Looking for people who had heard both the Kuzma 4point 9 and the SME V...

Hey Charliee,

Sorry for the delay. The first thing is JR will analyze the cartridge to make sure it is within manufacturing specs. Next if you decide to just have the cartridge analyzed without your Kuzma headshell JR will make a special shim to go in between your cartridge and the head shell. Once you receive the cartridge back with all the data to go with it. You install the cartridge using the custom shim that JR manufactures for you to make sure your SRA, VTA, and Azimuth are spot on. If your Kuzma headshell is removable then you can send it in with your cartridge and he will do everything except set the VTF on your tonearm. Plus, once you do it this way you can swap the head shells with different cartridges setup by JR in a few minutes with no setup except VTF. Why spend $7,000-$22,000 on multiple arms. You swap out the headshell and you are playing with a whole different cartridge. If you call or email JR he will explain. You are missing the mids because the cartridge is probably not setup right to get the sound you want from your cartridge. 

@hsounds,

Send in the cartridge for what exactly?

Hey, I know someone who knows a ton about this. It’s JR at Wally Tools. He has a SME 30 with a Kuzma arm and a Lyra Atlas cart. Before you spend a fortune trying to diagnose this you could fix this for $500-$800 by sending in just your cart. If the head shell is detachable then ask about sending in the headshell. He will set up everything you cannot. I will bet if you do this you will wet yourself once you hear the needle drop on the in groove. At least call him and ask what are your options. 

Agree on the cartridge, but my opinion is try some different brand like dynavector or koetsu . 

Karl,  

Thanks, I was thinking the Delos might be the culprit, I do like screwing with tonearms though!  

I think you have basically described the sound of the Delos. I have heard the exact same characteristic on my Kuzma 4P9.  I would keep the SME and consider going up the Lyra line to one of their lambda series cartridges (Etna or Atlas) instead of investing in another tonearm for your Delos.