Soundsmith Progression: MIMC Star > Sussurro Mk II

Yes. Good thread. I'd love to hear the SS against my Decca Super Gold (paratrace tipped from the Reference). Like most of us, I wish you could try before you buy.

The absence of “try before you buy” with cartridges, seemingly more so than with other components given the sheer variety, their delicacy, and the difficulty of setting them up in demos, has led me to a virtual choice paralysis.  Not much to go on beyond reviews. Not such a big deal on the low end of the price spectrum, but it’s a real issue when you are looking at cartridges that cost $$$. 

You're telling me! If there wasn't the risk of Elusive Disc running out of stock on the Sussurro I'd still be questioning making the move, even with all the good reviews it's got. 

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 really never thought of a cartridge as a component until now.