Soundsmith cartridges

I’m thinking if you reduce the voltage output significantly, so that fewer turns of wire are needed to generate the lower signal voltage (and also resulting in a lower internal R and inductance), then it might be possible to mate the Hyperion to a current driven phono, but as you reduce voltage out, you need to hope for a greater loss of internal R and inductance, so as to get a net increase in current output at audio frequencies. You did the right thing; just use conventional voltage drive.

One wonders what the inductance of a low output MI might be, to render it useable with current driven phono stages. Very interesting.

Zenith error is a huge issue because most don’t know their cartridge has it, how much of it, and the capacity to correct for it.  Not many will send every cartridge to Wally. A 2 degree error will destroy alignment accuracy if ignored.

Mike, have you been using the Voice in current mode? Otherwise I’d think the inductance of the Hyperion might present a problem in current mode. DCR may be 10 ohms, but its inductance causes AC resistance or impedance to rise with frequency, which is why they recommend a 470 ohm load, minimum. So current output goes down as frequency goes up.