Lyra Atlas experiences


A few years ago, I invested in a Lyra Atlas cartridge / pickup. I have moved up, from Lyra Clavis in the early 2000s and Lyra Titan i later. The Atlas was expensive, but I have not looked back. Yet I wonder, can something more be done, to optimize the Atlas, in my system, and others. How can this remarkable pickup run its best. What are the best phono preamp and system matches. Should the system be rearranged. Have anyone done mods or DIYs to their systems to get the "reception" right? What happened? Comments welcome. You dont need to own a Lyra Atlas but you should have heard it, to join this discussion. Comments from the folks at Lyra are extra welcome - what is your experience.
Oystein
Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter
0_Oholter....the Atlas is phenomenally good at finding all the little differences in all that the record can reveal...performance, production, etc....That's why one pays all that money....however, it will be this microscopic, even if a bit off (we all seek perfection at this level) 

Drastic....just wondering if this mistraking is on one record, at the same place....could a damaged record be responsible?

Stringreen, I was pushed to the wrong side of my bed by Raul

and am not aware that I addressed you with any ''mean''

comment. I like you, you know . While we , the Serbian warriors

don't even need any reason to start a war I think that your

attitude against anti-skate is not sufficient to start a war against

you. BTW how deed you succeed to ruin your test record by

your first trial? To much recommended VTF perhaps?  

My samples are still ''going strong'' for longer as 25 years.

Nandric...I was writing of your unfriendly comments to our Mexican friend.  It would  be better to discuss our beloved black boxes instead.

Records are easily damage with one play when torture tracks are negotiated at poorly set up vtf, a/s , - especially with severely cut stylii, etc. which negate any value for their subsequent use.

stringreen, What about denigrating comments from your (not ''our'')

Mexican friend? BTW he can speak for himself or are you lawyer like

me (grin)?

Using a fozgometer to align azimuth seemed reasonable until I discovered that:
  • It needs new batteries
  • It has to be calibrated
  • It costs $300
  • It is a box consisting of a meter, analog difference calculation and a couple of idiot lights
  • Its output still must be interpreted (See the experience of other writers who have reported "thumbs up" from the device when their vertical angle was anywhere between 7 and 15 degrees, clearly not correct)
I will and have paid five-figure sums to purchase gear (even cables) that make an audible difference, when there's no alternative.  Since I am not an electrical engineer nor do I wish to build my own gear, there IS no alternative.  But this is a case where better alternatives exist.  Had they priced fozgometer at $50, it might be worth trying.  But this is an egregious example of pawning off an overpriced gizmo to the ignorant.

If one is going to make this adjustment using some instrument, it seems to me that instrument should be capable of delivering all the relevant information.  A decent and well reviewed digital oscilloscope is available for $400.  Or, the Adjust+ software is in the same ballpark, and it will enable deeper understanding of the task you're performing.  Both methods require learning and patience.  It's not beyond the ability of most audiophiles to do so, and we will be better informed for it.  I recommend reading Andre Jennings' article in The Absolute Sound titled "Setting up a Phono Cartridge".