I am interested in both the Atlas SL and the Opus 1. PeterA, your account in the opening post was helpful, perhaps as capable a sonic compare and contrast of the two cartridges as I've read. Nice job. Tang's account of how the Atlas SL developed over time for his ears was also helpful.
Which leads me to ask a question of each of you - perhaps an unfair question: Which cartridge delivers an experience closest to what you might hear in the concert hall? (Pick your hall and seat.
Thank you for the kind words, tima. I agree with Ian and Tang. The Opus sounds more like what I hear at Boston Symphony Hall, 7th row, center, than does the Atlas. I also think it sounds more real when referencing a chamber setting for a small ensemble. The Atlas gets that leading edge right, so for piano, cello and violin in a large living room, that is very convincing. However, here again, the Opus gets the rest of the note, the sustain and decay and "woody" character, the whole gesthalt? in a more convincing way, plus the sense of immersion is more complete. These are more important to me in these kinds of unamplified acoustic settings. The Atlas shines a spotlight on that leading edge, the Opus makes you forget about the sound and listen to the music, at least with large and small scale classical music. Like Tang, I might give the edge to the Atlas for sounding more like what one hears from drums and horns in a jazz club setting. I'd have to think about that for minute. Are the jazz instruments amplified and/or close mic'd? Ian told me that for him it would depend on the type of music, the recording, and his particular mood that day. I understand why he, Gian, and Tang have both.
Another interesting thing from Tang's posts is the idea that the Atlas improves even more over time. Is one getting used to the sound, is the cartridge changing? Is the Opus a bit euphonic which is more noticeable over time and on small scale music where one does not struggle as much to distinguish the sound of individual instruments? It may also depend on the character of the rest of one's system.
The other major difference between the Lyra and AirTight, which only comes to mind now, is that they address internal vibrations in different ways. The Opus is designed with a massive metal sink which is meant to attenuate vibrations before they reach the tonearm. The Atlas, I think, is designed to pass that energy on, away from the cartridge, and into the tonearm. These different approaches may mean that the tonearm that one chooses to use with the cartridge may have a large impact on the overall sound. The cartridges' outputs vary considerably too, meaning that one's phono stage may need to be quieter and have more gain if choosing the Atlas.
