Lyra Delos A truth teller or what?

The Lyra Delos is a bright, lean cartridge with an exaggerated top end. It might improve a bit as it runs in, but if you don't happen to like that sound, then it is unlikely to get better. Try a Benz instead.

It's difficult finding a cartridge with the right balance of virtues for your tastes.

I have owned a Lyra Delos, Kleos and most recently an Etna SL. I sold all of them within a relatively brief time. The Etna SL was obviously the best and it did not have the exaggerated top end of the less expensive Lyras, but it was still (IMO) over-priced and overrated.

I have also owned a Benz LPS, Ruby Z, Glider, L2 and L0.4. I have kept the Glider and the L0.4. The LPS and Ruby Z were nice cartridges but always sounded a bit too dark and closed in for my tastes - as someone noted above, the polar opposite of Lyra. But I do like the lower priced Benz cartridges, such as the Ace, Glider and the entry level wood cartridges, which I think are the best value in the Benz line up. Not quite the resolution of the Ruby Z or LPS, but they sound great on their own terms and sound a bit more neutral than the higher level cartridges, though still with the characteristic Benz warmth.

Currently I am enjoying a Van den Hul Black Beauty, which I think has the speed and dynamics of a Lyra without the shrill top end, and some of the warmth and richness of a Benz. It has become my favourite cartridge, and it is a bonus that they have a long life of 2500 hours and are inexpensive to retip. At a lower price the Frog is also an excellent and well balanced cartridge, so I highly recommend checking out the Van den Hul cartridges.

Where did you get the Van den Hul?  

I bought the Black Beauty directly from a European dealer, and the Frog from a local dealer here in Australia.

It sounds like the Delos is definitely not working for you, so time to move it on. While lots of people love it, it's not for everyone.

The Cadenza Bronze should be a much more neutral cartridge than the Delos. I had a Cadenza Black and preferred it to the Delos, and it was the best tracking cartridge I have ever used. It can, however, be a little bland on some arms. The Bronze is said to be a bit warmer so may work well.

Another cartridge to consider around the same price is the Shelter 501 Mk III. This is a very balanced and musical cartridge. I preferred this to the Cadenza Black and some much more expensive cartridges, and could easily live with this as my only cartridge.