What is the “World’s Best Cartridge”?

@mikelavigne You are one of few who have invested substantial sums into your equipment.

It would be easy if to dislike your commentary on your experiences, if you were to attach yourself and follow certain ways of expressing yourself, as seen used by the minority of contributors, who seemingly are in collusion, in their encircling a member and bombarding them with their superfluous confrontations.

Fortunately, you have stood your own corner and been faithful to your decisions, and made it known how these are beneficial to yourself, and in certain cases have been the correct choice made for yourself.

There is nothing left for you to prove, your budget, your system, your listening environment, your reaction to the stimulus created. The intrusion of others into this, especially informing you of being wrong choices, is insulting, and I can see your affront and resulting action to depart. 

Your reporting on your experiences encountered are very welcome.

I second that. There's good information on this forum, but it is often hidden behind a smokescreen of verbiage from a prolix few. I started here in 2007, but was unable re-activate my old account. Things haven't changed much.

I agree with @pindac. I enjoy reading Mike’s posts, thoughts and invaluable insights. He has helped me tremendously in making good decisions over the years.

I hope we can rise above the typical belittling that goes on here by certain members and continue to share our experiences and enjoy our beautiful hobby.

One fact about the Decca/London pickups with which I’m sure @noromance agrees with me is that they are more critical of the tonearm onto which they are mounted than are just about all other designs. No cantilever, no mechanical damping, a very high level of mechanical energy transferred into the arm tube and bearings, models other than the Reference and Jubilee having a somewhat resonant body---which may be ameliorated by having the stock plastic mounting bracket replaced with the optional Decapod top plate. And the design suffers from a high frequency resonance, mitigated by electrical damping (varying amounts of capacitance and resistance so as to create a "tank circuit". You can read all about it in the writings of Decca enthusiast/expert Harvey Rosenberg of New York Audio Labs).

Once optimized in an appropriate and suitable arm, and amplified with an appropriate RIAA phono amp which can handle the pickups 5mv output (!), the Decca/London’s have an extremely alive, startlingly dynamic, somewhat "forward" (but also reproducing the depth in recordings as do few others) "robust" sound, producing music with great immediacy and presence. The "horn loudspeaker" of cartridges, if you will. Not for sissies ;-) .