Audiolui,
I have been more in Nottingham Analogue camp, having owned two of special versions from late Tom Fletcher. I am also big Harbeth fan. So none of the mentioned brands can be associated with leaness, which I have always trying to avoid. With this I am trying to give you the context of my sound reference which is a bit (really only a bit) on warm, organic side. But in last years I have been trying to push my reference in balancing openess and natural warmth.
Clearaudio absolutely meets my criteria and it is not lean. But it is really system depending (arm, cart, cable, phono pre). I am totally satisfied only after setting up vta by ear (hughe difference) and buying ARC Ref 2se. Before ARC I have used Tom Evans Master Groove, which pushed my sytem towards analytical sound...
What you can clearly hear with Master Innovation, compared to my previous references, is silence (black background, less distortion, more details and music), speed stability and dynamics. Maybe also bigger and more 3D soundstage but I think it has more to do with the cart.
The system, in which Master Innovation is used, is high sensitivity system, based on Avantgarde speakers, Audionote 211 amp and Audio Research phono pre. It is very musical, but also revealing, so differences can be easily heard.
