SoundSmith cartridges how good?

@tablejockey 

To be honest the only cart I ever owned before were from the Rega line including the Apheta and their top of the line Aphelion2.  Really no comparison. 

I own the SS Paua mkii  - it came with my linear tracking Turntable. I love the combo so much that I ordered the latest SS Hyperion cart for linear tracking tables.  It doesn’t hurt that Soundsmith is under an hour drive from my house.  For that matter, Symposium is under 20 minutes away. It’s good to be an audiophile. 

The Paua mkII is a wonderful cart and it’s what gave me the upgrade bug to the Hyperion.
Peter is 3 weeks into building it right now and I’m going to his place to pick it up - and then I will be selling my PAUA on Usam  if anyone is interested pm me. Purchased in Jan 2021 and a great entry point into his highest level designs with a very generous retipping program.

@millercarbon—

I pray the Hyperion has that magical midrange. 

@hshifi
For every negative experience there can and usually are dozens of good ones you never hear about.  I bought a new turntable that had a predetermined preinstalled Soundsmith Paua mkII cart by the dealer and within the first few days I bent the tricky but ingenious stylus guard.  
So I cold called SS, and Mr. Ledermann answered and minutes after the phone call I had emails from Peter Green and Amy Reyes with my tracking number for a replacement.  Can’t get any better than that, right ? 

@oldears 

I hope that’s cause he’s working on my Hyperion cart.  I was told 3 months at a minimum.  

I hear he’s back home and recovering. Long recovery road ahead but who knows with this virus really. Company was closed last week but reopened and making carts.

Seeking advice.  Would you guys wait for the Hyperion to be built ( could be months if ever) or scrap that idea and go for the same price point Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum? 

@rsf507 

Sorry what’s the SM? 

@audioquest4life 

Yes. A nice discount.