Lyra Lambda Atlas/Etna

@rauliruegas , The Ortofon Verisimo (one 's") should be killer. But, what do you not like about Lyra cartridges?

@post2338 , My Sonic Lab cartridges are also excellent. 

When I grow up I'm going to have a Lyra Atlas SL, a MSL Signature Platinum and an Ortofon Verismo. This list should be good for at least 72 hours. And, I'm going to get a Dohmann Helix2 and plant two Schroder LT tonearms on it. Don't we all love window shopping!!

Dear @mijostyn  : No, it's not that I don't like Lyra because I like it and as a fact I own/owned/listened rigth from the first model Evolve, Titan, Kldeos, Olympos, Helikon, Clavis da Capo, etc.

But, I prefer the Allaerts or the low output Colibri and the Verissimo and against Transfiguraion the signature of the models goes  more with my targets: I owned both Temper models, Phoenix S, Esprit, Orpheus, tc.

R.

FWIW, I have had the Formula One in my system for a few weeks. It's an excellent cartridge, it not only measures well, the attractive sonic signature makes it easy to recommend (other than that the low output may be a bit of a challenge for some phono stages).

Would I like to own a Formula One to run alongside an Atlas or Etna? Absolutely!
Would I care to replace an Atlas or Etna with a Formula One? No, that would be too limiting.

Undoubtedly however, the component preferences of some audiophiles makes it clear that they prefer more laid-back, less dynamic cartridges in their systems (grin).

BTW, the original version of the Etna was somewhat less dynamic than the Atlas, but the Lambda revision has noticeably reduced that difference.

@rauliruegas @jcarr , the thing that bothers me about the Allaerts cartridges is that they are all made by hand and hand adjusted. What happens when tolerances loosen. The Lyras are manufactured with tight tolerances to achieve reasonably uniform performance with perhaps a little touch up at the end. It seems to me that a cartridge made this way is more likely to maintain it's performance levels as it ages. Is this a reasonable conclusion? 

The other thing that bothers me about the Allaerts is the specs. They are so far in excess of any other cartridge that they are hard to believe. THD < 0.01%? First of all at what frequency? I have never seen a cartridge < 5% at 15 kHz. Most are up at 10%. Some are almost at 20%.  What can the average user with the average tools expect to get out of the cartridge? I trust Ortofon and Lyra because there cartridges always perform better than there specs. Like Porsche they publish the worst case scenario. It appears to me Allaerts publishes the absolute best case scenario or better.

Dear @mijostyn ​@jcarr  : Jonathan, you already know that for many years I really have a big respect for you, your products and your knowledge levels.

Now, what you said on Allaerts is true with the MC2 Finish Gold but not with the F!. The " problem " with the F1 first than all is its very low output but it's extremely sensitive to impedance and VTF set up. It's not a plug and play cartridge as could be Lyra or Ortofon.

Even that Allaerts does not recomended i tested for the first time my MC2 FG in nude fashion and against what the designer recomend I listened a different kind of sound for the better, same with my F!.

I have not the opportunity to listen the Lambda version of the Atlas but only the Etna.

I think that when we are talking of these very high quality whole performance levels in reality could be no true differences ( this is better than the other ) in between but first which cartridge mates the better with our each one MUSIC/sound targets and second the each one room/system levels.

As I said, I almost own all the Lyra models and the Ortofon too and still I give a confidence vote for the lower out put Colibri samples.

Now, no one cartridge is perfect.

mijo, you need to experience the Allaerts F1.

R.