My new Soundsmith Straingauge cartridge

Spiritofmusic, you should be commended for being open minded about potential flaws of a new thing you are excited about. That's rare.

I would hate to see you get too caught up in watching for what is not right though. It's a delicate balance.....look for what might bug you long term while you have a chance to return, but don't look so hard that it turns you into a maniac looking for flaws! I've struggled with that over the decades in the industry, luckily finding a happy balance where I can focus on deducing flaws but sit back and fall asleep to the music when I want, turning off the analytical side.

Your emphasizing the leanness, pointing out the bass seems lean but then saying it does not when there is impact suggests to me that you are likely onto something, a light presentation in the upper bass through lower midrange, and a slight prominence through the brightness range (1 to 5khz). That's what I've heard from this type cart (while cautioning myself and others that they can't all be called identical!).

If you recognize some deviations (the above described will make it seem there is more detail, which you also have said), so now try to note if that personality is making you avoid some records you really like. Try playing records you like but know are a bit lean. Then decide if the additional leanness causes you to not want to play these records. If so, you may get sick of this cartridge. If no, maybe you can enjoy it for a long time with it enhancing your musical enjoyment. Remember, that is what it is about, reveling in the music. If it, or any component makes you focus more on the component then something is wrong, and over time you'll tire of that. Remember, it's not about impressing yourself and others, unless you've chosen that as your course.

Omsed, you've made some v. salient points. IMO, carts and loudspkrs are the hardest components to get right in the analog chain, being the effective transducers, and hence in effect the portal to what's being listened to. Additionally, they end up determining the character of the system. Is it any coincidence that spkrs esp. are always being upgraded by audio nuts such as ourselves and others?
Your description of upper bass/lower mid bass leanness could well be accurate. However I do believe this is preferable to the opposite ie euphonically overwarm (oh, how I remember those mid bass coloured demos of the Linn Sondek LP12 in the 80s, when that tt ruled the analog world, at last in the UK! And Koetsus).
What's interesting is that I used to get a superficially similar tonal balance when using the Lyra Skala, but this resulted in a hard sound with strident treble. The SG, otoh, is a touch lean, but still rich, with no screechiness thru the mid/treble registers.
I'm really getting a sound that breathes, esp. guitar and vocals that take off and have no constraints.
This fast sound is highlighted by the rest of my rig (rim drive tt/linear tracking arm), and I fancy with my 101dB efficient Zu Definitions 4 spkrs an interesting synergy may come with SET amps.
So in conclusion, I'm aware of tendency to leanness, but the richness is still there, and this cart still remains the least characterful I've used, and is opening doors to greater appreciation of analog sound.

I deeply appreciate the depth of the comments being made here (with an obviousl exception of one participant). In the past 40 years that I have lived with/created/compared the Strain Gauges I have made and those that have been made by others, I have become all too aware that nothing is perfect. It is always a balance. At the recent Axpona show where I was asked to do a seminar on cartridge design (available on Vimeo.com - under "Reproductive Private Parts - of a phono cartridge) I attemtped in a limited time to explain some of the challenges. One interesting moment in our show room was playing a new test pressing that was said to be wonderful. With the Strain gauge, the peaks were distorted. I immediately thought I had not set the Schoeder arm up well, but decided to play some other reference disks I brought. No problem. Hmmm.

Then played the disk with the Hyperion. No distortion.

It seems that the SG continues to share the space between that of a research device for analog, and that of a delightfully revealing and differrent animal. For 5 days out of the month, I prefer listening to the Hyperion. All of the other time I am dragged over to the revelations of the Strain Gauge system.

Being a designer, it is hard to not be tuned in to listening for flaws - anywhere and everywhere they exist. For me, it is to the Strain Gauge's credit that it drags me back to the music most of the time, which is what drew me in way back when.

Peter Ledermann/President/Soundsmith

Spiritofmusic, really glad you are so open-minded compared to most, who have to say "it is technically, engineering-wise, and sonically perfect and beyond reproach (because I bought it said under the breath).

That you love it is great....that it brings you closer to the music is great. Enjoy, have fun, I hope you continue to love it.

How much did it cost?

Omsed, the installer is coming over to fine tune the cart. I'll talk about apparent bass leanness with him.
My opinion is that the cart is so quick, bass notes have substantially less overhang than any other I've had in my system, and this could be construed as lightness. Anyhow, it's an area that I'm keeping an eye/ear on. Personally, I'm loving the lightning speed of my analog rig now, feeling it matches the neutrality of my excellent cd player.
Price is $4300 in the UK, c$6500 US.