Earlier in the thread someone mentioned that the SME V can sound constrained, and that is a good description I hear with the Transfiguration Audio Proteus. Everything sounds on track in terms of tonal balance, it tracks well, and at the macro level dynamics and output levels are fine, but the sound lacks that bit of life that I want from the system. It is not that the sound is bad, it is very good, I just feel there is a bit more performance that can be had from the analog system.
Does this mean an arm rewire will push the table over the hump? Does it mean a different cartridge for the SME? Or a wholesale replacement of the arm. That is the question I am trying to work out. I am still waiting on the completion of service for the Ortofon Verismo, and then I will put it on that table. I have a ZYX 4D that has gone to Australia along with my second MC2000 that I am having fit with a boron cantilever, but apparently Australia Post has lost it, or its having issues getting to customs. I sent it out on December 8th and it still has not cleared customs. My other cartridges are at a lesser level, a Shinon Red that Soundsmith retipped with one of their ruby cantilevers, and an Ortofon MC3000 II. The Ortofon MC2000 I have could go on it, but the original review by JGH showed an incompatibility when he put it on a SME V.
So that is what I am trying to suss out, and the reason for this post. Arm pods and 12 inch arms really have nothing useful to add to the conversation as the SOTA tables can only accept 9 to 10.5 inch arms, and I am not setting a static pod on the cabinet with a table that is designed with a suspended sub chassis.
