Win Labs strain gauge cartridges

I had one of those for a while. I always thought it sounded a little strained. No, I'm not trying to be funny. That's just my best word for that and other strain gauges sounded to me. My other friends liked them, though. I guess it always had a little of that rosin bow on violin strings to me, only in a not good way. BTW I love violin music.

I was Sao Win's test pilot for three different versions of "The Strain Gauge" cart. It was the single most amazing cart.I have ever tested or owned. Extremely high output. BUT!!! it was unstable. It had a short life span, and had to be set in the right combo of turntable and arm. The few that Sao recommended where a Linn Sondek LP12 and a Syrinx arm ( can't remember the arm model#). I at the time was running a pair of JBL L300's and a pair of Bryston 4b's and a Conrad Johnson PV-1. Another was his own invention, his table and arm combo (SDC-10). At the time his combo was astronomical in price. Another problem was being Canadian, the cart. had to cross the border from Calif. to Canada. due to the fact that strain gauges were used in missiles... I believe for guidance systems, they got tied up in customs for quite sometime. I hope this sheds a little more light on the Win Labs cartridges P.S.In my 50 years of devotion to music and audio equipt. NO cartridge and or head amp combo has matched this awesome, performaning cart!! especially in bass responce or silky transparent highs.

This is Sao Win's address (I had way back when). He will have circuit diagrams. Win Laboratories, INC.
7320 Hollister Ave.
PO Box 332, Goleta
Calif. 93017