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BEST cartridge money can buy?

i know the best, depends on this or that. still the cartridge best able to remove all there is in those grooves with the most accurate, cleanest sound possible. the cartidge that all other should be compared too. the reference of references. the one that has never been bettered? the cartridge one lusts after? if you must base on a system fine but i preferr the one that no matter what tt, stage or any other item down the chain can not be bettered? if you have multiple ties top 3 or 5 in desending order. please by expereance and actual listening knowledge.
koegz
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rauliruegas
13,084 posts
 
Dear Koegz: Money ( big money/alone. ) can't buy the best cartridge because the cartridge quality performance IMHO does not depend on money but in cartridge design and execution of that design and with almost the same importance the quality of the tonearm where the cartridge will be matched.

If your phono stage can handle the " humble " MM alternative then IMHO here are some cartridges that in my experiences can't be beat it for no other cartridges ( MC/MM. ):

Audio Technica ATML180-OCC, Signet TK-10MLMK2, Audio Technica AT-20SS, Grace F9-Ruby, Ortofon M20FL-Super, there are other ones but if you can find one of these it will be worth ( and inexpensive ) to test/try in your audio system, I'm sure you will be really happy to discover a whole new audio world that you even can't imagine to.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
breuninger
101 posts
 
Very good to see another who likes the Signet TK-10, I like(d) it so much I had one of them van den Hul tipped. I always wanted to try varying capacitor loads with it. I have a love-hate relationship with the Koetsus. I had my Urishi for sale but then pulled it after a sale fell through. I've had ProIVs and Rosie Siggis but the older I get the more detail I desire. Of course, next year I'l feel just the opposite. I find that cartridges are like women...

Peter
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
"Best of" thread are senseless and seldom show any form of unanimity.

You'll receive dozens of answers each with its' own merits.
pcking
49 posts
 
Rauliruegas, you the man. Three turntables, nine tonearms, and a bunch of nice cartridges. Can't say I have ever seen anything like that.
pryso
1,932 posts
 
This type of question comes up all too often. I'm glad to see Raul and Audiofeil comment so I'm not the lone curmudgeon!

Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla, Fords or Chevys (MB or BMW), blonds or redheads??? If might be nice for such a simple standard but since we are individuals, having different standards, perceptions, experiences, etc. means that identifying any single best audio component is impossible, not withstanding claims on the cover of Stereophile. 8^)
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