A few years past I attended a Hi Fi Enthusiasts Event where the reveal of the day was a DS Audio Optical Cartridge.
To give a brief description of the day, there were approx' 20 Attendees, whom most of have a decent vinyl experience behind them, and a few are known for the Phonostage Designs in the UK and beyond. This event when arranged prior to Covid Times, has been attended by many who are producing designs, as the appraisals received are seen as very valuable, as a result of the experience of the attendees in the room.
I know the DS Audio Optical Model in use was a very expensive Cartridge and in use with the DS Audio Bespoke Phonostage.
The system downstream of the DS Audio Cartridge was made up of devices from Tonearm to Speakers with a accumulative value of approx' £150 000.
The technology was the talking point following the lengthy demonstration of the DS Audio Cartridge, from my recollections, the Cartridge did not deliver with the impression that it had to be placed on a must have list, I do not recall any attendee expressing that they had been noticeably impressed either.
A different Cartridge, which I believed was a High Output MC, was used following the DS Optical and the attendees were seemingly given this Cartridge the nod as the preferred Cartridge for the Vinyl Session to be continued with.
Later in the day a Rebuilt Ortofon MC was used in the System, with a unknown SUT, the rebuilt Ortofon got lots of appraisal and was referred to as the best used during the day.
There was even a period when a selection of attendees were keen to learn how to achieve the same rebuild as the Ortofon had received. I would suggest this was as much a Value for Money approach as well as to do with the Cartridges Qualities.
As said this experience is quite far back, so a detailed description is not easy to recollect.
