Soundsmith Progression: MIMC Star > Sussurro Mk II


Hey Folks--the discount now available on the Sussurro Mk II has me considering the jump from the MIMC Star. Has anyone made the leap and/or done a direct comparison in their own system and, if so, how would you characterize the difference in performance? Thanks for your input.
dodgealum

Showing 9 responses by audioquest4life

I just received my Sussurro and it sounds great out of the box. Tracking at 1.85 and experimenting between 470 and 1k loading. 1k sounds more lively, and 470 more even keel. Too soon to judge these settings as it should settle in more before giving judgment. Noticed that 150-180 gram lp’s sound fulller while 200 gram sound a little less lively. It could be that the Sussurro is very sensitive to VTA. I have it mounted on a SME V arm with Aesthetix IO signature phono amp and transrotor Apollon turntable.
going from a Benz LPs and as stated out of the box, this cartridge nails it. Holographic soundstage to die for. What is everyone else loading their cartridge with? Enjoy
Not quite broken in, at 30 hours, but starting to get a taste of the sound, and it’s sweet. When new, I tried the recommended 470 ohms, then 1000, and up from there all the way to 47k....then back 470, this on an Aesthetix IO Signature tube phono stage. All along, The Sussaro had an extraordinarily extended highs, but being still new, a little dry and analytical sounding. Stayed at 470 for a about 10 hours, and while the resolution was excellent, it still seemed to be somewhat shouty, and a just a tad dry. I went to 243 last weekend, and wow...loss of that last bit of dryness and shouty sound, now it’s sounding like it found its groove. Perhaps, the phono XLR (Silver Breeze) cables added a touch too much capacitance, but for now, very Benz LPS like, but with added dimensions, width, and details. So, liking this so far based on the direction it’s going. The stereo separation is way beyond any cartridge I have ever heard in my system, or at trade shows, it is one of its strong points for sure. Listened to the new Stevie Nicks Crystal Visions, Very best greatest hits LP, and it sounded fantastic. Also, played some old school Santana, 45 rpm edition, and it was also great, with cymbals extremely clear. Played a Doobie Brother LP, and the song it keeps you running, is a benchmark song for me, as I play this a lot...man, the spaciousness is incredible, and before, it was already great. This is my first Soundsmith MI cartridge, but for anyone not used to it’s stereo spaciousness, you may be alarmed in a good way, that sound is extending to the far left and right of your speakers. It makes for listening to the same old music sound like a new listen. I will stay settled in a 243 for a while and see what happens after about 10 more hours. Will post a follow up after that.

How about anyone else, what’s been your listening impressions? Eager to hear your experience and to what cartridge you compared with or replaced.

Ciao
The LPS has been my go to cartridge for years....I was saving for a Koetsu Onyx, but, might not have to anymore😀

Sure digging the sound from this Soundsmith. 

@tonyptony,

Sure. Well, if you like the LPS, the MKII is an LPS turbocharged or taking all of those excellent qualities we like from the LPS and amplifying them to at last 3-5 times better. That’s just direct LPS traits comparison. Further, the way that the MKII digs out the clarity, resonance, and harmonizes human voices has me shaking my head in disbelief. The voices just seem to stand out in a way that is just plainly more real and human. While the LPS is great, it is no match to the way that The MKII extracts the human vocals from a record. Additionally, the separation and soundstaging are better, with distinct separation of musicians on either or left or panned in the sound field, the MKII does this better than the LPS. Jazz ensembles or rock where flute, horn, or cymbals are part of the song, also exude a form of naturalness to the music that when all of these attributes combined, and your system is able to take advantage of what The MKII has to offer, you will close your eyes and either fall asleep from the enjoyment and ease of the music, or think that the musicians and the band are in the room. I have been playing the MOFI edition of Marvin Gaye, what’s going on, and Marvin’s voice is so clear and articulate with the resonance of his breathing distinctly showcased with the MKII. The songs What’s going on and Save the Children connect with me way more emotionally with the MKII than the LPS, and the LPS is no slouch either. 

Another song I play often for sampling new equipment is from Supertramp, ,another MOFI, Breakfast in America LP, the song Child of Vision. This song has it all, drums, saxophone, piano, cymbals, and excellent voicing. What I look for in this LP is two things,,,the staging of the piano, and the sax at the end. The piano used with the LPS while sounding great, depicted a front soundstage with the keys being hit at varying intensity panning somewhat from left to right. With the MKII, the piano is clearing panning from front to back in a different way...away from the center but you know the keys are being hit acrosss the keyboard in a direction, and you can track it, perhaps the wider stereo separation and/or I am hearing the layout of the piano as if is angled towards the center, not sure, but it makes me feel as if the piano is being struck there and I am hearing the panning across the keyboard from either left to right, or right to left in a way that seems more realistic. The saxophone at the end seems to resonant louder compared to the LPs, also with more saxophone bite and edge. 

The Three Blind Mice 45 rpm box set is another benchmark LP for me as well. The Blow Up sessions, with the song Aqua Marine will have you just sit there in bewilderment as at first the bow instruments cut across the air like a knife, then they roll into the drums, cymbals, and several crescendos, will have you scratching your head as to what the heck you just heard. Not just for the song, which is very eclectic, but the way the instrument portrayal hits you. I was amazed the first time I heard this song with the LPS, and I am even more amazed with this song using The MKII. 

I am setteled at 4.75k ohms with the Aesthetix IO signature for now and have around 55 hours so far, and climbing. 

Thinking about installing my Benz Ruby Z to see how this compares to that as well. 

I don’t know if the new D series Sussaro is way better than the MKII but I know the MKII is better than the LPS, at least in my system. Not sure how Soundsmith could make the Sussaro better, but maybe it sounds different in D series configuration. This is first MI cartridge and first purchase from Soundsmith. I can wholeheartedly state that I am more than satisfied with this cartridge. Happy listening. 
@tonyptony 

Great and  good luck Good luck installing. Listening to Sade Promise LP and it’s quite fantastic with this cartridge. Again, voicing is so uncanny accurate and instrumentals so lifelike as well. The first side with Sweetest Taboo is so awesome, lots of saxophone. 
@slaw 

concur with you on all points. Going to dig out my Pink Floyd and give it a spin now. We are definitely getting something that literally has changed my perspective of listening. This is my new benchmark...,and I don’t think I am being too optimistic, but now, I don’t feel like saving up for a stone body koetsu anymore. I always stated that the LPS was a lesser version of a koetsu stone, namely the onyx, but the MKII takes it to the top. When I first heard the Onyx, I thought I just have to have it, but years later, I believe the MKII cuts a note like no other cartridge at this price point, or even two or three times. 
@billstevenson

“ Motivated like the rest of you by the great promotional pricing, I went whole hog and bought a Hyperion MkII. Phono Stage is a Conrad Johnson TEA1series3. The high gain stage has a fixed loading of 430 ohms. Right now it is mounted in my Technics SL1200GAE. The choice of headshell, proved tricky. It turns out a Zupreme sounds lively, a Yamamoto HS-4S sounds dull and lifeless. Still can't figure out why. Anyway, the Hyperion is really amazing as you would expect. I have been using an Ortofon Per Winfeld (original), which is also a very nice cartridge, but the Hyperion is just a whole new ball game.“

I was tempted to purchase this as well but opted for the Sussaro MKII. I was concerned and a bit intrigued by the cactus cantilever...how is the sound transmitted compared to metal and would I need to worry about the cactus cantilever falling off..,is it mounted the same as a metal version, all of these questions had me opt for The Sussaro. Wife said this is the best setup we ever had, and that it blows the LPS out of the water, so glad I made that purchase. 

Have you you had a chance to compared the Hyperion against other cartridges and what sound superlatives would you use to describe it. Happy listening
Very nice...and intriguing as well. Everything you describe is pretty much what I am hearing with the MKII. It is without a doubt the best my system has ever sounded. Also, I believe If one has a high resolution system, that these descriptors are more easily discernible. I would definitely like to test drive and listen to the Hyperion in my system one day. For now, I have achieved a level of listening nirvana that is beyond whatever I experienced before. Happy listening. 
Hey Soundsmith team,

Hope all is well and health and life. Its been nearly two years since I and a few other Soundsmith owners have purchased either Sussaro MKII or Hyperion. For me, It’s been a great ride and I play the Sussaro cartridge a lot. What else am I to do during these strange quarantine times. My Benz’s do get some love from time to time, but the musical listening qualities with the Sussaro are addicting. 

How many hours do you have on either your Sussaro or Hyperion? 
I think I am roughy at 1200 hours and starting to hear slight degradation in performance. Compared to either my Benz LPS, Benz Ruby Z or Transrotor Merlo Reference it’s definitely sounding somewhat distorted. Did all of the normal audio geek troubleshooting things, clean stylus, verify VTA, overhang, etc., and all of that is good. In fact, the Fozgometer shows no channel deviation in the Analog test disc tracks 1 and 2 for channel testing. I also experimented with load, all the way up to 47k down to 100...nope, it’s that signature sound of cartridge degradation happening. Been there done that many times. How many of you have reached the end of useable service life with your Soundsmith? 
It’s time to send it off to Soundsmith for a retip. 
Please provide updates living with your Soundsmith and what tracking forces and loading you settled into. Happy listening😀
Audioquest4life