Would Like To Hear From Strain Gauge Owners

Dear Slowhand: I'm not an owner but maybe what I posted on it could help you, at least is an opinion on the subject:

+++++ " Dear vac man: Very nice audio system you own and very nice review you made, congratulations for both!!!!, you are very good writer/reviewer.

I always try to put things on the " right " perspective ( for me and IMHO ) to understand it and to take benefit of/on it.

I own/owned and heard all the cartridges named here including your beloved SG and my experiences about were a little different from yours.

First I have to tell that as important is the matching in tonearm/MC-MM cartridge as important is the Phonolinepreamp ( maybe more critical that what we think ) where the cartridge signal must pass through.

I don't know which were/are the Phono stages-line ones that you use to heard your MC cartridges but I can see due to your comments about that no one made/make the right " honors " to those MC cartridges.

I can see too that you speak about tracking and refer to MC and MM cartridges as well the SG but I don't read anything about your MM cartridges that you own or owned. In reference to tracking I'm with some of the best MM cartridges over any other one ( unfortunately not today models. ) and you can read something about here: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667

I heard the SG ( I have to say that with oly 30 hours on use. ) in a very very nice top quality home audio system and my first impression was: WOW!!! but after hearing for some time and after comeback from the initial and nice " surprise " I just don't like what I'm hearing specially on the high frequencies and a little in the un-natural tonal balance of its performance, I'm a little sensitive on both frequency extremes and after a time my ears were " tired " of that SG sound ( maybe because that SG was almost new . ) that was not analog like or music live one it was more like a digital source: a good one digital source ( DVDA ).

Fortunately ( for me ) I asking to change to a normal MC cartridge ( in this case was the Lyra Olympos-Essential phonlinpreamp. ) and even than the Olympos was not perfectly matched to that Phonolinepreamp and that I don't know for sure if the Schroder tonearm was the best tonearm match for it suddenly the " lights " goes ON again: overall no contest.
Next day after heard the Olympos switched very brief to the SG and IMHO was a truly deception.

I always said that the RIAA eq deviation makes a great differences in a MC or MM quality performance and only when you hear cartridges in a phono stage with a RIAA eq deviation lower than 0.1db can you understand how important is that subject.

You have to take in count here that the RIAA eq. is a curve where any frequency deviation build colorations on almost three music octaves and this is IMHO what you was hearing in your MC cartridges through your past phono stages: high RIAA eq deviations, not the cartridge design.

IMHO the SG performance in its today status it can't even the very best MC/MM cartridges when these cartridges are in the right tonearm and with the right Phonolinepreamp, this means in even condition/circumstance than the SG matching set-up.

The SG sounds different? absolutely but IMHO and with all my respect to you and the designer: not better.

Anyway, a very learning and interesting review.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul. " +++++

IMHO I don't think that the SG ound match to weel with your Gallo speakers.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear friends: Now I can understand, between other things, why the SG sound quality performance is different, please read the page 13 on this Italian review where you can see that the SG frequency response does not mimic the RIAA eq., there are frequency deviations that " build " those differences that I heard.

We have to remember that what is in the recording follow the RIAA eq. standard and on playback and to be near to the recording the cartridge/phono stage: MC/MM or SG must mimic it, this is not happening with the SG and that's why the differences that we can hear.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Sorry, here it is the link:

http://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/article.pdf

Regards adn enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Slowhand: +++++ " with crystal clear highs thanks to Gallo's exclusive electrostatic like tweeter ...." *****

for what I heard on the SG its response in that frequency range could add t much energy down there. I know very well those Gallo and if IMHO them has a critical area that is on that tweeters but like anything else: you can try it and see what happen, take in count that with the SG your Supratek will be out of the " equation ".

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear friends: According with what we can see in fig.4 the SG frequency response it is not only not following the RIAA curve ( with small deviations like other MC/MM phono stages.) but IMHO it takes a totally different " path ": it is an equalization over the RIAA eq that from my point of view is unacceptable with the today RIAA standards in the recordings that is the way how almost all the LPS that you, me and anyone else have were recorded.

IMHO the SG response needs a different recording standards!!!!!!!! and nothing is wrong with that if the RIAA accept to make the changes that the SG needs: of course that this is out of question/order.

Now I really understand why sounds to me so un-natural.

IMHO it is useless to make comparisons between the SG and MC/MM cartridges: both are totally different from the point of view of what information give us each one: the MC/MM according with the RIAA eq which with the recording was recorded and the SG an equalized information out of the RIAA standards, no I have to pass on the SG in his today status.

Now if the designer decide to go with the RIAA standard and not with his own ones then things could change for the better but again in its today status the SG IMHO is a device for other circumstances not for play our LPs.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Peter: With al respect to you and IMHO when any device has a good design that conforms with the standards of the audio industry ( in this case the RIAA eq. ) it does not needs any kind of excuses/explanation like the ones that you are given here.

That is not the main subject from my point of view:

my main subject is that in today status the SG response does not conforms according to the RIAA standard eq., I'm sure that you understand perfectly the term/word STANDARD and the whys the RIAA give the precise conformation of the RIAA curve eq.

From my point of view, and please correct me about, your SG design is out of that RIAA standards and is not a device to hear recordings ( LPs ) that were recorded under the RIAA standard eq. Of course that you can hear it in the same manner that we can add an equalizer to our systems but that is not the point.

Peter, I think that all of us really appreciate if you give the answer to this question: could you tell us if the SG was designed to conform with the RIAA standard eq. with which all the LPs were recorded?, please a simple answer: yes or no.

Thank you in advance.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Dan: I'm not and I don't need to justifying/defending any own marketing brochure, period.

Seems to me that you don't understand almost nothing about the RIAA standard eq and its several whys on the recording process and why about its existence.

First than all you have to understand what does means STANDARD ( a norm/rule/method ) and second who or whom are the RIAA that are the ones that puts the RIAA eq standard in the recording process, you have to understand too that exist and it is proved only one RIAA eq standard and imho the SG from Soundsmith does not conform according to that STANDARD, that's all: well not so simple you have to understand all the implications that means to play an LP out of the RIAA standard eq., it does not sense to me: make sense to you?

I'm not an owner ( and in its current status operation/design I never be one of them. ) of that SG device but IMHO I think that is fair that the owners/customers know what kind of SG response are they hearing, I'm not saying bad or good response this is not the subject.

What they are hearing is not what was recorded because the SG device does not performs with the standard RIAA eq., it has its own eq. out of the STANDARD.

Now, if you agree that it is better to hear your own LPs with a device that it is out of the RIAA Standards then buy it and put on sale what you own for that purpose at this moment, nothing wrong with that.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Peter: I don't want that you can/could think that my posts on your SG device are because I'm against you or against your device,no I'm not and I'm not questioning the SG device by it self design and has nothing to do with 0.1db figures elsewhere.

You fix at least two of my cartridges where you made an excellent work and I support you about here an elsewhere on your re-tipping very high quality " performance ", no doubt about.

The SG subject is really simple: I'm not saying that it is a bad device ( I don't like what I heard in the same manner that are people that like it, it is only a priorities subject. ) or that your design work is bad too: NO, what I'm saying is that IMHO and from what I heard and read your SG does not conforms according to the RIAA eq standard and there is nothing wrong with that because you or any one else can/could design anything you want.

Subject is that almost all the people ( including some of the SG owners. ) have questions about and these questions needs answers and the best source about is you.

Maybe you don't want to give us ( or to me ) a precise answer but IMHO it will be healthy to do it: there is nothing to hide about, or is it? why to leave to the controversy your very well made SG design? don't you think that your today and future customers deserve to know what is happening " around "?

Again, thank you in advance.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Dan: You like other people have a big mis-understood about , the SG device does not compete with any other cartridge/phono stage because it is out of the RIAA standard WITH WHICH ALMOST ALL YOUR LPS WERE RECORDED!!!: CAN/COULD YOU UNDERSTAND THE MAIN AN CRITICAL SUBJECT HERE??????, you can't compare apples with oranges.

The SG is not a " normal " cartridge it is a different device, for say the least.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Peterayer: +++++ " Some phono stages even offer different curves (selectabe by the user)for a more accurate reproduction of certain recordings. " +++++

yes, for Lps recorded before the RIAA standard, as a fact that was one of the RIAA targets: that stop to have so many different curves from different record manufacturers that was and will be a big " problem " because if the RIAA don't " stop " ( thank that they convince to the recording industry all the advantages that will be to take one and only one standard curve for the years to come ) at that time maybe today we could have 20-30 different curves ( from 20-30 different record manufacturers. ) and then we need it phono stages with 20-30 different curves!!!!!!!! to play each one different, my God: could you imagine?

Almost all the Lps you own and the ones that are recorded in this days are recorded according to the RIAA standard eq. and if you want to " read it " you need to read it with he RIAA standard process, Peter the SG does not " read " with the RIAA standard NORM.

It is very simple: if you are " reading " a book that came writing in English for you can understand it perfectly you have to read it in English not in French my friend. Now if you can uderstand this then you can understand that that is exactly what the SG is doing: " reading " an English book in French ( because it does not understand the English language. ), interesting no!. Well this is exactly what you hear/read when you play a LP through the SG device.

Now, please any one of you , if you have any doubt of what I posted or if you can prove that I'm totally wrong please come here an explain in deep why?: thank you in advance.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Slowhand: +++++ " I have never been big on "standards" or measurements.... " +++++

unfortunately if you can't understand about the RIAA eq. standard then it is useless to have a " decent " dialog with you about because ( with all respect ) you can't understand nothing and this is a big big problem: more that you think.

+++++ " I will take a piece of equipment that sounds great to my ears over one " +++++

maybe in other subject I could agree with your statement but in the SG/RIAA standard IMHO your argument is totally out of order.

+++++ " I found one person that owns a pair of Gallo's and has heard the SG on them. he feels they are a great match. " +++++

I respect your friend opinion but IMHO his music sound priorities and knowledge are really and very poor.

Peter we have to grow-up on our audio/music learning curve, growing-up in the right direction.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dan: Btw, which is your point?, please try to enrich the thread and tell us something " new " and coherent on the main subject, I think that we could learn if you do it.

regards and enjoy the music.
raul.

Dear Slowlearner: +++++ " Attacking products is not only counter-productive.... " +++++

first than all I'm not attaking the SG, what I'm saying and confirm here is that IMHO it does not conform according the RIAA eq standard: I respect your opinion that it do it but everything you have in your web site and what you posted here tell nothing precise about.

All the " history/facts " that you posted on the RIAA response deviations with changes in VTF or VTA or with a different tonearm is our " bread of everyday " and this is not the subject because what you are saying is that why take care on the RIAA eq. deviation when there are so many deviations all over the audio chain, well that is a point of view that I respect but certainly I don't agree because I think that we must care the audio signal at any single link in the audio chain trying to loose the less and adding the less too.

I know that your trade-offs and music sound reproduction priorities are unique and different from the ones I support but things are that I heard the SG in a very good audio system ( with low system distorions ) and I heard there against a MC cartridge with the same LPs and from that very first moment, and way before I knew that the SG does not conforms with the RIAA standard eq ( I know/understand this in the last 48 hours ), I don't like the overall SG performance against other MC/MM cartridges that I heard and I told this to the SG owner inclusive I remember that we play with a LP that are one of my reference LPs ( Janis Ian/P. Barber ) trying to hear something that the SG was loosing in the HF, even Steve modified a little the VTA and things improve a little but never with the definition that I'm accustom on it but this is not the whole history about, only an example. Today I undertand why the SG has not that HF definiton I'm talking about and why its performance is so un-natural.

I don't take care why its sound is so different till two days ago when I made some research about.

+++++ " it was +/- 1dB from 50 Hz to 12K in conformation with RIAA " +++++

Peter, you made an " assault " to my intelligence, common sense and knowledge with that statement.

first the RIAA eq standard frequency range figure is : 20hz to 20khz not the range you measure.

second are you saying that a very high ( IMHO always ) 2 ( two ) db deviation goes in conformation with RIAA when almost all the phono stages out there that conforms according to the RIAAA standard are in no more than 0.5 db?,
from your point of view I have to assume that if in the future any other different " cartridge " device with say: 5-10 db on RIAA deviation can/could conforms with it?, my God!

Peter IMHO if exist an audio link where every tyni frequency deviation is showing it is on the phono stage through its curve RIAA eq. deviation where any single frequency deviation affects almost three octaves!!!!!, you can hear deviation on the 0.1db range ( at least ) and you are telling me that 2db is the way to go but more important that this is that you say that comforms with the RIAA eq. standard !! ??????????????

Here it is a link where another person that I respect ( like you ) and that I think is very " responsible " and with a high knowledege about and he was asking ( in different words ) and questioning almost the same I'm and from my point of view it does not matters to ask because if we don't ask how we can learn or be sure on anything?:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1201835625&openflup&13&4#13

Peter I don't have any single/simple/minute attitude to attack you in anyway so don't put on " defense ", I'm only trying to have things in the right perpective ( Dan: believe it or not ) because at this moment my " common sense " still tell me that the SG is an additional source device but not an alternative to other MC/MM cartridges, I will consider it an alternative to MC/MM cartridges when your design conforms correctly in a precise way with the RIAA eq. standard.. Peter why don't try it, seems to me that that could be great and a very good alternative.

Peter, one way or the other almost all of us are in the same " boat/ship " and we are looking for almost the same main quality audio music sound reproduction performance targets.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Peter, my best wishes to full recovery on your health.

Raul.

Dear Peter: Really sorry to hear that.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Slowhand: That's why I have to repeat and repeat: I'm not a competitor, the SG can't compete with MC/MM cartridges: can you understand it after " repetitive " 15 posts?.

I'm not slamming, I'm trying to pointing out/find out what is " around " the SG to understand what kind of device it is.

Between other things this is what you can read in the Soundsmitht web-site:

+++++ " No "RIAA" filter multi-stage preamp circuitry is required or used in our preamp - We have just one ULTRA clean gain stage between you and your music (RIAA compensation IS required for "velocity" sensitive magnetic cartridges - The Strain Gauge is a "displacement" device......which automatically compansates for the RIAA EQ, " ++++++

when almost any one read that a " cartridge ( SG ) " does not needs a RIAA stage because " automatically compensates for the RIAA eq.: you have to ask ( only by curiosity ) how is that?.
At least one other people ( read the link I posted ) ask about and no one( like you) was " angry " because of that. Maybe you can't understand the importance to know how the SG works but IMHO I think that I make me a favor to learn about and maybe some other people can/could appreciate that.

Slowhand if something has a white color and I ask you which is the color of that " something ": what is your answer? because mine is " white " IMHO the things must be called for their " names " its precise names, that's the way I'm: not to polite, NO.

With al respect to you I don't care if I lost credibility with you only because I want to find the true: I don't care I always go for the true, nothing wrong for that. It is lewd/improper try to " hide " the true when you have it in front of you, if for this I lost my credibility then : welcome!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear friends: There is something " curious " and very interesting, whereas al the audio industry are working on better audio items: better amplifiers/preamps/CDP/SACD/DVDA/phono stages/MM-MC cartridges/speakers/room treatment/cables/racks/footers/recording manufacturers/electronic parts(passive and active ones )etc/etc with designs with lower distortions/flat frequency/lower colorations to improve the quality sound music reproduction and to be near/true of what is is the recording the SG Soundsmith device is the only audio item that in porpose alter/corrupt the frequency response that comes in the recording " telling " to the whole audio industry chain that all of them are wrong!!!!! including you.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Teres: Of course that when the cartridge signal pass through the phono stage what you want and the RIAA permit is a flat frquency response, but that's not exactly of what I'm refering to: sorry.

++++ " The SG transducer (unlike traditional cartridges) inherently produces a frequency response curve that closely follows the RIAA curve " +++++

this is eaxctly what the web-site states but IMHO is not true: could you explain how closely the SG follows the RIAA curve when Peter it self posted that between 50hz-12khz the deviation is a very high: 2 db, when every phono stage out there ( even the ones that measures " worst " on the RIAA deviation ) that conform according to the RIAA standard eq. measures as low as only 0.5db over the whole RIAA curve not only a part of that curve like the SG? do you know if between 20hz-50hz and 12khz-20khz is higher the SG deviation?.

Chris, I'm speaking of facts and IMHO till now you don't have any about like any one of my detractors.

I wonder why an intelligent person like you can posted what you post about.

Chris: how closely performs your TTs against the 33.33rpm or 45rpm standard TT speed? do you think that tiny ( very tiny ) speed TT deviations affects the quality performance on the recording that we/you are hearing? , because those TT speeds: 33.33/45rpm are the " Standards " and the ones to follow in exactly the same way the RIAA eq. curve. why does not exist TT with 36/49rpm? , you can play an LP on these weird speeds but the performance will be totally different right?

Well, IMHO the 2db SG deviation in that incomplete frequency range it is not only not close to the RIAA curve but far far away and totally different than the RIAA curve and that's why we hear a totally different performance through the SG.

So IMHO it is totally unfair to compare any MC/MM cartridge against the SG because the MC/MM ones cartridge signal that we hear/heard through the phono stages have a totally different equalization curve than the SG and due to that fact its performance is totally different.
Why is so difficult to some of you to understand that simple facts?.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

.

Dear vetterone: +++++ " Your ignorance on the subject is so played " +++++

that's why I want to learn about and that's why I made an still do a research on the subject and share my findings and opinion, What's wrong with that? why are so angry? it is because you buy the SG with out knowing about?.
I think that I have the right to do it in the same manner that you have the right to post any thing you want.

Steve I can don't agree with you on some subject but I respect your right to say it, could you make the same for me?

Vetterone, read again what Sounsmith states in their web-site: +++++ " The Strain Gauge is a "displacement" device......which automatically compansates for the RIAA EQ, " ++++++

I don't know you but IMHO this is not true ( far from there ) and this has a name: deceit.
Every time that I go in deep in the research on the subject I find more things that are " wrong ": why do you push me to follow an in deep research on the SG?

Here what an open mnd person like Peterayer posted:

+++++ " . I see validity to both Raul and Peter's points. The debate about how much the SG is off the RIAA curve seems to be in dispute and the range of the measurement (20-20khz or 50-12khz)is not consistent. " +++++, this is all about, simple.

Steve, not only blame me, please let me know why and where I'm wrong: do you think that the SG device conforms in a precise way according to the RIAA standard eq? if you did/do please let us know how is that and why?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Teres: With all respect, yes the debate is about the RIAA curve not a simple " flt frequency " subject like you states. This is not a debate about trade-offs that I never ignore like you say.

I hope you can uderstand that: RIAA curve subject, a very delicate and " deep " important/critical issue.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Flyingred: Only to clarify, the subject is not if the SG sounds good or bad because this is each person/system dependent, the subject is different and IMHO more " deep " and important than a simple: like me or don't like me opinion. Even you can read my posts and I never say it is a bad device/product/manufacturer because that's is not the issue.

I wish you could understand my point of view on the subject.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Peterayer: here you can read about RIAA eq curve and you can observe on the diagram that the frequency range is: 20-20khz, I think that any one can confirm this RIAA information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Flyingred: +++++ " I cannot understand why anyone would obsess about flat frequency response when ... " +++++

I'm sorry but I'm talking about RIAA standar curve eq and how the SG device does not conform according it. What I'm tellng is not precise about " flat frequency " but about RIAA eq curve, could you uderstand that?, thank you in advance.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Perrew: Answering your first question and IMHO when you play a recording that was recorded with ( before ) a non RIAA eq. standard then you heard a totally different performance of what is in the recording that comes with a different equalization curve.

That's why some Phono stages comes with one or two eq. curves other than the RIAA standard, normally those recordings that are with a non RIAA standard were very old ones and that were recorded before the RIAA standard universal agreement.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Slowhand: Thank you for your kindness words, appreciate it.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Frogman: How is that?, are you telling me that a recording being played through two different equalization curves have no different quality performance?, I'm not talking or posted anything about " accurate frequeny response " I speak and posted about different frequency response that's different of what you states.

IMHO two different frequency response curves give you at least two different tonal balance spectrum to the same recording and two different " all " music presentation.

Frogman, those facts have nothing to see with accuracy but differences on the equalization curves, example: one curve with + 1-2db on 60hz, 900hz, 3khz ( these deviations affects almost three octaves each one ) and the second curve with deviations at + 2-3db on 45hz, 360hz, 780hz, 1.8khz,5.5khz and - 2db at 3.5khz, please tell me: do you think that the quality performance that you hear through your system are not different on each one? because that's what I'm saying all the time: different quality performance.

I don't think that I'm missing the " boat ", some of you try to move it but the " boat " is still firm.

About the MUSIC contribution I have a lot lot to share but I don't have enough time to a second forum.

Slowhand/Mosin: when I posted my first post in this thread I had no idea that the SG device does not conforms according the RIAA standard, it was after a research when I take in count ( fortunately ) and share my findings: it was not exist a previous agenda like you think.

Now, I already receive several emails ( in the last 36 hours ) where the people give me " thank you " to put some light on the subject, I know that like me many of you read for the very first time on those findings about and this fact for the good or the bad IMHO is a learning " episode ".

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Intactaudio: I was talking about the MC/MM cartridges not the SG because at that time I do nt know that does not conforms with the RIAA standard.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Dave: Things are that I'm only try to understand why I heard what I heard on the SG ( different quality performance against a MC/MM cartridge ) and what other people report about. Dave, for me is not enough: it sounds good or I don't like it, if I can I want to know why. Sure I know that some people are more " easy " about, nothing wrong with that.

The subject is not exactly accuracy ( that when I'm talking on accuracy I talk on tiny values: 0.1db or the like ), after my research I report what I find and the whole thing is not exactly/extrictly accuracy ( the deviaion is at least 2 db. ) but a totally different equalization curve, that's all. Why so many people in this tread does not like to know about does not likes that I report about: it is something that I can't understand yet.

Anyway all those people can't change the facts on the SG subject.
Dear friends: things are like they are.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear MrjstarK: I'm not saying that sounds bad or not to buy it I'm only point out one of its characteristics, that's all.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Hxt1: +++++ " There, I said it Raul!! " +++++

Now, you are done!!! and happy, good.

Btw, Lewm and Peter: thank you for your understanding and kindness words.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Mosin: +++++ " found in the overall implementation of our work, not just in a single parameter of it. " +++++

I agree about and I not only understand but support that the quality audio performance on a unit is not only system dependent but a very complex one due to so many factors involved.

The RIAA subject on the SG theme comes because I heard that cartridge in a very good system and overall I don't like it ( I already posted the whys ) in the same way that other 2-3 persons in this thread does not like it either.

As a fact I really forgot the SG system ( in those times ) because for what I heard that product was/is not for me, suddenly I read the Agon review and the Slowhand thread and that's why I become interest on the subject again: learning about to grow-up!!!!

Then I made a " fast " search and I find that the SG system does not conform ( between other things ) according the RIAA eq. curve.
Then I read in the S-S site:
++++++ The Strain Gauge is a "displacement" device......which automatically compansates for the RIAA EQ. +++++
( how is that?, I was asking me: till today no one including the SG system designer can/could/want answer in a precise way that question. ) ( I have to say here that many months ago, I have the email, way before I heard the SG sytem I ask directly to MR. PL the same question with no answer yet. The claim that " something " automatically compensates for the RIAA eq. was something so exciting to read that I was really " moved " to learn in deep about. ) and finally Mr. PL posted a frequency SG system deviation of 2db from 50hz to 12khz, I have to say that I was a little disappoint with all these " findings ".

All these information and many other things told me that the differences/what I heard between a MC/MM cartridge performance against the SG system were/are mainly ( between other things ) to differences on frequency response due that the SG system does not conform according the standard RIAA eq. curve., that's all: very simple finding very simple facts.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.