Soundsmith - Thank you to everyone.

No, w the Straingauge, Peter is going for the straight resolution angle. Because w resolution comes natural warmth, lifelike speed, dynamic contrast, tonal density and differentiation, and timbral accuracy.

That's what I gleaned from Uwe's review. That's what I thought was supposed to be the goal of all our gear- to reveal. Not to be warm, or cold, or any particular way at all. To not even be there. That at least to me is the ideal. Which is why its in my system description. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367  

Of course we never truly get there. We fall short, always. But that's the aim. Then yes a lot of records, even some treasures, will be revealed to be less than perfect. Oh well the recording engineers have all the same problems. Some do better than others. Even if they do a really good job it can still be screwed up later- look how many crap pressings there are! But that still leaves the magic. Here and there. Which when you do come across it, always seems to me, the less your system imposes the more of the magic you get. 

So yeah my impression is the Strain Gauge is the bomb. Figures. Like everything else. Whenever I narrow it down to the best, its nowhere to be found. By which I mean no way to audition. You just have to take a pass.... or bite the bullet.  

It is obvious and always has been obvious that Peter is, in no particular order.. an amazing engineer, technician, innovator and artist.
MillerCarbon, is the German word you were looking for: Fahrvergnugen? 😄

Maybe some people have not looked hard at my last name. Ledermann. My parents were holocaust survivors. My family tree goes back in Germany to the 1500's on both sides. And there were some very fascinating and innovating members; in law, government, science and more. My Grandmother (Lisbeth Ehrlich) was a blood relative of Paul Ehrlich I am told, who cured millions of people with his synthetic antibacterial, long before the discovery of penicillin. He eschewed formal education, preferring to intuit the chemical and microbiological world. I seem to have inherited a drive for preference of intuition over formal education as well, and a deep desire to understand the natural and mechanical world. That drive has aided me in my developments, discoveries and work. The SG DOES have more of its DNA in the camp of scientific instruments than musical instruments like magnetic designs must, due to the design. They are mandated that way due to the moving mass. But by no means think the SG is easy to build due to low mas - it is anything but. It is far, far more difficult to build. It took me years (many)  to make it a repeatable, predictable design specifically because it is far more of a scientific instrument being a displacement measuring device as opposed to a magnetic velocity generator. Is it ALWAYS the best cartridge to play? No - as is being said some pressings are less than perfect and a magnetic design will sound better.  Many systems I have set up for customers have two arms, an SG on one and Hyperion, Sussurro or Paua on the other. For myself,  I play the SG on about 90% or more of my recordings in part because I am addicted to it. But very often, I use the Hyperion for many and especially certain records. The Hyperion is the closest Magnetic design to the SG in the world. That explains some of its popularity I believe. If I had to only live with the Hyperion, .........no tears.     Peter Ledermann

Not so many polymaths, let alone people of culture, left to trod the path. I say goodbye to a Russian engineer and poet tomorrow. A person who had a broad and deep vision. Nice to know Peter is here. 

Thanks Peter,
You and your like are what is needed to drop in to this forum now and then (which it appears you do).
Being so far away, I am not in the US flow
of audio. I have heard of Soundsmith, but not the cartridges you create. Apart from your web site, I have not seen anything reviewing the “strain-gauge” circa 2019/20.
I see the usual parade of cartridges, but will be asking for further information from you once we are clear of this virus and back at work, for those survivors.
Lovely poem, like a delicate watercolour.
Well done and though there are many other creators in the world of audio, we need more like you.