Lyra Atlas SL Cartridge Magnet type??

I think the factor of magnet strength has more to do with the design aspect of the cartridge motor...and possibly how quickly the coils will react to the signal. Personally, I think the trend to ever lower output cartridges is a negative aspect when it comes to cartridge ability. While the lower output is connected to fewer turns of the coil, thereby theoretically reducing losses at this point, I believe that this is more than off-set with the issue of increased noise at the phono stage...due to the phono stage now having to work harder ( and sometimes a LOT harder) to amplify the smaller signal. While some ss phono stages are still relatively low noise as they increase their amplification, almost no ( maybe 100%) tube based phono stages can say the same thing. Even with the ss phono stage ( or the transformer stage) the increase in noise is most likely a factor as amplification increases.

for a given coil movement, cartridge output is simply the combination of flux and length of wire in that flux.  In order to change one you must change the other to get the same output.  The third side of this "triangle" is the cartridge impedance which shows up in the form of mass.  In order to reduce the mass of the coils you can either use fewer turns (less length of wire = less output) or the same number of turns of a thinner wire which increases impedance.  There is a current trend of trying to drive the turns and impedance down and still maintain a substantial output which is where the strength of the  N52 neo magnets come into the picture.

dave

Intactaudio...  “I am currently in the process of trying the exact same cartridge structure with Alnico 5, Samarium Cobalt and Neo to see what happens.” 

Can you report back on this matter.  I honestly want to know what the results are and see if one type of magnet does dictate the sound quality.  

Got an answer back from the manufacture:


From Jonathan Carr, designer of all Lyra cartridges:

All of our present cartridges use disc-shaped Neodymium 52 magnets. They are disc shaped because my goal is to create an axially symmetrical magnetic field.

Rather than being molded (as is usually the case with neodymium magnets), our magnets are machined, because this gives us higher-quality magnets with more consistent flux density across their surface.

The coil wire is 6-nine purity copper.

The cantilever is a diamond-coated solid boron rod with short one-point wire suspension, directly mounted into cartridge body via high-pressure knife-edge system.

kind regards, jonathan

@zipost   The reply you received is exactly why I opted for one of Jonathan's designs. IMHO, his designs are far more advanced than just about anyone out there. For example, the old motor design of Koetsu's, VDH's and Kiseki's etc is really no longer competitive, IMO.