I think @spiritofmusic has covered this well.
I have an SG-210 system and have used various cartridges in the past: Lyras, Clearaudios, Ortofons...but the most recent vintage of those is a Titan 'i', which I used with an Audio Research Ref Phono, with Teflon caps, NOS Mullard, Siemens, Telefunken and other tubes. But I can't compare these carts, it has been too long and much has changed -- I moved, have a different listening space and system.
What I can say is this. The SG is truly exceptional in my experience, but it does require very careful setup to get best results. I know everyone here takes setup seriously, of course. But small adjustments matter. Dialed-in, this cartridge allows the music in the groove to be presented without (to me, anyway) impediments. Small little things in the mix that were previously vague or entirely absent are just there, as natural as anything else in the mix. Timbres and instrumental textures are laid bare. This cartridge just doesn't stop delivering the music, in a holistic and coherent fashion.
I am sure some would prefer a SoundSmith MI cart, or a fine MC from another source. We don't all have the same tastes, in music and sound. And I myself was on the fence for a while before electing to go all in. But the SG is truly special, and LPs a greater source of delight than anytime in perhaps 50 years of spinning vinyl doughnuts. Of course, YMMV.
Jeff B
I have an SG-210 system and have used various cartridges in the past: Lyras, Clearaudios, Ortofons...but the most recent vintage of those is a Titan 'i', which I used with an Audio Research Ref Phono, with Teflon caps, NOS Mullard, Siemens, Telefunken and other tubes. But I can't compare these carts, it has been too long and much has changed -- I moved, have a different listening space and system.
What I can say is this. The SG is truly exceptional in my experience, but it does require very careful setup to get best results. I know everyone here takes setup seriously, of course. But small adjustments matter. Dialed-in, this cartridge allows the music in the groove to be presented without (to me, anyway) impediments. Small little things in the mix that were previously vague or entirely absent are just there, as natural as anything else in the mix. Timbres and instrumental textures are laid bare. This cartridge just doesn't stop delivering the music, in a holistic and coherent fashion.
I am sure some would prefer a SoundSmith MI cart, or a fine MC from another source. We don't all have the same tastes, in music and sound. And I myself was on the fence for a while before electing to go all in. But the SG is truly special, and LPs a greater source of delight than anytime in perhaps 50 years of spinning vinyl doughnuts. Of course, YMMV.
Jeff B