I have both my SoundSmith Strain Gauge and the new DS-W1 optical cartridge in my house to play beautiful music. My first impression of my Strain Gauge in my system was that it sounds like electrostatic loudspeakers. The first thought I had with the DS was, “Now this sounds more like tape than vinyl.” No it doesn’t sound just like a great reel-to-reel setup; it just reminded me more of how tape sounds than vinyl. This review is going to be great fun! Stay tuned.
