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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
omsed
145 posts
 
Let's use logic: Decades of cutting with like-type cutters and like-type cartridges has built a large knowledge and experience base. The balance of recordings is based on original theory as well as experience of playing back on conventional cartridges in the studio.

The strain gauge is a different device and will act differently. I follows that it would be a great stroke of luck and coincidence if it produced the same balance that the engineers were working toward with conventional cartridges.

This is not bias, the above is just solid logic.

If any given person loves the balance of the strain gauge in his system, fantastic. It would be a long stretch to proclaim it the best based on this small sample.

I would love top see plots of frequency sweeps from test records, played by the strain gauge and then a conventional cartridge in the same arm and table, except running through a well known, technically excellent phono stage in the latter case.

Given his time and money invested I am surprised Soundsmith was not pre-armed with this information.

You spend your money and take your chance. I hope anyone trying it loves it, and I likewise hope Soundsmith will refund anyone not liking it within a reasonable time period of obtaining it.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
As I've said I'm not an expert to comment on the technical aspects of this discussion.
My q to those who are skeptical of it's approach is what aspects of sound should I be listening for to demonstrate the sound is 'wrong'.
Does this mean that the sound can be 'wrong' but still sound excellent?
My conclusion so far is that the presentation is faster than anything I've heard before, but not at the expense of harmonic development.
However, warm and euphonic it ain't. Maybe this is where it's 'wrong'.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
My understanding is that the SG has a very slight deviation from the RIAA curve. IF that is the case, then I would think you would hear a different tonal balance, ie less flat or certain frequencies being slightly more emphasized than others. But Peter L. writes that that has been changed now, so I don't know what you would listen for.

If you like the sound and you compared it directly to other more conventional cartridge designs, then it is clear you made your choice with deliberation and you should continue to enjoy your analog front end.

Perhaps others with this cartridge could also describe how it sounds different from other cartridges.
sarcher30
596 posts
 
Spiritofmusic, I have only heard the Straingauge once at a show for a short period. Compared to the Hyperion in the same room the Straingauge's tonality was a little off to my ears. The female vocal did not sound quite right to me. I was listening to a record I brought with me and am very familiar with.

Maybe with more exposure to the Straingauge I would come to a different conclusion.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Sarcher, interestingly, vocals are one area where I feel the SG excels. But ACCURATE tonality on voices, or instruments that's another subject. I guess if it sounds different to a consensus amongst other carts, that could/would be an issue.
Peter, if there is any criticism, it's that the bass is a little different in nature than I'm used too. Initially, I thought it was a little light, lacking in heft, but on deeper analysis, it's just so darn fast. Notes really start and stop, but harmonic weight IS there. It's possible that this is being highlighted by the speed of the tt/arm it's attached too. So the presentation is a little airy as a description, but slam is there, ONLY when it's present in the recording. So many other carts sound over-grounded with bass that leaks into the midrange, dulling the presentation.
But, to be sure, some re education is going on. I'm about to demo NAT 70W/ch SET monos, and this may emphasise a stronger bottom end that could well synergise with the cart nicely (my Hovland Radia power amp has always been a little ethereal at lower freqs).
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