Lyra Etna Lambda cartridge high end koetsu cartridge

Etna Lambda

Lyra, cartridges, phono stages, analog, high end, audio, vynil

The Lyra Etna Lambda Cartridge

Lyra again turns the analog world on its ear by introducing the Etna λ Lambda phono cartridge. Sharing its name with Sicily’s majestic Mount Etna, Etna λ Lambda, the cartridge is an impressive monument in its own right, one that melds tried and true Lyra design tenets with designer Jonathan Carr’s very latest thinking on phono cartridges.

Etna λ Lambda was designed with a strong emphasis on engineering efficiency so that its performance would be as far beyond the sum of its parts as possible. For this reason, although it shares some of its design philosophy with Atlas λ Lambda, the concepts are executed rather differently.

Etna λ Lambda employs a solid titanium core structure machined with non-parallel surfaces to inhibit internal reflections whenever possible. Still, unlike Atlas (and Titan I before it), this is mated to a slightly undersized, asymmetric, mirror-black anodized duralumin outer body that locks over the core like a very tightly fitting jigsaw puzzle. The core and body are augmented with bronze and stainless-steel resonance control rods, then pressure-fit into a pre-stressed, solid, void-free structure comprising multiple materials and complex internal shapes. The constrained-layer nature of this construction dramatically reduces the resonant signature of each material. It creates a far more neutral-sounding body structure than otherwise possible, while the high body stiffness benefits transients, dynamics, and resolution.

Etna λ Lambda uses a yokeless dual magnet system, a diamond-coated boron rod cantilever, and a Lyra-designed variable-radius line-contact stylus. Lyra remains the only cartridge manufacturer to mount the cantilever directly into the cartridge body to create a rigid, seamless connection between the cantilever assembly and tonearm headshell. Why? Linear transducers such as phono cartridges are inherently inefficient devices, on the order of 5 -10%. In other words, of the vibrational energy that enters a cartridge from the LP groove, only 5-10% will be converted into an electrical signal. The cartridge’s internal damping system will dissipate some of the remaining 90 to 95%. Still, much of the excess vibrational energy will reflect inside the cartridge, creating internal echoes and a general diminishing of fidelity. It is pretty easy to hear this with many cartridges- play a highly modulated LP with the power amp turned off and bring your ear close to the cartridge. The “needle talk” that you hear is excess vibrational energy, which isn’t being controlled properly. Etna λ Lambda’s direct-mounted cantilever helps conduct this excess vibrational energy into the headshell, where it is safely dissipated within the greater mass of the tonearm and turntable plinth.

Etna λ Lambda utilizes the asymmetric design concept first seen in the flagship Atlas but moves the screw/screw-hole to the front of the cartridge and interposes a bronze damping barrier between it and the mechanical path linking the cantilever assembly to the tonearm headshell. Freed of all obstructions and voids, the rigid, direct path established between the cantilever and headshell is highly effective at draining away vibrations once they have been converted into electrical signals, effectively suppressing induced resonances and internal reflections that would otherwise manifest as sonic colorations. A narrowed mounting area couples Etna λ Lambda more tightly to the headshell and facilitates the transfer of vibrational energy into the tonearm, giving even better control over spurious resonances.

Another design strength is Etna λ Lambda's high-efficiency X-shaped signal coils, another attribute it shares with the flagship Atlas. Compared to traditional square coil formers, the X-shape allows each channel to operate with greater independence from one another, giving better tracking, tighter channel matching, improved separation, and lower crosstalk-induced distortion. Although there are and have been other X-coil cartridges, their benefits have been accompanied by poor efficiency (in converting mechanical work into electrical output), either requiring high internal impedance (the larger coils add considerable moving mass and increase noise) and having low output voltage (which stresses the phono stage).

To overcome this weakness, Lyra conducted a careful investigation of X-core coils, using a combination of mathematical analysis and hands-on experimentation. The outcome of the analysis program was a very specific X-core shape and dimensions that not only had higher efficiency than any previous X-core cartridge but also surpassed the efficiency of Lyra’s earlier square-coil cartridge designs.

Lyra’s New Angle technology mechanically pre-biases the signal coils so they are perfectly aligned to the front and rear magnets during LP playback, allowing them to move optimally in all directions for superior, distortion-free playback.

A seldom-mentioned yet critical factor in defining the performance and sound of a phono cartridge is the suspension and damper system. A cantilever’s materials, dimensions, and constructions all affect the sound in unique ways. Unless the dampers and suspension are engineered to be a suitable match to the cantilever chosen, the sound and performance will not be optimal.

For Lyra’s post-2008 New Angle models (Delos, Kleos, Etna, Atlas), we developed tapered dampers to pre-load the cantilever downwards when it is in the rest position so that the application of vertical tracking force (VTF) will align the coil angle with the magnets when the cartridge is in the playing position. Our continued research into dampers and suspension systems has now led to the next level up - Lambda.

Lambda separates the tapered dampers of the New Angle cartridges into flat elastomer discs (for damping) and an additional support “pillow” to serve as the cantilever pre-loading element. This division allows the use of more specialized materials better suited to their tasks.

The Lambda Atlas and Etna continue the New Angle benefits (coil and magnet angles become aligned when the cartridge is in the playing position). Still, stability and sonic performance are significantly improved.

The Lambda improvements apply to the single coil layer models (Atlas SL, Etna SL) and the standard double coil layer models (Atlas, Etna). Likewise, for the Atlas Mono and Etna Mono models.

While Etna λ Lambda is second from the top in Lyra’s line, one listen will demonstrate that this cartridge’s performance would define the very top of any other cartridge line. Atlas has a very refined, elegant, and voluptuous sound, while Etna λ Lambda personality is more outgoing. We genuinely believe that choosing between these two exceptional performers will come down to one’s tastes and the system in which it will live. For many customers, Etna λ Lambda will be ideal and become their preferred Lyra.

Specifications for Lyra Etna λ Lambda

  • Type: Medium weight, medium compliance, low-impedance moving coil cartridge
  • Stylus: Lyra-designed long-footprint variable-radius line-contact nude diamond (3μm×70μm), slot-mounted
  • Cantilever system: Diamond-coated solid boron rod with short one-point wire suspension, directly mounted into cartridge body via high-pressure knife-edge system
  • Body: Machined titanium central core, anodized aluminum
  • Coils: 2-layer deep, 6 N high-purity copper, chemically-purified high-purity iron cross-shaped former, 4.2 ohm self-impedance, 11μH inductance
  • Output voltage: 0.56 mV@5 cm/sec., zero to peak, 45 degrees (CBS test record, other test records may alter results)
  • Frequency range: 10 Hz~50 kHz
  • Channel separation: Greater than 30dB at 1kHz
  • Compliance: Approx. 12×10 cm/dyne at 100 Hz
  • Cartridge mounting screws: 2.6 mm 0.45 pitch JIS standard
  • Cartridge weight (without stylus cover): 9.2g
  • Distance from mounting holes to stylus tip: 9.5 mm
  • Recommended tracking force: 1.62 - 1.72g
  • Recommended load directly into MC phono input: Detailed guidelines in instruction manual, finalize by listening
  • Recommended load via step-up transformer: Use a step-up transformer designed for 3 -6 ohms cartridge impedance (step-up transformer’s output must be connected to 10kohm ~ 47kohm MM-level RIAA input, preferably via short, low-capacitance cable)
  • Recommended tonearms: Medium to Medium-High mass arms are recommended, which is the bulk of the tonearm market