Need advice for a replacement phono cartridge

@mijostyn 

Good one. Yes, I really enjoy Japanese and for that matter Chinese music. But in particular the Japanese esthetic and incredible commitment to iterative improvement on a design committed to musical fidelity. I wish I could have a second Japanese high end audio system. 

@mulveling , I have a real hard time buying anything from a guy who said antiskating was not important. 

@ghdprentice , I have a Japanese drumming disc that is sort of fun. I have a bunch of wonderful hand made Japanese woodworking tools (samurai sword tradition)  and yes, a camera or two, but Koetsus remind me of bricks. I feel like making a doll house out of them🤣

@lewm , the Japanese believe that workmanship endows items with a spirit as they believe different stones endow items with a particular spirit. So you have Urushi and stone Koetsus. Apparently the Japanese believe stone spirits are better than lacquer spirits and so command a higher price. They do the same thing with their woodworking blades. How can such a sensitive and aesthetically cultured society get so brutal? If the Chinese keep pushing they are going to find out... again. 

I love my Namiki Urushi fountain pens. So typical of Japanese workmanship. Take a classic design and iterate over and over again improving it to be world class. Meticulous commitment to perfection.  Like my Koetsu cartridge.

@ghdprentice 

+1 on Koetsu cartridges. They're lovely! I got the "seven year itch" to try other cartridge brands, which I enjoy too, but now 12 years since my first Koetsu I always end up coming back to them as my longtime favorite, and remember why they were so intoxicating in the first place.