I have been following the soundsmith strainguage threads lately. I have never heard one but from what I have read my take on the sonic quality is the following. I suspect the sonic signature can be a function of (dependent on) three aspects (RIAA/equalization aspects aside:
1) Trackability of the grooves
2) Responsiveness of the strainguage system
3) The characteristics of the power supply
Various cartridges (SG, MI, MM, MC) have better or worse performance in this area. Apparently the low mass nature of the SG is superior to others. I suspect this is one aspect to how much detail it retrieves.
Seemingly the SG system is more responsive, than "slower" coil/mass based cartridges. I suspect this I what makes this cartridge very quick and dynamic. Of course I believe the trackability helps in this regard as well.
Since the SS power supply is directly in the signal path I suspect the SS power supply could be leading to what some regard as a lack of harmonic richness or texture.
In my experience between tubes and SS, generally speaking, is that tubes seem to more easily provide this. Is it the distortion or different harmonics I don't know....that has been debated for years! However, in my limited experience comparing the tube phono/preamp stage I normally use versus as good SS preamp I tried is that the SS phono had many of the qualities some people like about the SG but lacked in the texture department. Is it a distortion or not I can't say, but in the end it just sounded more right to me.
I do believe that there are some tube systems that sound horrible and that there are some SS that have great texture. As Spirit has tried a battery power supply to feed the SG unit and found improved performance in the areas of harmonic signature and texture, I suspect that improvements by SS in their power supply system could go a long way in improving these aspects.
From am marketing standpoint, it would seem to be a brilliant idea for SS to offer either a solid state option or tube-based option to drive the SG. More importantly, they should experiment with the SS power supply to see if they can ameliorate some of these texture. Black gate caps? regulation? I don't know but since there are some SS units which go a long way to sounding texturally real, I suspect there is more potential.
Imagine having all of the strengths of the SG but addressing what others view as the principle debated shortcoming?
Cheers,
Andrew
1) Trackability of the grooves
2) Responsiveness of the strainguage system
3) The characteristics of the power supply
Various cartridges (SG, MI, MM, MC) have better or worse performance in this area. Apparently the low mass nature of the SG is superior to others. I suspect this is one aspect to how much detail it retrieves.
Seemingly the SG system is more responsive, than "slower" coil/mass based cartridges. I suspect this I what makes this cartridge very quick and dynamic. Of course I believe the trackability helps in this regard as well.
Since the SS power supply is directly in the signal path I suspect the SS power supply could be leading to what some regard as a lack of harmonic richness or texture.
In my experience between tubes and SS, generally speaking, is that tubes seem to more easily provide this. Is it the distortion or different harmonics I don't know....that has been debated for years! However, in my limited experience comparing the tube phono/preamp stage I normally use versus as good SS preamp I tried is that the SS phono had many of the qualities some people like about the SG but lacked in the texture department. Is it a distortion or not I can't say, but in the end it just sounded more right to me.
I do believe that there are some tube systems that sound horrible and that there are some SS that have great texture. As Spirit has tried a battery power supply to feed the SG unit and found improved performance in the areas of harmonic signature and texture, I suspect that improvements by SS in their power supply system could go a long way in improving these aspects.
From am marketing standpoint, it would seem to be a brilliant idea for SS to offer either a solid state option or tube-based option to drive the SG. More importantly, they should experiment with the SS power supply to see if they can ameliorate some of these texture. Black gate caps? regulation? I don't know but since there are some SS units which go a long way to sounding texturally real, I suspect there is more potential.
Imagine having all of the strengths of the SG but addressing what others view as the principle debated shortcoming?
Cheers,
Andrew