@karl_desch
Congratulations on your pending acquisition of the Kuzma 4point 9. That is an arm I have been considering for a while. It would be the third arm for my Transrotor Apollon turntable. Are the Kuzma arms compatible with SME mounting?
Regarding the Soundsmith cartridges “The Sussurro adds a bit more nuance and resolution compared to the MIMC. Would love to hear a Hyperion some day. The SoundSmith also has a lower background noise compared to the Lyras (which are also very quiet).”,
I own both, the Sussaro MKII and the latest Hyperion. Recalling my notes, the Sussaro MKII sounds different than my Benz Ruby Z and Benz LPS, but different in a good way. With the Benz LP, the music is glorious and sparkles with amazing bass, with the Sussaro, the music is also good, but I felt the voices were slightly better in the Sussaro and it was more even keeled across the music spectrum, nothing really standing out. It is a great cartridge out of the box. Maybe that is the Soundsmith signature. Now, the Hyperion, is another species altogether. I don’t consider it having a sound trait associated with previous Soundsmith cartridges, but more so sound traits reminiscent of stone body or upper tier wood body cartridges from any manufacturer. That is to say, it is dynamic and can be explosive if your system is capable without being etched and screechy and without ear bleed highs, while also being able to convey the most minuscule details in the record with the most quiet pickup I have ever had. I would not say that this cartridge is fast or syrupy, but just right. With the exception of groove noise at 90-100db levels, this is a quiet cartridge. Stereo separation is massive. Voices can haunt you if they are embedded in the grooves and are conveyed in a way that makes you look for the backup singers. My personal comparison of the Hyperion is that it is in a league that competes with some very respectable stone body cartridges, some with names like Onyx or Jade, and perhaps is the bargain of the day for cartridges.
Congratulations on your pending acquisition of the Kuzma 4point 9. That is an arm I have been considering for a while. It would be the third arm for my Transrotor Apollon turntable. Are the Kuzma arms compatible with SME mounting?
Regarding the Soundsmith cartridges “The Sussurro adds a bit more nuance and resolution compared to the MIMC. Would love to hear a Hyperion some day. The SoundSmith also has a lower background noise compared to the Lyras (which are also very quiet).”,
I own both, the Sussaro MKII and the latest Hyperion. Recalling my notes, the Sussaro MKII sounds different than my Benz Ruby Z and Benz LPS, but different in a good way. With the Benz LP, the music is glorious and sparkles with amazing bass, with the Sussaro, the music is also good, but I felt the voices were slightly better in the Sussaro and it was more even keeled across the music spectrum, nothing really standing out. It is a great cartridge out of the box. Maybe that is the Soundsmith signature. Now, the Hyperion, is another species altogether. I don’t consider it having a sound trait associated with previous Soundsmith cartridges, but more so sound traits reminiscent of stone body or upper tier wood body cartridges from any manufacturer. That is to say, it is dynamic and can be explosive if your system is capable without being etched and screechy and without ear bleed highs, while also being able to convey the most minuscule details in the record with the most quiet pickup I have ever had. I would not say that this cartridge is fast or syrupy, but just right. With the exception of groove noise at 90-100db levels, this is a quiet cartridge. Stereo separation is massive. Voices can haunt you if they are embedded in the grooves and are conveyed in a way that makes you look for the backup singers. My personal comparison of the Hyperion is that it is in a league that competes with some very respectable stone body cartridges, some with names like Onyx or Jade, and perhaps is the bargain of the day for cartridges.