Highest detail cartridges

In my system, cartridge anomalies, arm resonances, tube warmth, and similar often appear in my system as "bloom" at various frequencies that distorts instrumental timbre. Some listeners like that distortion and call it "musical" or other descriptions that are used to rationalize distortion.

+1
I prefer tubes, but have the same concerns.
I find that if the tone arm is able to track the cartridge correctly, then the actual choice of cartridge is far less important. IOW the tone arm/cartridge combination properly set up far overshadows the choice of cartridge. On this account, I've seen some pretty inexpensive cartridges keep up with some really expensive ones effortlessly, all on account of the fact that the tone arm really did its job right.

@atmasphere +1  though I have heard some significant differences in cartridges even with the most careful set-up I can provide.  I'm currently using a Lyra Clavis DC with a new cantilever and stylus (from Soundsmith) that is outperforming its predecessor OC9/II.  Everything downstream is the same.  After hearing the rebuilt Lyra with all the additional detail, I became interested in other carts that might provide as good or better detail.  Since that time, I have decided to just stick with the Clavis DC as long as it will work to its current level.

I agree that some less expensive cartridges can provide superb performances, and also that careful setup and arm matching is critical.  

Of the carts that are being mentioned I own three of them: the Lyra Delos, The ART-9, and the Soundsmith MIMIC Star. Personally I like the Delos the best, it has slightly more weight and better punch than the others, it also sounds more like real music to me. The ART-9 comes in 2nd, and sounds 90% of the Delos, just not as dynamic and maybe a little less detail, I mean a little. Finally the MIMIC Star is a good sounding cart but next to the other two it sounds a bit tame, soft and no where near as dynamic as the others. The MIMIC Star is OK, but for the price I was slightly disappointed in how it sounds. YMMV

Dear @bpoletti :   Highest detail ?. The overall frequency range is to wide to ask " detail " in all the range.

In my experiences what really make a differences for the better always are cartridge with good detail at both frequency extremes, both frequency ranges are the  frame of the whole music. and taking in count both frequency extremes my choice is the Colibri by a wide margin:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis91i48-van-den-hul-colibri-xgp-gold-lw-new-latest-version-cartri...

Overall very hard to beat. Obviously that will be " limited " for the other audio items the Colibri is surrounded, well as any other cartridge but the Colibri is maybe more demandant than others.

R.

Ortofon Cadenza Blue.  Stunningly good cartridge with the right phono preamp.