Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Dertonarm,

regarding RTR; there is nothing wrong with a Studer A-820 playing thru a custom Cello solid state output electronics as a reference. or an Ampex ATR-102 playing thru the same electronics. while i agree that 70's and 80's RTR decks had marginal output electronics they had superior transports to earlier machines. mated with great output electronics they are hard to beat. again we come to 'sounds' verses music. i've heard the Cello circuit compared to tubed output electronics. the tubes were slow and thick....the Cello was alive and allowed the music to breathe.....but had a much lower noise floor and greater refinement than the stock Studer output electronics.

have you investigated newer RTR transports with improved ss output electronics?

i guess we all have our 'holy grail's' and nothing will separate us from them.

there are many great cartridges i've not been exposed to. maybe the Olympos SL can be surpassed. i've just not heard that myself.

Dear Mike: As interesting as is the RTR source quality performance what Pedrillo sugest was/is a cartridge shootout and this will be nice and learning.

IMHO maybe the RTR/cartridge comparison could be for a next time, but if the majority decided it then is fine for me.

An audio shootout is always fun and if we can take advantage to start/build that Association that will be nice because I think that we all as a " group " better yet as organize group we can/could help to improve what we all ready have and what we all aspire to as members of the Audio High End Establishment.

As an organized group ( Association ) we can be in touch with several other Audiophile/audio-customers associations that already exist all over the world by many years to " work " in benefit of the AHEE where all belongs.
Dertonarm, remember what you an me ( others too. ) talks about some audio standards and the need to do/start something about?, well this is a good opportunity.

If you like ( all of you ) the idea to come to México, maybe just after/before RMFA ( I think in October. ), then I have the time to organize the " tour " and we all have the time to organize for that and to define: cartridges, records, shootout " process ", etc, etc.

In the other side IMHO an audio shootout could be more " positive " to do it in a well controled and more alike of what we all have: a home audio system instead an audio show room.

Aside this could be a good opportunity to know each other and talk on what we love/like.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

¡ Oh ! and don't forget the Mezcal and Chapulines!!! that can be waiting for all of you.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Regards, all: I am sure there are others who appreciate the concept of a meeting of audio cognoscenti to sample and compare well respected sources in a controled setting, but will be unable to participate and enjoy the experience. A recording might serve as a reference for those who would consider "adopting" one or several, but lack the opportunity to audition numerous high end cartridges. This could serve as a foundation for future reference (remember http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1246451558&&&/Establishing-a-common-analog-listening-b?) and as a tool related to individual system evaluation.

Details would be as agreed upon by the participants but I would be pleased to "subscribe" to a CD (with appropriate material identifying the cartridge, TT, RTR, musical selection etc.) in advance. One might anticipate the possibility this could be an event held in various locations in the future.
Just a thought.

Mikelavigne, just checked and saw the A-820 listed and pictured in your system.
Sorry and by all means, don't take my remark about ss-based RTRs personal.
And yes, having had good relations to the Bavarian Broadcast as well as to two recording studios here in Munich I am pretty accustomed to the younger generation Studers too.
The improvement in speed stability and reduced vibration does not really make up for loss of dimensionality and low level dynamics compared to the C-37 - especially not when running at 15ips.

But this belongs somewhere else and RTRs are way behind me today. I had it, I put it to extreme and saw the borders and got some memorable experiences which helped me on my way with cartridge/tonearm set-up and the possible sound.
I respect your set-up and the A-820 is a fine machine. Should you ever run across a C-37 in fine shape with back-up set of original tubes you should nevertheless give it a serious thought - if you are really into RTR.
After all - all the truly great recordings till 1968 in Jazz, Pop and Classic alike were made on tube-based RTRs.

I am certainly no "tubes vs ss - choose sides! - audiophile".
I use both. I do believe in design - and I do get the results I want with either active devices. I use tubes in my preamplifier and ss in my power amps - partly SEss-OPT amps.

There is no audio-religion I follow - aside from true performance.
Results are all I am after.
Whatever rocks the house is fine with me.