Lyra Atlas compared to Lyra Titan i

Hi Syntax, You helped me awhile ago when I brought my TW Raven and I have got the Titan i now. I love the way it tracks and its liveliness compared to my old Dynavector X-1. Could you tell us more details of what you think of the Atlas? It seems you don’t think it is an upgrade to the Titan! I found the Titan very neutral, detailed and not hash at all on my system.

I have owned both. The Titan i was traded in for the Atlas. Both are great carts, among the very best available . I can't think of a single parameter in which the Titan i is superior to the Atlas. YMMV

Etna? the latest top model?

Found a few bigger Pics...

have fun

Lyra 1

Lyra 2

Lyra 3

Lyra 4

Lyra 5

Lyra 6

Very cool

Hi Syntax, that's an impressive collection of Lyra's. How would you compare them to one another?

I was wondering too, how easy it was to swap head shells and
adjust the arm? How much adjustment do you have to do for each
Lyra? Just VTA and VTF? azimuth? How long does it take you to
swap? Do you have a technique of marks or pre-positioned
points?
Also interested in any comments you must be willing to share
between the Kleos and Delos for 70s Rock.

Lovely collection. What tonearm are you using with the Lyra's Syntax?

Some think, there is a hierarchy in the Lyra range. The more expensive, the better...that is wrong.

Best Performance for Price: Lyra Delos
Best Cartridge ever: Lyra Olympos
Best Cartridge for big Spender: Lyra Atlas
Best Cartridge for ear cancer analog Systems: Lyra Kleos
Best Cartridge for TOP Systems: Lyra Titan i

Ear cancer?

Swap time is less than a minute. Fore sure you've to adjust VTA, overhang, Azimuth,... but only using the headshell/cart for the first time. So first setup of each headshell/cartridge is about 10 minutes; swapping to "preadjusted" ones requires only VTF adjustment.

Syntax...so what you are saying...based on your experience...is I could almost sell my Atlas and my Triplanar and buy a Graham and Titan i and be better off?

And Lyra has a new Titan i replacement soon I think...

I assume the tonearm is either FR 66 or FR 64 or both.
I am sure that one of the headshells is Arche but have no
idea which the other headshell is. BTW : no extra 'inserts'
by the Arche?

One speculative proposition. Considering the fact(?) that J.Carr is more a scientist than a businessman I don't believe he would produce the Atlas if he was not convinced that this one is his best. I am very fond of Syntax but my trust is on the side of J. Carr in my speculative assumption.

There are zero engineering reasons why the Titan should be Lyra's best-performing cartridge. Likewise for the Olympos.

The only logical reasons for why the Titan and/or Olympos could sound "best" in a specific audio system are ease of setup, compatibility with other components, and personal preference. If you are the owner of such an audio system, these are completely valid reasons, and you should go for the cartridge(s) that you like the best.

However, if your audio system and/or sonic preferences are less eccentric, both the Titan and Olympos would be a retrograde step in performance compared to the Atlas.

Most audiophiles say "better" or "best", when in reality all that they mean is "I prefer the sound". The two are not the same.

While I am pleased to read a good review of one of my designs, and amused (or bemused) to read a negative review, in the vast majority of cases I do not let these affect my own assessment of how good (or not) that design is. If I believed each and every review that was written about my designs, as a manufacturer I would become totally lost (^o^).

kind regards

Dear J.Carr, This is again 'subjective versus objective' argumentation. Subjective preferences are many and nearly impossible to deal with in a logical way because of the
contradictory statements implicated. The 'engeneering reasons' or should we say 'facts' are supposed to be objective in the sense that any engineer with the adequate
knowledge and experience should be able to confirm or deny the, say, technical facts. This btw is how (physical) science works. The same is the case with the (modern) logic which assume only two truth values: the truth and the false.
You alredy published about the 'technical inovations' implemented in the Atlas. In this sense your job is done while everyone can understand that argueing with different tastes a hopless and frustrating task must be.
BTW I have never seen any negative valuation of your carts but I have of course not seen them all. Anyway you as a person is highly valued in our forum. That is for sure.

Kind regards,

Jcar, thanks for the comments on compatibility and preference. So well stated that I wish I would have said it. LOL

Bob

Well, after long time comparisons there is no doubt...
Unfortunately, not subtle, the differences in musicality (when we can name it that way) is amazing. Tone done right.
A lot can be written about, but all description were already used for Cartridges which are a pain to listen to in real life, so it is the way it is. Here is the extraordinary object of musical presence:

The KING of Lyras

Yes, the Olympos may be the one for you, but it is no longer available. I read somewhere that J Carr thinks the Atlas is his best cartridge to date.

The Olympos is always available if you supply the magnets needed to build the Olympos. The magnets come out of the original Lyra Parnassus cartridge.
J Carr is probably selling a whole lot more Atlas' since everyone is able to get there hands on one if they have the cash.

So you are writing that to get an Olympos, one must buy a used Parnassus
somewhere, somehow, extract the magnets and then send them to Lyra and
wait for a new (with used magnets) Olympos to be built. OK, I sit corrected: The
Olympos is still available.

What would this cost and is it more or less expensive than the readily available
Atlas?

Here is the story, http://www.lyraconnoisseur.com/Products/Products_Analog/Olympos/olympos.html

As far as pricing is concerned I do not know.