Lyra Atlas experiences

I took delivery of a Lyra Atlas Lambda SL about a week ago. I have about 35 hrs on it now (I can’t be dragged away from it….LOL). I waited five months from the time I ordered.

I am using this with a Clearaudio Ovation and Universal arm, with a Naim Superline/SupercapDR phonostage into a Naim 252/SCDR/300DR with Dynaudio Confidence C2 Platinum speakers and a pair of REL S/510. 

At the moment I am tracking it at 1.65 gr, and I have been tossing back and forth between 453Ω and 470Ω for loading. I think anything much less than 453 will be dull and 500+ might be too lively (560 has been recommended to try). I mostly listen to jazz and classical and I tend to like 470Ω better so far for most jazz, but some classical sound better at 453Ω. I think the latter because some classical (especially late-70s and later DGs) were mastered too bright. Karajan’s awful influence maybe. 

I’ll think I’ll start adjusting VTF a little and see what that does, but at the moment I can live with it all the way it is. 

This cartridge is truly delicious and very special. I was using a Dynavector XV-1s before. The Lyra has everything good it had but takes everything to a new level of nirvana. What an amazing accomplishment.

@dwette , I ordered mine about 5 months ago and still do not have it. If you hang on I'll give you my impression because I am sure I will get it shortly as they make their models in short runs.

You want the top of the cartridge body exactly coplanar with the record surface. The best way to do this is with the Wally Reference tool. Use the loading Lyra suggests or even better get a current mode phono stage.  

You have an excellent turntable. It needs to be on an isolation platform like a MInusK (the best). If you do not have one already you should get a reflex clamp like the one Sota makes. Michell also makes one.  

@mijostyn Thanks for the suggestions, but they have all been addressed. I have already adjusted azimuth, using an acrylic gauge and confirmed with my Fozgometer (which should always be run with a fresh battery for accurate results). Lyra suggests setting loading by listening with ear: they don’t specify a value for it, because that varies with tonearm cable and phonostage used. In any case, my Naim Superline phonostage is quite up to the task of what this catridge has to offer.

My turntable is on an isoAcoustics Delos, and I use both an HRS 850gr clamp and Clearaudio’s 1500 gr outer limit ring.

I’ve got it all covered, thanks. I’ve been around the block a few times. :)

@dwette , Great. One comment. The only thing record weights do is wear out your bearing faster. Add the weight of the peripheral clamp and you increase the wear rate even more. The good reflex clamps obviate the need for a peripheral clamp and do a better job of flattening the record. They are used by SME, Kuzma, Dohmann and others. The only thing better is vacuum clamping. 

@mijostyn

Thank you for your feedback, You might want to read up on my turntable a bit more before getting too critical of how I use it. I might look dumb but I do kind of know what I’m doing. LOL

You are wrong about the risk of bearing wear regarding this TT and how I use it. The Clearaudio Ovation has a ceramic-magnetic bearing, and is designed to accommodate the weight of the clamp and outer ring with no consequence on wear, because the platter floats magnetically on the bearing spindle, making no contact at all from the top. It would take far more force to make the platter bottom out on the top of the ceramic bearing than the 2350 gr I am adding. In fact, Clearaudio makes a clamp of about the same mass, and the outer limit ring I use is theirs, and approved for use with my turntable. My use case is all within their design spec.

I am aware of reflex clamps and vacuum clamping, but I am good to go with what I have. I’ve used it that way happily for years. The clamp and ring I have do an excellent job keeping my records flat and coupled to the POM platter. I see no reason to make any changes in that regard.