Glanz moving magnet cartridges

but I understand that an architect loves 'huge projects'.

Ha ha...very true.
In the variables I listed....I left out Headshells and Headshell Wires.....which Raul rightly advocates as important elements.
Throw in a choice of 5 headshells and 3 types of wiring.....and we are up to 691,200 combinations for each and every cartridge?
Raul convinces himself that he is close to perfection in the evaluation of his cartridges and all the variables, but the reality is......he is as far from it as am I?

Cheers

Dear nandric: +++++ " What are we supposed to do with 'distortions' that we
are not able to hear? Whatever componets we own
the unknown one may have 'less distortion'. How are we
supposed to get the right unknown component of any kind? " ++++

first build/improve the audio system to permit be aware of different kind of distortions everywhere: how?, well that's part of each one forward in each one audio learning curve. I know that your audio system is not up to the necessary level of resolution: you posted that you can't distinguish/be aware after a comparison between two Virtuosos where one has an aluminum cantilever and the other a boron cantilever and if your system can't tell you anything about differences on performance then you have a lot of work to improve your audio system resolution.

IMHO Halcro is not in better status that your system is. He can't either distinguish between " nice " distortions and music and it is not that his ears are not able to but his system is the one that has not the required resolution level.
Tha's why he likes those distorted Signets or the FR6SE or the FR tonearms( heavy distortions everywhere here: IMD, THD and the like. ), Da Vinci no-azymuth facility, poor performance with the 20SS or with the TK10 or the Azden or the 420 or with that system feedback or ...or....
I know very well his Halcro electronics an almost all his system including the Vandersteens.

Nandric, IMHO one target that IMHO you have to improve is your system bass range management, several " problems " are fixed down there and when that frequency range is at optimum level then that system resolution we are talking about appear as a " pile " and then you will continue to build/improve other system areas. Read one of my last posts in the MM thread as a comment to what Stanwal poste there.

In any tonearm the main target ( at least for me ) is to ta achieve the best bass frequency range management, only the best ones achieved and one of those ones is not the FR one that is really bad down there and not permit that resolution we are talking about: high IMD/THD and other kind of distortions hide those distortions.
All these is not easy to understand till we experienced till we learned.

Please don't thing for a moment that I'm dimished your or Halcro system: NO, I'm only trying that you can take a " different road " to really improve your system performance and to be aware of distortions and only with better true and high resolution you will be aware of and then you can fix it not before.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Nandric: That is a proccess, step by step till you be THERE, you will know when arrived!

R.

Dear Halcro: +++++ " Do I ever want to just listen to the music?' " +++++

of course every day, things are that that is our target: " just listen to music with the best quality performance I can achieve through each one audio system ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Halcro: S3 headshells?: mainly!!!!, no-azymuth adjustment and a pain to align the cantilever.

R.