Lyra Atlas SL Cartridge Magnet type??

daveyf... . Just got off the phone with Excel Audio ( Thanks both for sharing the info ). I just went and looked at the box, it shows the diagram of the actual cartridge.  Correct it’s a neodymium magnet!  It’s a double neodymium front disc & back disc.  Superior designs!  

I was just wondering;  does a particular magnet, type or kind of magnet dictate the sound of the cartridge?   I know that Different kind of magnet will sound different but should a person like myself if looking for a cart, should that be a factor in choosing which cart i should buy due to the type of magnet.?  So if a magnet from a cartridge is made from Neo, Alnico, platinum or cobalt,  what are some of the benefits and why?  

Intactaudio...  “I am currently in the process of trying the exact same cartridge structure with Alnico 5, Samarium Cobalt and Neo to see what happens.” 

Can you report back on this matter.  I honestly want to know what the results are and see if one type of magnet does dictate the sound quality.  

Got an answer back from the manufacture:


From Jonathan Carr, designer of all Lyra cartridges:

All of our present cartridges use disc-shaped Neodymium 52 magnets. They are disc shaped because my goal is to create an axially symmetrical magnetic field.

Rather than being molded (as is usually the case with neodymium magnets), our magnets are machined, because this gives us higher-quality magnets with more consistent flux density across their surface.

The coil wire is 6-nine purity copper.

The cantilever is a diamond-coated solid boron rod with short one-point wire suspension, directly mounted into cartridge body via high-pressure knife-edge system.

kind regards, jonathan

davef.... can you advise on this matters? Looking to purchase a cart for my next project. 5 carts to pick from the list for my Forsell Ref 2 air tangent turntable. All will work; compliance & phono stage are not an issue.  My phono stage can take a low mc. 

1) Lyra Atlas sl
2) Koetsu Coral Platinum
3) Airtight opus 1
4) Jan Allaerts mc2 finished gold
5) xyz universal diamond

Which carts do you like on this list. Please advise?

Daveyf... thanks for the awesome fast responses!  Really appreciate your advise and opinion; will help me alot in choosing my next cart.  Happy Listening!  

daveyf.... on the Lyra Atlas SL;  stating diamond coated boron ( per JC) Is that the same as diamond cantilever?   What is the differences between diamond coated vs diamond cantilever?   Also, when they state the cantilever is boron;  solid boron vs hollow boron?  Very confusing!