Lyra 'house sound'

I am sure others will chime in also. I've owned a Lyra Lydian Beta, Helikon and 2 Skala's. As far as a house sound, I'd describe it as detailed, dynamic, great extension, power but with delicacy and finesse. The Skala has a drop of warmth that's very addictive for me compared to the Helikon (along with just everything else being better)

I have never heard a Titan, but my experiences with other Lyra's suggest not a diminishing return...they do get better as you step up. From what I've read the Titan i is even better at dynamics...

What arm, table, and phono stage are you using?

Good luck

That is a interesting question. First I thought, a quick answer is possible, but the more I thought about it...
Let‘s say it different, after all those years with them I think, most Systems aren‘t able to show their real potential. They have an excellent quality control, the specs are great (channel separation for example) and they have in general no „sound“. They are very detailed. Some say, they can sound thin and analytical but this is based on something totally different. The Lyras react very much with the linked comonents, specially the Tonarm. The better that one is, the more body, „Gestalt“, swing, PRAT and so on they will show. The cartridges are different to others. Others will go „to a Point“ and that‘s it from Performance. No matter what you do, they won‘t „tell“ you something new.
The Lyras (or most of them) do, specially the Titan i.
One of the best carts ever made, but unfortunately most will never know what this unit is really able to do. Most are mounted in Arms or Turntables which aren‘t first rate and their weaks are transmitted into the cartridge and amplified. Good Arm with excellent bearing, superior vibration transfer, isolated Armboard and a top Turntable without creating any vibrations back into the spindle and platter are mandatory.
Lyra has made some great carts, independent from price. Their new Delos is such a remarkable cartridge. I am still impressed, but I got one of the first series. Who knows, probably it was carefully controlled, but it is a real good one.
Most System owners try to compensate something in their reproduction („more bass...more warmth...less of this and more of that...“), most Lyras are straight in detail and speed. When it does not „fit“ most users reflect it in an opinion.
But an opinion has rarely something to do with rethinking own components.
Of course similar can be said to other brands, I had a lot, but there are differences. Some brands I don‘t buy again, but Lyra always was a Part of my System.

It's not only 'house sound' that got me married to it it's also excellent tracking abilities. They do an excellent job for any kind of music you'd like to listen to. I own Micheel Gyro SE/Technoarm/Lyra Titan. Previously owned Lyran Lydian, Lyra Argo. Before Lyra I've owned Benz Glider, Benz M.09, Shelter 501.

Thanks for asking. TriPlanar is my current arm; think I'll replace an old VPI Mark something with the Brinkmann Bardo. But the game-changer was the Shindo Giscours which I added last month - it made me re-think my whole analog front end, it's that good. This will be my first cartridge replacement since 1995 (I know, I know) and I want to get it right. I listen to vocals, solo keyboard, opera and chamber.

The other cartridge on my really short list is the Shelter 9000, about which I've found precious little feedback. I'll be using the cartridge with a tubed pre-amp and the VAC tubed amp; someone found the Kleos 'heavy' and 'dark' with tubes. The only hesitant reaction I've found to the Titan was that it sounded a bit lean, but I don't know with what system it was used. Glad to know that step ups in price are justified.

Do you consider Transfiguration cartridges as well? Don't know how they would work in this arm though.

I've read that the Phoenix sounds a little 'soft' and that the Orpheus is glary on top, surprising for its price.

Are you planning on running the cartridge directly into your Giscours?

The Delos worked well with my Monbrison, the Lyra Argo did not work at all. The step-up in the Monbrison has been optimized for a very low load (SPU or Miyabi).

Oh boy, Restock. Yes, the Kleos will go straight in. My current cartridge (Audioquest 7000nsx, born in 1995 - I know, I know) does the job quite nicely - it's .3mV. And I recall the Kleos is .5mv?

Why, pray tell, did you have a problem with the Argo into the Shindo ? I mean, translate for me the technical part about low load. I just happen to have an Expressive Technologies SUT (a 30-lb monster costing $3K back in the day) which I don't use and would rather not. Did you need a SUT ?

Don't the Kleos ( I have one) and the Delos buck the Lyra "House Sound" ? I have not heard the Skala, but I have heard the Helikon and Dorian. Until I heard the Kleos, I always assumed you could have warmth or detail but not both.

And to my ears and in my system, it is not like old style Grado warmth or classic tube warmth. It is fullness but not bloat with an extended top and bottom. Quite seductive.

I am experimenting with a Jolida JD9 phono pre and the Kleos is not dark through that. Put in NOS 5751's and am about to try those so I will see what changes.

With "load" I meant the internal impedance of the cartridge. The step-up that is built into the Shindo is optimized for low impedance cartridges 2-6Ohm is about ideal. Some higher impedance ones may still work but it may become worth experimenting with external step-ups as well. Loading is not the only important things as the Argo and Delos are close but the Argo was less than ideal.

I never got the Argo to work that well with the Monbrison and ended up using my Allaerts exclusively with an Auditorium 23 external step-up (which is close to optimal for the Allaerts). Recently I got the Lyra Delos as a backup cartridge as I always liked the dynamic, lively and direct house sound. The Delos works surprisingly well into the Monbrison and has just the right balance of live and dynamic, body and textures. Since the Kleos is somewhat close to the Delos I would hope it may work as well, but it does have slightly different electrical characteristics.

OK - I'm not hearing any forum feedback that would indicate problems with the Kleos / Shindo Giscours, either electrically or aurally. The final and only valid assessment arises from actually hearing the synergy, which I hope to do very very soon. And then maybe I can feed back my experience which might be as helpful to others.