I have never understood the "new battery" thing with the Foz. Brand new 9V batteries are not uniform in their measurable voltage output, and they generally will be producing somewhat more than 9V when they are new, but the exact value varies between 9 and 10V. (I once had to buy about 10 of them, and at that time, I measured each one right out of the box.) So, why would the Foz necessarily need a new battery, rather than a battery that makes nearly exactly 9V? Used 9V batteries very often are producing 9V, exactly. Moreover, if used at a low current draw, they can go on producing 9V for a long time. So there is something else going on here, in my opinion, unless the Foz draws a lot of current and just plain drags down a battery in a very short time.
Lyra Atlas experiences
A few years ago, I invested in a Lyra Atlas cartridge / pickup. I have moved up, from Lyra Clavis in the early 2000s and Lyra Titan i later. The Atlas was expensive, but I have not looked back. Yet I wonder, can something more be done, to optimize the Atlas, in my system, and others. How can this remarkable pickup run its best. What are the best phono preamp and system matches. Should the system be rearranged. Have anyone done mods or DIYs to their systems to get the "reception" right? What happened? Comments welcome. You dont need to own a Lyra Atlas but you should have heard it, to join this discussion. Comments from the folks at Lyra are extra welcome - what is your experience.
Oystein
Oystein