinger etc) to make comparisons.
It's tracking really is superlative, 3d soundstaging/dimensionality is beyond the room constraints, and I really believe it has the least artifact-laden sound of any cart I've heard, with NO aural evidence of a diamond carving thru wax. It's really complimenting what's already a neutral, fast and dynamic analog rig in my system (Trans Fi Salvation direct rim drive tt/Trans Fi Terminator air bearing linear tracking arm)
spiritofmusic
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Peter, I know we've conversed on my Salvation tt/Terminator arm thread as to the merits of rim/direct drive v belt drive. I know we have somewhat divergent views, but importantly, both of us are really happy with our respective choices.
I actually auditioned the SG on my dealer's AMG Viella tt with AMG 12" arm. Was v.much impressed with this fantastically designed and carefully engineered belt drive/pivoted arm combination. But v.much convinced my choices right for me.
Anyhow, if you are in the hunt for a cart to replace your AirTight, I'd really urge you to audition this baby. It's apparent lack of typical analog artifacts is quite disconcerting to start, because their absence is so noticeable, and this engenders some unfamiliarity. Then, a couple of tracks in you realise you're not really hearing the medium anymore, just the message. And now all is relaxing and involving. It's highly transparent neutral qualities surely a good match for your SME 30/12.
My analogy is that it has the characterlessness of the best digital downloads, with the full flavour of the best lp playback.
A real achievment.
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear Slowlearner: ++++ " I think our website may not reflect that.

I have also made very significant improvements and changes to the cart design over the many years, as well as having included very slight EQ . ..." +++++

as I posted I'm only posted the facts are/were around your SG cartridges ( that's the information I had. ) and this is the very first time I read those statements you posted here that you never disclosed over the net or in the SG magazyne reviews. Good!

Thank's for your newest/latest explanation/information because now I understand that with that Eq. you aplied now your SG conforms according the RIAA curve. Easy to understand it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
My take on analog v digital, and how the SG pertains to this. Analog has the better information floor, digital has the better noise floor. So, notes rise from a silent background in digital than analog where notes rise from, and fall into, a noisier background. But, conversely the density of information is so much higher with analog, that the higher noise floor pales into insignificance when compared to the bottleneck of information that digital provides us with.
What I believe the SG is doing (this is not a fact obviously, just conjecture), is providing all the positive information floor advantages that is inherent with analog, with a much reduced noise floor, so that the undisputed plus points of digital presentation are included in the sound.
This may be unique in my experience.
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear Spiritofmusic: Other that the SG self technology what you are hearing is a lot lower cartridge signal manipulation/proccess and these facts means lower distortions than a normal LOMC/MM/MI cartridges.

That's what you are hearing, you are right on that.

regards and enjoy the music,
R.
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear Slowlearner: ++++ " - one of which is to present yourself as some kind of expert. You are simply not " +++++

over the time you always " insult " me in many ways when I never did or do it about your self or your products.

You posted I'm a manufacturer and several times I told you I'm not but it's obvious that because you questioning an answer is need it.

Things are that a few years ago I decided to explore the boundaries the " last frontier of traditional analog and was co-designer of a Phonolinepreamp designed expressly to use it by my self and no any one else.

When my self unit was finished a gentleman asked if he can have my unit if we can build one for him and we agree. I never promoted my unit with this gentleman, was he whom asked.

After that other people asked and we builded 8 units an that was all, today are 8 owners with a breackthrough nice active high gain Phonolinepreamp. The unit is not on sale, so please don't ask about.

As I posted and I agree with you: I'm not an expert on nothing. Like many other people that post in Agon: I'm first than all a music lover and an audiophile.

Here you can read how my unit measures ( it is not a simple spec: it's a real measure. ) on the RIAA eq. ( and beyond it. ) where the chart shows both channels and both channels with a RIAA deviation lower than 0.015 db:

https://picasaweb.google.com/104284617601331669309/1606201109?authkey=Gv1sRgCNrBhveq5uzC-AE#slideshow/5618984106525365922

IMHO not bad for a rockie like me .

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
More to discover