I am confused about the fact that you helped matters by raising the VTA. Contrary to Tpsonic's advise what you need to do, if you feel the sound is strident, is LOWER vta, by LOWERING the back of the arm. With all due respect to well meaning posters, I would question some of the advise given so far.
The Cardas Hexlink 5C is a very full bodied sounding cable, that while not the last word as far as detail is concerned, will only help a system that is a little strident. Strident itself the Cardas is not. I would keep it; certainly for now.
Here is where the problem with incorrect use of descriptive audio terminology causes problems: I have read many times how Benz cartridges are on the romantic side of the spectrum. I have tried two Benz cartridges (Ruby 2, and Ruby H), so I can only speak to what I heard with those two cartridges. What I heard in both cases was a sound that, yes, had a dusky, some would say, dark or golden sound, with a lot of detail. But it was not a full bodied sound at all; if anything, it was thin sounding. Worst of all, the highs were not well integrated with the midrange, and tended to call a lot of attention to themselves. Voices were much more silibant than with the Vandenhul, Shelter, and other mc's that I have used. I can definitely see (hear), how someone might characterize sound like that as strident. In both cases the tonearm used was a ET2, a tonearm known for being itself, if anything, a little rolled off in the highs. So, I would look at the cartridge itself, and not just it's setup as the possible culprit. A fuller sounding cartrideg with well integrated highs might be the ticket. Sumiko Celebration, Koetsu, Grado...?
Just one man's opinion.
The Cardas Hexlink 5C is a very full bodied sounding cable, that while not the last word as far as detail is concerned, will only help a system that is a little strident. Strident itself the Cardas is not. I would keep it; certainly for now.
Here is where the problem with incorrect use of descriptive audio terminology causes problems: I have read many times how Benz cartridges are on the romantic side of the spectrum. I have tried two Benz cartridges (Ruby 2, and Ruby H), so I can only speak to what I heard with those two cartridges. What I heard in both cases was a sound that, yes, had a dusky, some would say, dark or golden sound, with a lot of detail. But it was not a full bodied sound at all; if anything, it was thin sounding. Worst of all, the highs were not well integrated with the midrange, and tended to call a lot of attention to themselves. Voices were much more silibant than with the Vandenhul, Shelter, and other mc's that I have used. I can definitely see (hear), how someone might characterize sound like that as strident. In both cases the tonearm used was a ET2, a tonearm known for being itself, if anything, a little rolled off in the highs. So, I would look at the cartridge itself, and not just it's setup as the possible culprit. A fuller sounding cartrideg with well integrated highs might be the ticket. Sumiko Celebration, Koetsu, Grado...?
Just one man's opinion.