MY SONIC LAB Cartridges

"Hyper Eminent"
Looks every bit the $5k cartridge, except the aluminum cantilever. 
Yes, alloy cantilever is used in higher priced Soundsmith carts and others, but shelling out that kind of dough, I want fancy exotic sounding materials in the mix, just because.

"I'm looking for a slightly more neutral sound without  dipping in to brands that tend to hyper detail the event. I think many of us know what lines they are, so let's leave specific names out of this thread"

I can't resist suggesting AT ART1000 because of what I've heard it do. This review mentions that magic word we like-neutral
https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/audio-technica-art1000-moving-coil-cartridge
The ART9 (user)is a step down, and it's certainly not hyper detailed.

Since you're spending that kind of dough, lots of choices.
SS Carts would also get my vote.

fjn04-

The alloy cantilever remark is meant as a goof.

I believe the sensible knowledge here know it's implementation of whatever used. 

We spend our hard earned cash on boxes that produce sound. I at least like to have fancy name materials to justify my purchases.

Duraluminum is an outdated marketing term for.....wait for it.........aluminum. I worked in the cycling manufacturing industry years back and learned a few things about aluminum pedigree.

is cantilever material perhaps just a consumer perception to quality?
https://sound-smith.com/articles/retipping-article

" it sure seems to be that way. Some people even use cactus spines"

mijostyn-
I once had a show room with Ledermann all to myself, so I got schooled on the lineup he brought with him.

The $8K cactus Sussuro was on a stock VPi HRX with his phono stage and pedestrian bookshelves. I couldn’t believe my ears! Fantastic cart.



That was a seque to the other world Straingauge again, thru shoeboxes! I can only imagine that cart on a Tech Das/giant speakers in a nice room. I wouldn’t be able to get in any saddle time on the bike!

I’ve mentioned this before, on deck was a primo copy of David Gilmour’s debut. It played so well he wanted to keep it for the rest of the show.

Another show off LP, if you don’t already have it. I have this press:
https://www.discogs.com/David-Gilmour-David-Gilmour/release/2092729

I know NOTHING about Sonic Lab carts but, based on it’s Japanese lineage, it’s made by guys that are OBSESSIVE and perfectionist.

That alone to me, would be enough assurance the lineup is solid.

I can’t remember much about anything Peter said about the cactus, except once they are "cured" they are a "perfect" material.

Spending north of a couple kilobucks is out of my league. But if it was, it’s nice to know I can get that $5K+ cart rebuilt to last longer than me with Soundsmith, AND it here, in the good ol USof A!

Have a blowout with that Sonic Lab, you send it to Mofi, they send it back to Japan....that would be a drag.

Mijostyn, go see Jeff Catalano @ Highwater, next time you're in the city. He’s a cool dude with esoteric stuff. Last time he made it to a Cal show, we ended up geeking out over the LP’s both he and I played. I had a Bowie album to play(Pinups), he pulled out a sealed copy of Spiders?(I cant recall, it may have been Alladin..whatever)

I think we carried on more about the LP’s than listen to his always amazing setups.

Site down now
https://highwatersound.com/

"I hope the other things you learnt during your employment in the cycling manufacturing industry were founded on fact."

Dover,
I didn’t feel the need for detailed properties. Most know it’s a few keystrokes to EXACT information.
.https://www.britannica.com/technology/duralumin
It’s still aluminum. Duralumin for a bike frame was considered...meh

 Sigh

 Dover,
You win...it's not juiced aluminum
https://www.downloadclipart.net/large/blue-ribbon-png-photos.png

Do you need anything else?

"Dover, you twisted my words."

lewm,
let Dover win. He has a history of replying the way he does. You gotta wonder if that type of personality is the same face to face. If so, I feel sorry for them. 

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