Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

The things that make me wonder,why some of the new "state of the art" cartridges are not much better than some of "state of the art" models from 20-30 years ago,according to some who can actually afford to buy the new top models.If CD would have been introduced ten years later, I wonder how much more cartridge technology would have advanced.Why should one have to spend $4K + to hear a current state of the art cartridge?Why would it be hard to believe the Technics EPC-P100MK4 could be one of the best ever produced?Its a shame Technics/Panasonic doesn't produce these fine cartridges anymore.

03-09-10: Stanwal
"The 205 was one of the best , if not the best MMs ever built. I still have a couple that need rebuilding. But I never heard of ANY p mount cartridge that could compete with a good standard mount given the compromises necessary by the mounting system."

I own a 205, and it is a stellar cartridge that competes even with the $5000 MC I have.

Raul:

First, how does one separate the sound of the cartridge from that of the arm/table?

Second, I think what HP said many years ago in one of his cartridge surveys still applies today. To paraphrase HP, if all these cartridges are supposed to represent the real thing, then how come they all sound so different. I think that just like humans, each cartridge has its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. The trick is as cartridges get better, for them to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

I have to say that I've recently heard many cartridges that I'd like to hear in my system such as the Clearaudios, ZYX, Ortofon, etc.

Hey and if you're happy with your rig, all the power to you! Many people spend their entire life searching for the Holy Grail :)

Myles

The "best" doesn't even interest me. How does one determine the "best" food? Yes, I do see audio in food analogy and, to me at least, much more fun that way as a hobby. This over-determination of looking for the "best" component has given us some of the most flavorless sound imaginable. Is it any wonder that in Asia people are having more fun than in the States that Asians, in the pursuit of quality up to a certain point, also want variety? Compare their magazines to The Absolute Stereophool variety in the States and you can see why. This audio asceticism is the reason younger people see audiophiles as nuts and very soon the kids and spouses no longer want to be in the same room with them. It's time to espouse to the kids and novices that audio can be fun again, or else the hobby will die.... slowly. Bring back the fun! Good luck with your quest.

_________

Dear Tpreaves: In some ways you are right till you find " something " that break your everyday paradigms and this Technics cartridge break audio paradigms and myths.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.