@audioquest4life thanks for your detailed review of the SoundSmith cartridges much appreciated. Question have you heard SM strain gauge vs your Hyperion cartridge? Given the small difference in price and then taking into account of not requiring a dedicated phono unit for the SG would you think the SG is the way to go. Tough choice for me without being able to audition either.
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@rsf507 , Your are very welcome. As a matter of fact, I did hear the SG at a few audio shows...Capital Audio Fest and the High End Show in Munich. When I heard it, and if my recollection serves me right, the SG played at a level comparable to the Hyperion and other cartridges at or above it’s price class. Now, as I mentioned earlier with the other Soundsmith cartridges, the SG has some things that it does better and some things it does not based on listener feedback on various forums. Mainly, the comments I read about the SG are from Whats Best, WBF. Before I mention this, I forgot to add, that the Hyperion does not sound close to any of the Soundsmith cartridges in their line up. That is to say, it’s organic and natural sound, especially with voices, and free flowing dynamic range, and its ability of deep information detail retrieval without noise (ticks, pops, or whatever can emanate from an LP groove as some form of noise). That’s why I made the comparison to the stone bodies. The SG also does not sound like any Soundsmith in their lineup and has its own distinctive listening traits. Peter from Soundsmith has been known to advocate that the the SG and the Hyperion operate in the same musical and dynamic class and each one are exceptional for that, but, are for sure different. That being said, the SG does not have any major sonic traits that are similar to other Soundsmith cartridges, as with the Hyperion. The merits of not having an external phono stage for some folks is an ideal solution which takes the guesswork out of phono matching and helps eliminate phono stage buying fatigue to “get it right”, For someone like me, starting to invest more into this hobby, and gathering numerous tonearms, and cartridges, I don’t think it is worth my investment to explore or experiment with the SG and its phono equalization/amplifier or other phono stages, since I have highly invested into an Aesthetix Io Eclipse with dual power supplies. Also, the SG, having less space requirements than other phono stages, such as the Aesthetix Io three components configurations, makes the SG highly appealing for those people who do not have the space for three large phono components. Although, the SG does have several types of electronic pickups to experiment with, as well as different power supplies, so, one can also experiment to blend the right ingredients for their own sound mix. Not to say, that an SG can’t be part of your smorgasbord of phono sound accessories, as some of our fellow vinyl brethren thrive on such antics, and have multiple analog sources and arms to play around, LOL. I suppose that once you hone into a solution that befits your style of listening, and your are deeply satisfied, your less apt to want to experiment. I am at a point in my audio journey that I am willing to keep experimenting with tonearms and cartridges due to advances or increased performance in this “old tech”. That’s what makes it interesting to me to see newer products, I.e, cartridges and tonearms, advancing in performance, and bringing the costs of musical nirvana down. There will always be extremely high priced arms and cartridges and they are exceptional for what they do. Either the Hyperion or SG will make you less willing to jump on that upgrade bandwagon, until the itch to explore or experiment overcomes your listening pleasure. This is what I call “mod fever”. Analogy: When modding your sports car or Harley Davidson, you do this for performance or aesthetics, or both, but at the end of the day, your willing to invest more money into a perfectly functioning means of transportation conveyance to satisfy your own desires. I use that analogy because I own two tonearms, looking at a third, and also looking at some more costlier cartridges, diamond cantilever types, and am willing to set as side the money to try those. I definitely have “mod fever”, LOL. The sound traits I have heard being thrown around for the SG range from what I stated above to sounding somewhat solid state to organic, but in other ways compariqble to the Hyperion. Also, some mentions here and there that the SG may have some perceived lack of deep bass. I cannot corroborate any statements about the SG, except for what I heard personally and expressed my opinion as stated above. I don’t think you can make a bad decision either way regarding the Hyperion or SG. The decision will more than likely come down to space requirements, if it is part of your decision making process, limiting one self to a one tonearm solution and a variety of tips for the SG, or having a multitude of options with a traditional tonearm and cartridge. In a sense, your flavor for these ingredients will be vastly different than that of others. Empirical data, statistically speaking, will often show some form of swing to the left or right when portraying data, but, when we factor in the deviation factor, 1-2%, then we know, that that percentage is not the norm...I tend to think we as audiophiles, fit into that deviation factor. There are so many varying degrees of information posted on the web. You will have to extrapolate and interpret for yourself what sounds good. Good luck. |
If I go anywhere from The Voice it could be to a strain gauge set up but for those people thinking about it it is important to listen to it first especially if you do not have access to digital EQ. The strain gauge does not completely follow the RIAA curve. It comes across a little on the bright side according to what I have read. As my daughter lives in NYC on a trip down there I plan on stopping by Sound Smith to have a listen. Peter relates they keep one on display perpetually. My first experience with a strain gauge (Wyn Labs) did not end well which makes me a little nervous about doing it again. I also really like the sound of my ARC phone stage. Maybe another turntable is the answer:-) |
@mijostyn, Great suggestions. Also, what you described about the SG not following the RIAA curve is perhaps why there are other comments reflecting what you stated about the SG having somewhat of a bright sound. Conversely, I believe that it may not be bright, but the sonic artifacts of its topology, appear to many to be output as somewhat of a solid state sound. This may in turn, equate to some form of brightness to some. I cannot make an emphatic statement concerning my hypothesis until I am able to hear the SG in my own system, and then ascertain personally, whether or not that the SG sounds solid state or is perceived as bright. However, the comments out in the field do seem to coalesce into a generalized sense of different type of sound for sure. For traditional tube aficionados, listening to the SG is a stark contrast in the way that they are used to hearing music. Could it be, that this artifact, the SG topology, which appears to sound solid state to a few listeners and owners, that is being translated into the bright comments? Not sure, but I do now know, sometimes different is good or bad, YMMV. |
I couldn't resist and bought this cartridge as a backup for my Zephyr MK III for when I need to send it in for re-tipping. Thanks for the heads up bkeske. To anyone interested, and it’s even tempting for me. Just saw this posted; an old SoundSmith VPI, or, predecessor to the Zephyr. Really good deal IMO. http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649718051-soundsmith-vpi-cartridge/ Report this |
@rickd1235 I couldn’t resist and bought this cartridge as a backup for my Zephyr MK III for when I need to send it in for re-tipping. Thanks for the heads up bkeske. Good for you! Yes, a great back-up when your Zephyr needs re-tipped. Wish that would have been availiable when I bought the Goldring for the same purpose 👍🏼 Not sure if you asked him how many hours the actual stylus has (he stated approx. hours on the cart itself, and was unclear whether that was before or after he sent it to SoundSmith to be checked out) but even sending it in to be retipped would be a great deal for the overall investment. For about $575 (total) you will have a practically new 1st generation Zephyr. Not bad. |
Please see my review of the SG elsewhere in this forum. The SG is NOT bright once past about 25- 50 hours. Indeed, it is extremely "neutral" and extremely revealing, articulate, dynamic, and honest. ( The last attribute is a "killer" for poorly recorded LPs! ) The tonal characteristics of instruments is very accurate provided your system per se does not add "color". Also, don't forget that the stylus/cantilever are user replaceable without even the need to take the cart off the tonearm or realign! A simple 5 minute process for a fraction of the cost of other brands. The included "phono amp" eliminates the need for a traditional phono amp and saves thousands easily offsetting a large part of the cost of the SG. If you have a specific question, please contact me. |
Hello, I am happy to hear about Peter and his company’s problem was a one off. In the future it would be great if we could keep the negative comments to ourselves until we know for sure it is a pattern. This is people’s lively hood in a one year time frame that crippled the entire world. The average age of an Axpona attendee is 61 years old. Thank god some of the younger generations are helping the resurgence of turn tables. My one main issue is you did not call them back and talk to someone about your issue hopefully on another day. He might have just dropped and stepped on a very expensive cart. Everyone has bad days. Explaining to them what happened might have helped you out in the long run. It sounds like Peter runs a great company and does care about his work and his customers. Please get the facts first. Just a thought. |
@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 ? |
@bkeske The seller did send it to Soundsmith and it did not yet require re-tipping. My Zephyr has about 400 Hrs on it and sounds great to me. I figure I will send it in at 1000 Hrs. Really can’t beat a rebuild at 20% of original price. Does any other manufacturer do this? Again thanks for the heads up. Nice to have a backup of similar quality and the same re-tipping potential at a very reasonable cost. |
@rickd1235 @bkeske The seller did send it to Soundsmith and it did not yet require re-tipping. My Zephyr has about 400 Hrs on it and sounds great to me. I figure I will send it in at 1000 Hrs. Really can’t beat a rebuild at 20% of original price. Does any other manufacturer do this? That is outstanding. And no, no other company does that. I follow a forum which one of the SoundSmith cart techs posts, and he has stated many times that there is no way they make money on re-tipping/re-building charges. That Peter is basically giving that service at cost, if not less. |
Craig, I seems that the real improvement in the strain gauge cartridge is it's tracking performance. It more readily follows the groove with according to sources much less record wear. I would assume the term solid state means more accurate in this regard w/o tube or other colorations. As for what sounds better is a matter of taste, accurate is not always better. As for stylus replacement it is important to note that unless you order your strain gauge with extra styli you have to send your cartridge back to Soundsmith as each stylus has to be matched to the cartridge. So, it is no different than a moving coil or Iron cartridge in that regard. I would order mine with one extra cartridge. |
In the future it would be great if we could keep the negative comments to ourselves until we know for sure it is a pattern. That's a lovely sentiment, but it makes no sense (if no one posts until there's a "pattern", how could a pattern develop?) and as demonstrated by the numerous posts in this thread, happy customers will come to the defense of a company they've had a good experience(s) with. I bought my Aida II used and it did not come with a stylus guard. I wrote to ask if I could purchase one and they sent me one for free. I had a cartridge retipped by them and it was also a positive experience. |
Some months ago, there was a thread about hard times Soundsmith has been through because of the Coronavirus epidemics (most likely). Mr. Lederman chimed in himself, or maybe he even started a thread but I am not certain now. Seeing so many positive responses here, it seems that Soundsmith is, in fact, very respected player with enthusiastic and, probably just relatively, large following. Admirable for a small company heavily leaning on one person’s skills, ideas, and personality. |
Not to make anyone salivate any more, but, here is Some more information about the Hyperion. These are my notes from December, 2020. This report is when the Hyperion was somewhat breaking in. Not to dwell on that point, right out of the box and mounted and then playing, it was exceptional. Some other brand cartridges I setup, played, and I rejected immediately. So, if it’s going to sound good, it better right off the bat, or at least portray sonic traits that it will sound good. Enough about that. “Just installed my Hyperion MKII ES. Right out of the gate this is an awesome cartridge. It’s sound is not like any other Soundsmith MI cartridge at all. It seems to me that it has somewhat of the mid attributes of a Koetsu Onyx based on my recollection. The Koetsu Onyx is a cartridge that I lusted after for years. It would be interesting to test these against each other at some point In the future. I have an Air Tight Opus 1 coming sometime in the next few months. Will definitely do a shoot out between the Hyperion and Opus. The Hyperion is an even handed cartridge with just the right amount of bloom, depth, and noticeable decay in any of the music I play. Bass is so deep and the soundstage is also unbelievably wide. Voices are so palpable and realistic when called for. On the subject of voices, the reverberant background is nicely brought into focus, and backup singers are easily located in the soundstage. This Hyperion seems to dig deeper in the grooves. Some of the records I played, some 1 euro or 1 dollar flea market finds, some the audiophile price class, and cleaned on the Clearaudio Matrix, sound nearly pristine and quiet. The flea market records sound fantastic. I do have an upgraded Aesthetix Io phono stage in partial Eclipse form and two power supplies that’s part of the mix. Lots to enjoy with this cartridge for sure. If anyone ever considered this cartridge and did not because of angst about a particular type of sound, I can attest that the Hyperion does not sound like a Soundsmith, but more so like an organic and well balanced and exceptionally high performing cartridge that competes way above its class. I whole heartedly endorse this cartridge. It’s fun, it’s toe tapping, and it’s got an emotional attraction with music...you all know what I speak of who have had such connections. This cartridge performs that feat effortlessly.” |
Corrected. Meant to read ES DEMS (Dynamic Energy Management System). I believe the ES designation is the name of the new series. https://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/fixed-coil/hyperion |
My only experience with SoundSmith was a disappointment. I sent in a Denon DL-103 for an upgraded stylus. When I mounted it the stylus fell out. I did not touch it, or cause anything to make that happen. I wrote to SS explaining what happened, and they never responded. So, that was money down the drain, and a blacklisting for SS in my book. |
Peter Ledermann is in the hospital fighting COVID
Keep Peter Ledermann In Your Thoughts - Audionirvana.org. Thoughts and prayers to Peter for a recovery. One of the true gentlemen of our hoppy/pursuit and he makes a fine cartridge (I have three). |
audioquest4life I believe he is the only American making handcrafted cartridges in the United States.Nope. There's Steve at VAS. As with Peter, he's a nice guy. |
@audioquest4life I believe he is the only American making handcrafted cartridges in the United States. You have to watch this video about another family business in NYC. All about cartridges and headphones ! |
mijostyn...did you know Joe Grado?.... I was a neighbor in Westfield, NJ. He was so kool tooling around in his Lambo. I've been at his home/factory many times. He was one of those who got me interested...I had every one of his top cartridges. I installed them in my Lab wooden tonearm on his turntable. Lots of fun in those days. |
: Nude Elliptical, 0.120mm SQ Radius of curvature: 6 x 17 µm Cantilever: Aluminum Alloy Recommended Tracking force: 1.3-1.6 gm Effective tip mass: 0.35 mg Compliance: 22 µm/mN Frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz ± 2.5 dB Channel Separation (stereo only): 1000 Hz >26 dB, 50-15,000 >20 dB Channel difference: <1.6 dB (Stereo), <1.0 dB (Mono) Output voltage: 2.12 mV Cartridge weight: 9.2 Grams Loading: = 47 kO is this hyper eleptical? carmen? very interested to own this one |
