Cartridges: Kuzma CAR or Lyra on a 4-Point (11") arm

Hi dover,
I will be looking forward to your CAR-50 comments! ;-)

Hi rossb,
That's an interesting choice. What is it that you prefer the Dynavector?  Just to get a rough idea.

Thanks

@rossb 

I found the Lyra nice but a bit too lean slightly soft. Other Lyras such as the Delos or Kleos are more dynamic but even leaner.

I understand this because I felt so, too.

The CAR 40 was good but a little dull.

That's why I wonder if moving up to the CAR 50 could produce a more "lively" presentation. The CAR 40 is a bit "matter of fact" to me.

The Dynavector is full sounding, very dynamic, tonally rich - for my tastes I cannot fault it.

Yup, definitely the 3 qualities high up on my list. Will check out the Dynavector too.
The other cartridges that you mentioned, only the PP-2000 interested me. I want something that is modern and reliable for the long haul.

 

@dover
Thank you for reporting back and your detailed comparison has been very helpful.

- bit like a Benley Turbo vs a Ferrari.

That sort of nail it on what I want. If I had just compared a Lyra to CAR50 as titled, I would have said the Lyra is a Ferrari. I do not have any experience on the VDH Colibri. The Bentley is more my type of car than a Ferrari, as I am no more a spring chicken. And in that same sense, the sound I am seeking is a more "matured evenness" rather than focusing on "fast and dynamic".  And yes, the word "majestic" that you wrote also sort of captured the essence.

On music I know the CAR50 presented very similar sonic signature to my reference Dynavector Nova 13D.

Interesting that you mentioned the similarity with Dynavector. As far as I know, Kuzma, Dynavector and Lyra are all made in Japan. I guess my ears are unknowingly "tuned" toward this group of cartridges. Unfortunately the Kuzma arm is too heavy for Lyra, but I really appreciate J.Carr for responding to this thread.

What I can say is that the CAR50 is a massive step up from the 40, still has that grounded quality.

I seriously hope for the massive step up, as the price difference is massive too. ;p

Well, I think this conversation thread sort of confirmed the direction that I am heading. Hope I settle my purchase decision at the latter part of this year. 
  Cheers!

Thanks to everyone for helping me to clarify my own thoughts. At this stage, I will most probably continue heading down the Kuzma path than toward the Lyra path. However, saying that, I would like to check out the Dynavector too...

I have heard Benz Micro LPS and VDH before, but I also heard reliability issues about both. Well, it's hearsay, but I'd rather put my money on "reliability" and enjoy the music. That was what I meant by "wanting something modern and reliable for the long haul".

@dover  I will be looking forward to hearing your comments.

Thank you.

Thank you all for the comments, and especially to @jcarr  for the explanation on how the Lyra could have been damaged.  Much appreciated!