My new Soundsmith Straingauge cartridge

This is the first time I have read this thread, and I did so from top to bottom, as I recall reading about Peter's SG designs in a UK HiFi magazine about ten years ago while attending an audio show in San Francisco and taking a lunch break at a nearby restaurant with friends. Passed by Michael Fremer (not too tall) and Richard Vandersteen (taller) in the halls a couple of times.

A few comments about the above "discourse" come to mind:
- Raul, you can't write English to save your life; I can't understand what the hell you're talking about and even why you get so bent out of shape about another designer's approach to cartridges. So what? Give it a rest; there is no RIGHT or WRONG in this industry. It's technical design and execution for ART'S SAKE!
- If there was as much passion among the general public as there is expressed in this forum about the technical aspects of components designed to reproduce the artistic and emotional content of music, there would be audiophiles on every street corner. But, sadly, such is not the case.
- Spiritofmusic: I don't understand why you have to have anyone come over to "fine tune" your cart. That seems to be utter nonsense to me; you should be able to master this tuning yourself if you are going to own and operate such componentry. I would never own audio gear that I would not be comfortable learning, commanding and controlling all adjustments for.
- When the above examples of equipment focus take center stage over the real-time enjoyment of music, "Houston: We have a problem..."
- I am a hypocrit for even venturing to respond to this thread in the first place, therefore, carry on...

Steve, The dealer is actually coming over to install a new cart, the one in my system being the shop demo version, so a little beyond 'finetuning' (my incorrect choice of words).
I'll freely admit, my knowledge of cart setup is poor (and engine tuning too, hence my handsomely paid car mechanic!), and since this cart needs v.careful adjustment of azimuth in particular, I'm happy leaving it to the person I'm handing £4300 over to.

Steve, English is not Raul's native language.

Spiritofmusic, Is your dealer planing to set up the cartridge before it has broken-in or is he simply going to install it with proper alignment? I would think that he would wait some time for the suspension to loosen before he does the final adjustments, especially if azimuth is so critical. My dealer installed my cartridge and then came back after 40 hours to readjust and fine tune.

To Steve's point, my dealer (and others) have taught me a lot about analog set up and adjustments. It is worth the effort to learn how to do a reasonable job yourself as I think this will provide its owns rewards and for many vinyl lovers, it is an integral part of the hobby.

Dear Stevecham: Yes, unfortunatelly the English language is not my native one. Anyway, how is that almost every one understand my posts but you?. Take a look:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1368310143&openflup&4&4#4

Now please let me know what of these statements that I posted you don't understand because you are " blaming " me because my english: ok, let me know:

+++++ " 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. " +++++

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

I don't own a SS SG , but I do know the difference eliminating a couple soldering joints makes between my turntable and preamp makes. I can only imagine what eliminating a circuit in my phono stage would do. If both normal phono stages and the SS SG offer a flat response, but the SG handles the signal in a more careful manner than the standard RIAA circuitry; it would only makes sense that those hearing the SG would be hearing a more accurate playback. It doesn't seem like their is room for debate on the subject more than personal opinions on the sound. The less a signal contends with the better. Am I missing an important part of the equation? Besides humans?