What is the “World’s Best Cartridge”?

@dover , I listened extensively to Soundsmith's Strain Gauge cartridge with records I know intimately. It has excellent transient response and a very vivid signature partially because it is too bright. It's tracking ability does not come close to that of the Hyperion. I decided not to get one. The Hyperion is a cartridge I could live with and may in time get one. The cartridges I own indicate what I think is best. The MSL Signature Platinum, The Lyra Atlas Lambda SL and the Ortofon MC Diamond. 

@osada22 , the DAVA is a poorly constructed, ill thought out, piece of junk. I would never let one get near my turntable. @rauliruegas's purpose is to warn people away from the DAVA and he is right.

careful never to listen to a DaVa. you might then choke on those words, which could be fatal. don’t say i never warned you.

btw; owned an Ortofon MC Diamond, along with a couple of MC Anna’s and A90’s. all fine cartridges not quite in the DaVa’s league. i sold my MC Anna and Clearaudio GFS, when i got my first standard Etsuro Gold and compared those three. the Etsuro Gold was another level in realism. but in the MC Anna price range it was a winner. a very fine cartridge.

since the DaVa is sold direct without any middle men or distribution (so far), the value equation is remarkable. 

Dear @osada22 : No, I’m not dreaming nothing your statement is wrong because was you who posted in other thread the Dava FR where it shows those 6db deviation.Fr whatever reason you don’t show yet the cartridge compliance that any owner andpotencial customers must know to calculate the resonance frequency with their tonearm they already own. Even that M.Lavigne does not cares about that spec is a must to have.

Yes, I agree with @mijostyn .

Btw, @mikelavigne today no one and I mean it can trust only in that " listen " that is only subjectivity. We need to be very carefully about and try to analyze the item surrounded facts/characteristics in an objective way. Ears can foolish not only you but any one else including me. Dava did it with you and here two other gentlemans opinions on this specific issue in this thread:

@boothroyd  : "  You make many valid points about subjective & objective balance for a “World’s Best” title .."

@jasonbourne52  : " This is a case where the "golden ears" crowd’s subjective impressions leads to erroneous conclusions! "

R.

@rauliruegas  wrote "Btw, today no one and I mean it can trust only in that " listen " that is only subjectivity. We need to be very carefully about and try to analyze the item surrounded facts/characteristics in an objective way. Ears can foolish not only you but any one else including me. Dava did it with you and here two other gentlemans opinions on this specific issue in this thread"

Our listening pleasure is a subjective experience. I am unsure what philosophical underpinnings you propose to justify telling someone their subjective experience is less valid than yours. I’m all for measuring what can be measured, and claims like ’my power cord will make your music 10% better’ that are used to sell nonsense to fools are to be regarded as worthless. But if you tell me you prefer a Guarneri over a Strad, a Fender over a Gibson, how can I say you are wrong just because I have a different taste?

The most any of us can say in response to the question that started this benighted thread is that ’x is the cartridge that pleases me the most of all those that I have heard.’ That is a statement that stands no matter how anything measures.

@rauliruegas

in my decades of activity i have yet to meet an audiophile, any audiophile, who does anything but listen to gear to make decisions. whether it’s gear, or pressings, or digital files or whatever....we listen. and to interact, we have to respect listening perceptions. otherwise, chaos...or even worse..... ASR.

i’m sure such people exist, but i have no desire to meet one or to hang with them.

and Raul, you did not build your system or choose recordings by measurements.

so why, as long time respectable friends, do you continue to torment me with all this baloney about distortions and measurements? why? certainly all reproduced music contains distortions, it’s never perfect. never will be. so what?

you don’t believe that crap.

i tell you what i hear, and please tell me what you hear. but enough already with all the noise. it’s just a waste of time. i respect you and am interested in what you hear.