Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Raul,

Count me in too once you have the cartridge ready.

BrianC

Raul said on "03-16-10: Rauliruegas"
"Finally I find the analog source true Reference and following/reading the Pedrillo/Travbow restlessness on how attain that cartridge quality performance yesterday Guillermo and I had a meeting on the subject and decide/talk that due that we already have the " Reference " maybe it is time to make our self design phono cartridge, we will meet again to discuss in formal way this exciting new project.
Of course that we have to finish the tonearm/mat projects first than the phono cartridge one."

I said on 3-10-10 Acoustat6

"The only thing we can hope for is that he designs a world beating cartridge himself. Then we can hear about that for another 500 self absorbed, chest beating posts. Where there is no alternative to Rauls absolute."

Am I clairvoyant? No. But now that Raul has built the worlds best phono/linestage and is busy working on the worlds best tonearm, well what else could he do? Can't let the unwashed masses roll around in pig slop MC cartridges. Not when he saved us from tube preamps, and now on the quest to save us from linear tracking arms and all of those bad sounding pivoted arms that dont match his golden ears standards.

Raul, I want to thank you personally for saving all of us in the audio world from the mediocrity put out over the last 50 years by electronic/audio designers, who obviously have not a clue at what they are doing compared to you.

Bob
PHP143

Acoustat6, I honestly think Raul is serious in his plans and attempts to fulfill his dreams and visions.
And I have no doubt that in his very personal point of view to the audio world as a whole he will succeed one far away future day. In his vision to let the world know and accept that his designs are what he sincerely believes they are, he will fail - as will and has so far everyone trying to make anything "absolute" or "best ever".
These are all hollow phrases today.
Human hearing and taste and visions are always individual and subjective.
If there is one single field which will never see any "best", than it is audio reproduction.
Unless we succeed in standardizing the recipients ....

Dertonarm, you could become a follower of Adolphe Quetelet... :^)

Wow, another thread goes bananas. Is this hobby about writing endless posts about cartridges, a never ending quest for a new (or new old stock) and improved sound, or about enjoying the music?

It's SXSW time here in sunny Austin. Shortly I'll get off the computer and go enjoy some music. Played by musicians who, for the most part, could care less about the difference between one cartridge or another. "The music" is so much more than what is reproduced by my audio system. Anybody else regularly have an amazing response to music that is reproduced over a cheap car stereo or computer speakers? At those times, I remind myself that the fidelity- high, low, or in between, is only one factor (often a not very important one) of why music is so meaningful to me.