Lyra and OMA

@michaellent , @solypsa poses a good question. The Lyra is a fine cartridge. It will work well in an intermediate mass arm with some form of gimbal bearing arrangement. I am not a huge fan of step up transformers. Even if they are good they depend on the performance of what is usually a lesser performing phono stage. The evils are additive. I am also not a fan of tube phono stages. Signal to noise ratio is critical with low output cartridges and solid state in general trumps tube units in this regard and also in terms of accuracy. Some people prefer the "warmth" of tube units. That Warmth is distortion. I have found over 65 years that in the end accuracy produces a better, more enjoyable system. Solid state phono stages that are huge values include the Parasound JC3+, The Sutherland Little Loco, the Channel D Lino C, The BMC MCCI and the Moon 610LP. They would all work wonderfully with the Lyra. 

@michaellent , Your tonearm will work fine with the Kleos. The beauty of a light arm is that you can always add mass. With a heavy arm it is difficult to take it away. Soundsmith makes a lovely set of graded cartridge screws in four different weights. By the way your Voice is a fine cartridge. If you are looking for a large improvement is sound you might be disappointed and I say this as a Lyra Owner. The Lyra Atlas Lambda SL may be the finest cartridge I have ever owned. The Voice is a hugely better value and not that far off. For someone who is a rock and loud jazz fan The Voice may even be better. 

There are a few things you can do that will definitely improve your sound. The first is a reflex record clamp. My two favorites are the JA Michell for value and the Basis for absolute best. There is also The Sota Reflex clamp. DO NOT buy the Nobsound it is absolute JUNK! The internal collet is cheap aluminum and will crack and break after so many cycles. What you will notice is better pitch stability as these clamps flex the record into the platter and remove minor warps. Only vacuum clamping is better. Next is get a better isolation platform. The one that comes with your turntable has opposing magnet feet which might help isolate from high frequency noise but never from environmental rumble. A isolation suspension has to have a resonance frequency of between 1 and 3 hertz. The MinusK is the best. There are a few less expensive platforms that might work but I have no experience with them. The Suspension has to be tuned to the weight of the turntable. If the manufacturer does not issue different units matching the turntables weight, stay away. This will give you blacker backgrounds and isolate you from such things as foot fall skipping. Lastly is have a dust cover made you can use during play. A dust cover is only a problem if it is connected directly to the turntable chassis. If it is not it is actually a benefit as it further isolates the cartridge from airborne vibration, the stuff you are listening to! It also keeps things cleaner. Turntables and tonearms do not like dust.

There is another solution to the tracking problem along with graded counterweights and that is a flat record. One can rig almost any turntable with a reflex clamp, vacuum clamping is the best. The records that are beyond the capability of reflex and vacuum clamping should be returned as defective. Aside from not upsetting the tonearm and cartridge the pitch stability of a flat record greatly helps the sensation of a live performance.

@lewm , that is definitely my experience bass being better with higher effective masses. I always push the resonance frequency down to 8 Hz and sometimes a little below. Having a suspended turntable helps avoid the problems associated with a very low resonance frequency. I always measure the resonance frequency and never depend on equations. There are too many variables to depend on equations. Cartridge compliance and tonearm EF tolerances are not that tight. Test records will not break the bank and they help greatly with other issues. 

@ jcarr recommended observing the cantilevers angle for adjusting anti skate. With his cartridges, cantilevers hanging out in the breeze, it is very easy to observe using the tonearm lift to raise and lower the cartridge watching which direction the cantilevers deflection goes when the suspension compresses. For fun I used that technique then checked skating with the WallySkater. It landed right on 11%! Unfortunately, this technique is difficult with many cartridges, but if you have a Lyra or Clearaudio cartridge it works very well.

@jcarr , Way to go Johnathan. You have designed what is to my ear the finest cartridge I have ever listened to in my system. My other cartridges are fine units but one does not match with my phono stage well and the other while having more gain rounds over the details just enough to lessen the frisson. The Altas SL has a way of sounding very detailed without any edge whatsoever. The ascending violin of Vaughn Williams The Lark Ascending brings tears to eyes. I have never heard it reproduced this accurately without any pain. The same holds true for female voices. I have no words to describe the reproduction of #21 "In Trutina" of Orff's Carmina Burana. 

Thank You, 

Mike