I want to give a huge shout out to Scott Pugh from Essentia Technology For getting me my new Ethos SE cart. I was tuned on to a guy who is well versed in music and setting up turntables. The first thing i learned last night, is how critical it is to set up the cart on your table in your room connected to your gear. After a couple hours of tweaking and listening, we were able to find the sweet spot.
I had the original Ethos, so this is an upgrade, there is a very pleasant improvement over the regular cart. Having the tonearm setup the way it is now, is completely different from the previous install and setup which was done at a shop. The Weight of both carts are identical, and we made a huge weight shift. Understanding what the adjustment actually means, and how it affects the bass, tremble overall presentation the music etc.
Having said that, i used to be afraid of making adjustments to tonearms etc that is no longer the case. I checked the head shell weight on my second system as well, and a major weight adjustment from 2.11 g to 1.53g made all the difference in the world.
As for my impression on the new Ethos SE, So far i am very happy with the cart, it is a very detailed and articulate cart. The clarity is beautiful, there is no shrill or fatigue. The soundstage is huge, making a weight change, actually made the system bolder and more pronounced. I cannot wait until i get some time on this cart and get it broken in.
