The Voice

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARD - 2009 - StereoMojo

"The Voice" cartridge by The Soundsmith makes a clear statement amidst the other voices of high performance phono cartridges.

It overturns the myth that moving coil cartridges are the only path towards perfection. After all, what is the "advantage" of the moving coil type of cartridge? Low effective moving mass, right? We got less. Much less. And if you understand moving mass, Less IS more.

The 40 year evolution of "The Voice" cartridge affords lower effective moving mass than any of them. Far lower. It even has 40% less than our other moving iron designs! Why is that good? Because when you lower the moving mass, it’s easier to control. If it’s easier to control, the stylus can stay in better contact with the groove walls. That’s good, because if you can’t stay in contact with the groove walls, you can’t hear what’s on the record.

Is a moving coil preamp required? No. "The Voice" is designed to be used with a Moving Magnet preamp. No transformers. No finicky multi-stage ultra high gain preamp required. Less is more here, too.

Once you’ve heard "The Voice", you’ll never go back. The price?? Oh yes, "less is more" applies here too……….

The Strain Gauge

* patents pending

"Now, with one giant leap, your strain gauge cartridge has leapfrogged the finest moving coil cartridges..... I was completely stunned...." (Ijaz Khan, M.D. ~ Mid-Atlantic Audiophile Group)

The Strain Gauge cartridge is not at all like any other cartridge.

All other cartridges, whether moving magnet, moving coil, or moving iron, are "generators" - that is, you put motion in, and you get energy out... a tiny voltage that you amplify and send to your speakers.

The key here in describing all other cartridges is in the word moving.

All other cartridges need to move a mass around - a mass that is attached to the stylus and cantilever.....either a magnet, an iron core with wires (moving "coil") or a piece of iron.

They are all magnetic generating systems, which require a mass to be constantly moved to generate a voltage. In the Strain Gauge, this mass has been all but eliminated, allowing the stylus to move much more quickly, therefore staying in intimate contact with the groove walls......

  • Frequency response, DC to 70 Khz (rumble filter at 12 Hz.)
  • No "RIAA" filter multi-stage preamp circuitry is required or used in our preamp - We have just one ULTRA clean gain stage between you and your music (RIAA compensation IS required for "velocity" sensitive magnetic cartridges - The Strain Gauge is a "displacement" device......which automatically compansates for the RIAA EQ, thus allowing for an elegant, ultra clean preamp design - the "Less is More" audio philosphy....)
  • Compatible with standard "4 wire" tone arm wiring - no special wiring required
  • User Replaceable stylus assembly - automatically aligns when insterted (varied styli types available) - a feature unheard of in high end cartridges
  • System Price includes Strain Gauge Cartridge and Soundsmith SG Preamp model of your choice
  • All models feature "Fixed" Line level outputs AND +10dB variable outputs (controlled by front panel volume control); all outputs are Balanced and Unbalanced via RCA jacks for maximum hookup options -
  • High Compliance design and freedom from low frequency saturation assures excellent tracking ability and compatability with any tone arm
  • All models feature touch-switch toggling between the Strain Gauge function and single or (multiple) line inputs for maximum hookup flexibility to your equipment