@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.