Thankfully, all of those improvements will be included in my SG-210 due to its recent manufacture(*ie the last fortnight).
I'm gonna buy me a Soundsmith Strain Gauge.
- Thread starter theophile
- Start date
Thankfully, all of those improvements will be included in my SG-210 due to its recent manufacture(*ie the last fortnight).
it feels like i've been watching a porn flick for an hour and the actors haven't undressed yet. will theophile PLEASE install his strain gauge NOW so we can all know what its like!!
kidding aside i'm very interested in your observations. I have heard the Panasonic strain gauge numerous times but that was eons ago and I once touched Sao Win's SG at his lab but never heard it. i'm a little gun shy about acquiring an SG-230 for myself b/c of reports it's got a rising high-end (being RIAA-less). I await your comments with baited breath, as they say...
kidding aside i'm very interested in your observations. I have heard the Panasonic strain gauge numerous times but that was eons ago and I once touched Sao Win's SG at his lab but never heard it. i'm a little gun shy about acquiring an SG-230 for myself b/c of reports it's got a rising high-end (being RIAA-less). I await your comments with baited breath, as they say...
Puroagave, you talking about porn, while me typing on the internet is an interesting combination of related activities 
! Anyhow, I've been running one of the new Mk2 Soundsmith Straingauge carts for 6 months, w/the entry level SG200 energizer. What do you need to know? There seems to be a fair number of antagonistic comments re this cart, but once correctly dialled in (azimuth being critical so as not to get a thin, toppy sound), I'm TOTALLy happy with it.
It tracks like a bloodhound, with my air bearing linear tracker it really sticks to the lead out grooves; it doesn't draw attention to itself, being equally generous across the frequency band; is lightning fast, but not pinched in anyway - an amazing balance of opposites; very forgiving of less than stellar recordings; v. tolerant of surface noise and warps.
With my direct rim drive tt and linear tracker, analog is presented in a totally different way than I've ever experienced - it combines the best of analog: tonal density, full harmonic development, with what's great about digital: great leading edge slam, neutrality, stability of soundstage.
never looking for a cart beyond this, and I've been thru a few!
! Anyhow, I've been running one of the new Mk2 Soundsmith Straingauge carts for 6 months, w/the entry level SG200 energizer. What do you need to know? There seems to be a fair number of antagonistic comments re this cart, but once correctly dialled in (azimuth being critical so as not to get a thin, toppy sound), I'm TOTALLy happy with it.It tracks like a bloodhound, with my air bearing linear tracker it really sticks to the lead out grooves; it doesn't draw attention to itself, being equally generous across the frequency band; is lightning fast, but not pinched in anyway - an amazing balance of opposites; very forgiving of less than stellar recordings; v. tolerant of surface noise and warps.
With my direct rim drive tt and linear tracker, analog is presented in a totally different way than I've ever experienced - it combines the best of analog: tonal density, full harmonic development, with what's great about digital: great leading edge slam, neutrality, stability of soundstage.
never looking for a cart beyond this, and I've been thru a few!
I actually initiated a thread on A'gon on this v.subject ie with the death of the specialist hifi store leading to the near absence of chances to home demo stuff esp carts. In the UK, of the 3 dealers who stocked the S'gauge, only one was prepared to demo it in my system, and that was with a 500 mile round trip the same day. Needless to say, he got my cash. If I had to rely on the other two, I'd not be extolling the virtues of it right now.
If you can get a demo, give it some serious consideration. Btw, it's not necc to go for the new $13k SG230. In effect, ALL the models have the SAME cart/styli, it's just the features on the box that differ. The 230 is a fully fledged preamp, but if you already have a preamp, go for the base level unit that I have (simple energiser/no preamp) for $7.5k. And remember, you'll save big $s getting rid off, or not upgrading, the phono stage (surplus to needs), and cheap stylus replacements as opposed to pricey retips/new carts.
A no brainer.
If you can get a demo, give it some serious consideration. Btw, it's not necc to go for the new $13k SG230. In effect, ALL the models have the SAME cart/styli, it's just the features on the box that differ. The 230 is a fully fledged preamp, but if you already have a preamp, go for the base level unit that I have (simple energiser/no preamp) for $7.5k. And remember, you'll save big $s getting rid off, or not upgrading, the phono stage (surplus to needs), and cheap stylus replacements as opposed to pricey retips/new carts.
A no brainer.
Just installed the Red Wine Audio Black Lightning twin battery psu for the Soundsmith Straingauge SG200. Too early to make a definitive opinion, but initial impressions are of a near zero noise floor. A great start. Will post detailed opinions next week.
I'll look forward to your observations. I lean towards the theory that the battery PSU should clean things up a bit.
Will do. My noise floor is already really well addressed with 8kVA balanced power and Entreq Silver Tellus grounding, but early listening really confirms that getting the phono off the grid will reap big dividends.
IMPORTANT - if you go down this route, email Vinnie Rossi at Red Wine Audio first, we had a couple of hitches getting everything to work. He's a true gentleman and extremely attentive, that could only breed confidence in the process.
IMPORTANT - if you go down this route, email Vinnie Rossi at Red Wine Audio first, we had a couple of hitches getting everything to work. He's a true gentleman and extremely attentive, that could only breed confidence in the process.
Initial impressions after 48hrs of RWA BL twin batt psu to SG200 - near zero noise floor, allowing a lot of ambience to bloom, and reveal of low level detail. The big impvt is a hefty increase in bass slam and extension, giving a really solid foundation. The only teething issue on initial listen was some softness in the top end, slightly blunting dynamics, but this is opening up 2 days in, and I put this down to the SG200 needing another 100hrs to bed in, together with the caps in the BL, and the assocd cables/power cord. It sure was freezing in the UK when the box arrived!
Today, everything is clicking. The RWA BL batt psu is taking the superlative performance of the S'gauge into brilliant new areas of performance. The treble which was actually pretty questionable after 24 hrs is now incisive, sparkling, yet smooth with no hint of glare. This is providing a lot of ambient detail, augmented by an amazing drop in the noise floor allowing all sorts of low level detail to emerge, not in an artificial hyped up way, but as an holistic expansion of the whole soundstage, allowing me to hear right into the music. Mids are neutral and beautifully natural, with vocals given a new authority. And bass is just so solid and extended, that the whole message of songs is given greater meaning. More anon.
Really do consider it. Email Vinnie Rossi at Red Wine Audio since there were a few installation issues with mine, and he'll be able to advise. It is not a subtle upgrade.
As I explained earlier: my personal philosophy is to live with a 'base unit' untweaked first. That, in order to get familiar with the raw ability of an item. Before I get to installing the Strain Gauge I have a brand new pair of interconnects to put into the system. The SG-210 will unlikely go into my system before(say April). There's no way I'd get a battery PS until I'd lived with the Strain Gauge for two months. I won't be considering a PSU change until later this year.
Sure Theo, the thing to do. If you're not installing the cart until later, then a mute point for the time being. Just letting you and everyone know it takes near SOTA performance to another plateau. There's SO much info in those grooves.
No, it wasn't a moot point. I fully expect that I'll end-up with one. Not immediately.
Theo, all I can say is that I'm at the end of my journey to get the best of analog. Got lucky in a tt/arm that, at the very bottom of high end pricing, I believe is right up there at the forefront of available performance, and now a cart with amazing performance and synergy.
I'm not suprised the batt psu has proved exceptional - I'm getting the biggest impvts in my system dealing with power issues. But the endorphin rush, and right brain/left brain lack of cognitive dissonance is still amazing when it happens.
I'm not suprised the batt psu has proved exceptional - I'm getting the biggest impvts in my system dealing with power issues. But the endorphin rush, and right brain/left brain lack of cognitive dissonance is still amazing when it happens.
RWA BL batt psu is really bedding in nicely. Any slight tendency to treble heavy sound at the beginning is being replaced by rral tone and texture, and a vanishingly low noise floor. Can't find anything to criticise.
Theophile, how's it going?
Any updates on yr Straingauge?
My analog has been in cold storage for 18 months, but about to be reinstalled w a few important changes.
Straingauge cart and energiser box now at top level upgrade
RWA BL batt psu to be replaced by bespoke R-core transformer psu.
Tt/arm/cart/energiser to be sited on SOTA Stacore Adv slate CLD/air isolating platform.
Any updates on yr Straingauge?
My analog has been in cold storage for 18 months, but about to be reinstalled w a few important changes.
Straingauge cart and energiser box now at top level upgrade
RWA BL batt psu to be replaced by bespoke R-core transformer psu.
Tt/arm/cart/energiser to be sited on SOTA Stacore Adv slate CLD/air isolating platform.
New here, but wanted to add a few odd cents.
Agree 100% with Spirit ofMusic's comments re: setup of the SS SG -- I have an SG-210/SG-6 and though Peter is very meticulous in fabricating cartridge, styli and electronics, large dividends result from being likewise meticulous in tuning. I found small changes in Zenith, SRA and Azimuth are all audible and not hard to hear when "right", there is a big difference between right and wrong. A bit of patience and a mesmerizing result can become commonplace with good LPs.
Re: power supplies, I have no complaints with those provided; but then I'm in the US, so the 120V supplies do not require replacement for voltage requirements. The ones supplied are linear/analog, not SMPS.
My SG is in an Airtangent Reference on a VPI TNT6X (HRX parts on a TNT6 plinth, to allow mounting the arm).
JB
Agree 100% with Spirit ofMusic's comments re: setup of the SS SG -- I have an SG-210/SG-6 and though Peter is very meticulous in fabricating cartridge, styli and electronics, large dividends result from being likewise meticulous in tuning. I found small changes in Zenith, SRA and Azimuth are all audible and not hard to hear when "right", there is a big difference between right and wrong. A bit of patience and a mesmerizing result can become commonplace with good LPs.
Re: power supplies, I have no complaints with those provided; but then I'm in the US, so the 120V supplies do not require replacement for voltage requirements. The ones supplied are linear/analog, not SMPS.
My SG is in an Airtangent Reference on a VPI TNT6X (HRX parts on a TNT6 plinth, to allow mounting the arm).
JB
