MC for Low Mass Tonearm

I agree with what @lewm says. I have an Grace F9e with the original stylus and the Soundsmith Ruby upgraded stylus, also an original F9e Ruby. The Soundsmith stylus is the better of the 3. I also have a Soundsmith Carmen II and the F9e/Soundsmith cartridge outperforms that one as well.

If you want to stick your neck out there a bit, a friend of mine just bought a mint B&O MMC-1 with the Soundsmith adapter, and I own the MMC-2. These cartridges stack up quite well against MC cartridges and work well with low mass arms.

I’m using the best stylus replacement that SS offers for the Grace F9e.  It’s mounted and I’m using it. It is very nice. My other cartridge is SS The Voice. That’s in for service now.
 Everybody loves MC cartridges. I’m curious to find out why?
Will a $4000 MC cart with an SUT best either of my carts?  

BTW I bought the Grace in 1984 for $153. I’ve seen them advertised for $1200.00. 
Thank you all for the recommendations.

ml

OP question is, I believe, in response to JCarr’s comment on his other thread. How many cart designers will steer you away from their product ;) ?

AnaMighty / Sculpture A may have something tasty, in the budget range, worth an ask.

I have two carts in my portfolio that are brilliant for a lighter carbon arm, but both ( Aidas AU-CU baby ebony and Tedeska Lacote ) are a little above the budget mentioned. 

B&O MMC1 might be the finest cartridge I’ve ever owned, until I accidentally destroyed the cantilever. SS replaced cantilever and stylus but I’ve been reluctant to listen to the repaired version for fear that I’ll be disappointed. Acutex LPM320STRIII is in the same category of greatness. Both MI. 

Dear @michaellent : Project designer recomend in its site the Ofrtofon Cadenza RED ( in this line the Black is trully good. ) that has lower compliance and higher weigth that the Kleos and its resonance frequency is around 11hz against the healthy 9hz in the Lyra.

Ovbiously that who knows best the Kleos quality performance is the designer but the 10" EVO must be really good tonearm for Project makes the Cadenza recomendation.

I think that you can try the Kleos. Resonance frequency is not all between the relationship in tonearm/cartridge, the quality of the design and builded results are important because around tonearm/cartridge exist several other resonances/distortions developed during playback.

For me always is better that the cartridge suspension sees a lower dynamic mass than heavier one.

About those " shortfalls " you posted in the other thread can or can’t appears, in analog world always are trade-offs nothing is perfect . I don’t know in the EVO/Kleos which kind of shortfall could appears if any.

Btw, phono stage quality performance is way critical because it’s the unit that has the responsability to handled the sensible cartridge signal adding and losting almost nothing of what the cartridge stylus tip pick-up from those LP groove modulations. As better your phono stage as better your listening sessions.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.