Psychicanimal,
The music is in the original performance, 100%, which emanates from the minds and hearts of the musicians and conductor, if one is present, as the musicians play their instruments to create sound. The performance is but a fleeting moment in time captured on an analog master tape and then later transferred to the vinyl disc. The disc becomes the sonic equivalent of Michelangelos marble from which art (in this case, music) arises once liberated by an audio system, of which the turntable, tonearm, and cartridge, acting together, are the sculptors chisel. Without the vinyl record, there is no music regardless of the quality and eloquence of the analog front end; and without the turntable, tonearm, and cartridge, the vinyl record remains a black and lifeless disc of petroleum by-products; it has the potential for conveying music, but nothing more. Obviously, all four elements are needed if music is to result, along with the preamp, amp, speakers, and cabling.
So now the argument seems to be which element is the most important. Thats like asking what is more crucial, the brain or the heart? Without either, life, as we know it, is impossible. Sure, heart transplants permit a continued existence, albeit a very short one with many limitations and much suffering. Currently, a mechanical coronary pump is no substitute for a living, healthy, and viable heart despite what we might have read. This medical analogy, however, has only limited utility when it comes to assessing the importance that each element plays in an analog front end. Those who argue that a poorly functioning turntable, or one that functions well enough but fails to provide the proper platter rotational speed, low wow and flutter, excellent protection against spurious vibration and rumble, and a proper balance of materials to assist in the best sonic performance possible, are correct. However, those who argue that the cartridge is the most important element, provided a competent turntable/tonearm are present, are not wrong either, at least not entirely. So how is it possible for both positions to be correct? Are we not looking at a paradox?
If one were to argue the validity of a single point of reference (i.e., the cartridge is the most important element) to the exclusion of all else, such an argument would quickly lead to a position favoring reductionism and absolutism in a situation that clearly suggests that the balancing of all the three elements (turntable, tonearm, and cartridge) is required to create a harmonious whole where the total is more than the sum of the parts. (This supposition would also be equally true if the turntable had been argued as being the only important factor that mattered.) Stated another way, the turntable, tonearm, and cartridge issue is like solving three linear equations with different unknowns (x, y, and z). To leave one equation unsolved would mean to obtain an incorrect outcome, or at best, a partial, but incomplete answer. All three elements (turntable, tonearm, and cartridge) need to be considered simultaneously, with an equal probability given that anyone element could be scrutinized momentarily to the exclusion of the other two. If this process were allowed to continue long enough, one would have the benefit of seeing the entire picture, as well as enjoying the view from all relevant perspectives.
This approach may be fine in theory, but what if another variable is introduced cost? In a perfect world and with unlimited time, money, and energy, one could spend all the resources necessary to solve the three equations to come up with a superior turntable/tonearm/cartridge combination. But most audiophiles are limited by the exorbitant prices of SOTA products, making it very challenging, indeed, to find the most eloquent solution with limited funds. Most of us have to compromise, including myself. So which of the three elements gets shortchange with our initial purchase?
Several of us have already tried, or experienced, the expensive cartridge/modest turntable and tonearm combination, and found it lacking to some degree. Better results were obtained by pouring more resources into the turntable first and less into the tonearm and cartridge, in that order. The logic is simple: its easier, when finances permit later, to upgrade the tonearm and cartridge with a great foundation in place, that foundation being the turntable. Over time the tonearm would be updated next, followed by the cartridge.
Pursuing a course in which the cartridge comes first would mean that the modest turntable and tonearm would never fully reveal what the high-performing, high-cost cartridge had to offer. (Its like buying an expensive FM tuner in a region that plays country music and talk radio on the AM dial, and the nearest classical/jazz FM stations are too far away for really good reception.) Moreover, this situation would not improve dramatically if only one element were upgraded at a time. If the turntable were purchased next, it may not have the correct arm mount for our modest tonearm. Or if the tonearm were to come next, the turntable may not be able to support it properly, and so on. Additionally, as long as the analog front end is being used, the expensive cartridge is slowly wearing out, meaning it, too, will need to be replaced eventually. This replacement expenditure may also put a limit on ones upgrade aspirations. However, if a reasonably good sounding cartridge of modest cost were selected first, one can sink the bulk of ones audio dollars in the turntable with the intension of upgrading the arm next and finally the cartridge. Thus, cartridge wear in this situation would be of less concern because the cartridge would be replaced eventually and would, therefore, have less impact upon ones future upgrade plans.
In formulating my analog front-end plans, I followed the process outlined above to a large degree, and I modified my plans accordingly as a result of all the posts that have been made here. While my initial post asked for advice about cartridge selection, I also, indirectly, asked about turntable and tonearm compatibility. At that point I had momentarily elevated the importance of the cartridge, but not to the permanent exclusion of the other two elements, those being the turntable and tonearm. Throughout this process I have engaged in a juggling act, so to speak, keeping all three elements in motion until I found a solution for each one, a solution that would not only serve the whole, but each part thereof.
