Best Cartridge cost no object

First, sorry I delayed in response. I was out of town. The Insider is not as extended in the high frequency’s or quite as detailed as the Reference, but they share pretty much the same personality otherwise. The Keuwetsu (which I choose) is warmer and smoother than either of the Clearaudio cartridges, and supplies approximately the same resolution, but with more mid range weight and warmth. (Probably the wood body?) My system tends to be very high rez, so it is the choice for me, musically, not necessarily because the quality is better. I have tried the transfiguration, and sort of liked it. My problem with it is that it seemed somewhat pale and thin when compared to the others we are discussing. You cannot complain about its detail and speed. I also thought it was not quite as convincing in the phase accuracy department. I have not heard the Symphonic line in my own system, so I will not make comments. On all these fine cartridges, the set up is so critical, that it would take two pages to stress the point. The tracking weight, for instance, is critical to two hundred's of a gram. This is no problem to hear!

Dear Albert,thanks for your response. I have transfiguration af1,and I think it sounds very good,but I didn't compare with others. Moreover I have just bought a Symphonic line and a clearaudio reference cartridge,but I haven't listened to them because I am leaving home to go to another one and so I had to put my system off and this makes me suffer a lot!!! I am very interested to advices about clearaudio set up. I'd like to e-mail you for this,so if you agree you could write to me at www.fulmar@libero.it and leave me yours.

Guys, cost-no-object is an oxymoron in cartridges. Remember you actually rent those thingys: the price of retipping and actual replacement once the suspension runs out is dear. I'd go for a reliable good sounding than a fragile excellent sounding one. And one manufactured by a company likely to stay afloat for a long time in vinyl's dark times.

Interesting I have had a number of cartridges starting with Lyra Clavis (still have), but chaned to Benz Reference which I like. Hoever, for classical music nothing can beat the Grado Reference ($1200 issue) for warmth and great sound. Keep coming back to it.

Clearaudio Insider Reference Wood.