Strain Gauge Cartridge preamplifier
system
preamp close-up
cartridge close-up The Strain Gauge on
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“Now, with one giant leap, your strain gauge cartridge has leapfrogged the finest moving coil cartridges..... I was completely stunned....”
(Ijaz Khan, M.D.)
"The area in which the strain gauge system really excelled was in its ability to project a three dimensional image. It was surreal. The openness and air around the musicians was like nothing I have ever heard."
(Stephen Kaufman, M.D., Ph. D.)
IT'S OFFICIAL - WE WON ANALOG PRODUCT OF THE YEAR!!
From the review by the director of the Italian Magazine Fedeltà del Suono ~ the most popular Italian magazine for hi-end 2 channel
"Discover what may be the Phono Cartridge of the III Millennium.."
"True technical innovation in a stagnant sector..."
"The systems' linearity...may be considered virtually perfect....virtually free of distortion"
"We can’t refrain from crying for joy, and shout for this miracle."
..Unconditional applause to the creator and designer of such a “good monster”
click here to download PDF of article (Italian & English translation)
EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR TO ITALY:
HIFI4MUSIC SNC
VIA CARMAGNOLA 19
10064 PINEROLO (TO)
mail to: info@hifi4music.com
Phone: 0039.0121.794938
The Strain Gauge
patents pending
A few Testimonials:
Dear Peter,
Just a quick note to let you know how pleased I was to meet you in person, at our annual Florida audio get-together. I immensely enjoyed the diverse exchange of ideas on subjects ranging from......., ....and sharing reminiscences of my late mentor, the great audio engineer, Sid Smith.
I also want to take this opportunity to share with you my observations regarding your remarkable strain gauge cartridge, after extensively listening to it in three different audio systems with which I am intimately familiar. All three systems are of equally high quality and are carefully optimized to convey the essence of the music. Without belaboring the specifics, the three systems employ the finest available turntables, step-up transformers, tube electronics, horn loaded and conventional speakers, cables and accessories. All three systems use the incomparable Schroeder Reference tone arm. Cartridges under comparison included your strain gauge cartridge and four of the finest moving coil cartridges currently available, regardless of price.
In over 30 years of tinkering with audio, always with the intent of trying to attain ever greater realism and hence enhancing the enjoyment of recorded music, the improvements that I personally experienced have been, without exception, incremental--until now!
Now, with one giant leap, your strain gauge cartridge has leapfrogged the finest moving coil cartridges and transported this listener to a hitherto unfamiliar sensory zone, in which the suspension of disbelief in the service of music imposes little strain, and the senses marvel at the beauty of the illusion thus wrought. In plain terms, it bests the best moving coils in the areas of their strengths, that is to say, resolution, transparency and speed, and adds a new dimension, holographic realism, where images are perceived fully formed and fleshed out throughout the frequency range, top to bottom. I was completely stunned by this aspect, since I had never experienced it in such a seamless manner. It is like going to the movies!! This is truly a pleasure machine par excellence!!
That it also rids the system of the undesirable necessity of having to use not only the step-up transformers, but also RIAA circuitry and, indeed, the entire phonostage, with the attendant expense, is a further bonus and a major thrust towards the goal of achieving fidelity via simplicity.
Peter, I could go on and on, extolling the virtues of the strain gauge cartridge, but I did promise to keep this brief. So, therefore, let me end by imploring all those who read these words to listen to it in a suitable system, and be prepared to be transported by this wondrous creation. You may use this missive as you wish, I am just glad for the opportunity to give word to this extraordinary audio and musical experience.
Best regards,
Ijaz Khan, MD; (Mid-Atlantic Audiophile Group)
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Hi Peter,
Thank you for allowing our Colorado audiophile group an opportunity to audition the Strain Gauge phono cartridge and preamplifier. We are horn crazy out here and listened to the Strain Gauge cartridge in two very high resolution systems with state of the art front ends. The Strain Gauge cartridge was compared with three of the finest moving coil cartridges available.
Inserting the Strain Gauge cartridge into the system was a revelation. It demonstrated speed, resolution, and absence of grain equal to or surpassing the moving coil cartridges. The area in which the strain gauge system really excelled was in its ability to project a three dimensional image. It was surreal. The openness and air around the musicians was like nothing I have ever heard.
Needless to say, it has been difficult returning to my excellent moving coil cartridge. It's almost as if the life has been sucked out of it. I applaude you on a great effort. By the way, we had a chance to audition "the Voice" phono cartridge. Although it is not in a league with the Strain Gauge cartridge, I prefer it to some moving coil cartridges at three times its price.
Best regards and sincere thanks,
Steven L. Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D (Colorado Audiophile Group - Fort Collins area)
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Dear Peter,
I just received my Strain Gauge and I love it. After adjusting the VTA and the damping on my arm, I found the "sweet spot" for the "Optimized Contour" line contact stylus with Ruby cantilever. I have never heard a more life-like image from any stereo system after installing the Strain Gauge. The sound is enveloping. I have the urge to jump into the sound stage and swim around with the music. Each instrument in the sound field breathes and sounds so natural. There is an ease about the music that allows you to relax and go with the music.
I believe that because the Strain Gauge does not require use of multiple stages of RIAA compensation but has the compensation inherent in the cartridge, it imposes much less phase distortion on the music, resulting in an effortless sound. I also believe that the fact that you do not use a moving coil or a moving magnet contributes to the pure sound. The way the Strain Gauge operates reminds me of the way a single-ended triode amplifier works. Like a single-ended triode amplifier, the highly doped silicon beams modulate the flow of current resulting in a voltage that follows the movement of the grooves with very low harmonic distortion.
It is rare that a theoretical advantage in audio actually yields a practical advantage.
Congratulations Peter; you have done it, and the proof is in the pudding!
Sincerely,
John Pessetto
Dear Peter,
The system arrived in perfect condition thanks to your excellent packaging.
One thing - I just love the exceptional finish on the rosewood. Thank you so much; I am more than satisfied. I can clearly see that you are a perfectionist not only when it comes to cartridges and design, but also on the fit and finish of your wood panels.
I finally had time to relax, adjust VTA settings and started off by playing a Japanese version of the Beethoven Five Piano Sonatas played by Ashkenazy.
All I can say is "I am speechless". I have never heard piano dynamics like this from an LP. For the first time I can hear the power, technique and intimacy of Ashkenazy's playing right in my listening room.
Of particular note was the Appassionata which shocked me with it's dynamics. Yes - it certainly made me jump due to the unexpected rendition of unbridled dynamics being unleashed upon my eardrums!
If this gets better with further break in of the electronics then this IS the elusive absolute sound or probably audio nirvana. Many thanks for a truly well designed and engineered system. It is way past my bed time ..been listening for four hours!!
Sincerely,
Dickson Pin
Peter,
I hope things are going well. I wanted to contact you now that some time has passed. So far I’ve had the Soundsmith SG-400 Strain gauge System for about a year. Once everything had broken in, the sound/music that came through my speakers was revolutionary for me to say the least.
To sum up my experience: what is striking is the utter lack of grain and groove noise. What has always struck me about live acoustic music is how ‘relaxed’ it sounds with no sense of strain (pun intended). Before I began using the Strain Gauge Cartridge System I’ve always had a sense of tension/urgency with reproduced music through my system…I never felt relaxed.
With the Strain Gauge SG-400 in my system, all that has changed!
With best wishes -
Dr. Atif Zaman