Dear Dertonarm: +++++ " EPC-P100c/4 does smooth out the sound - as many good MMs and MIs do.
It (and 99.99% of all other cartridges) lacks the physical presence I am accustomed to get from reel-to-reel machines and I know I can get from a cartridge too.
But I never heard it from any MM or MI. " +++++
IMHO you need to hear in your today system this cartridge. What you say that never attain with MM/MI is precisely part of what you get with the Technics. Please read again the cartridge review about.
The name of the game to achieve that physical presence is how good a cartridge " express " dynamics and all what means dynamics.
This cartridge IMHO put new standards on cartridge dynamics and that's why I think is nearest to the recording and nearest to the live event music dynamics. Is simple: outstanding, that's why ( beteewn other atributes. ) is " the best ".
+++++ " It was widely forgotten in the past 2.5 decades. " +++++
yes the high end audio establishment decide to " hide " not only this " subject " but many others but this fact does not diminish in anyway the greatness of this cartridge and as I posted: that's a MM analog source is only an " accident ".
+++++ " is that the wheel is e-invented over and over again.
There is nothing really new in cartridge design today, which wasn't there in 1980. " +++++
I can't agree more with you. As you know in several posts some of us agree with that statement and I can add at least the same for TT and tonearms.
The Technics EPC-P100C MK4 is a confirmation of your statement and there are many other examples in several audio areas.
It is a must that the today high end establishment change for the better in favor of customers and thw whole establishment.
+++++ " may simply have to do with different biases and different preferences in taste (here we go again - individuality...). " +++++
this statement is very important on the " the best " subject and on what we agree or not on audio subjects.
I agree in part with but try to follow spreading the " myth " ( for me. ) of absolute audio individuality like the argument that preclude the existence of " the best " is only part of the overall " the best " agressive environment, is part of the establishment ( IMHO a bad part ) and a false breeze over our each one head that the establishment already put there and that many of you " die for ".
Let me explain what I think about:
the human nature made/makes that almost all of us growed up trying to learn and be better. Our each one " ego " makes that some of us were/are extremely competitive ( always wants win. ) every single day in whatever human activity we are involve even if we don't have the tools/skills and deep overall knowledge on that " activity ", even some of us " live " only with the everyday hope to be " recognizable/grateful " for other people: with or with out merits.
The big " mass/part " of human individuality IMHO does not exist, 90% of our individuality on audio/music is the same, our goals are almost the same. We can have a little different music taste but at the end we are looking the pleasure/joy of home music reproduction at its greatness level.
Of course that we are more " important " persons if we are " different " from the masses/majorities that we are not.
You are a very clear example on this: " hey I came from Krypton and by biases, taste, system, experience, goals, etc, etc are way different, is useless to speak about because you can't understand! "
you already posted something like this several times and ( in good shape ) I laugh everytime not from you but what that means in reallity.
I can live with that and can " talk " with you even if you think ( seriously or not. ) came from Krypton ( that you did not. ), because IMHO your music home system reproduction overall goals are more similar to mines than different. Are there differences? of course but IMHO not irreconzilable ones.
IMHO no one lives in an island and " aisle " totally from the human nature Earth environment.
I'm not on sale or buying nothing not even my thougths and opinion, I would like that we all try to think for a few minutes/hours " out of the audio high end establishment ": with no prejudice of any kind.
It is obvious that the most important part of each individuality is on that remaining 10% of what I talk about. Is this 10% what makes real and unique differences that create different audio-person stratums with different level on each one stratum.
Several factors incident to separate in very clear way those stratums:
our live music experiences, recording involve/know how, whole audio knowledge, experiences with different own audio systems and experiences with other people audio systems, audio discipline level and the " right " process and training to discern quality performance system and music reproduction differences, audio technical know-how, attitude in favor of music and in favor to grow up for the better, sprit to be an actor and not a mere spectactor on where the audio high end goes, good experienced ears and understanding what the music can/could makes for us and for our each one joy and happiness through a home audio systems, knowledge on our each one limitations, knowledge on the home audio system intrinsic/natural limitations, know how of the audio high end today establishment, capacity to think different and take actions according, to own a first rate quality performance audio system , top audio/music quality targets, years of posaitive " training ", etc, etc
Any one of you can add some other " factors ".
Well, IMHO all those factors and more makes a " free " and natural/automatic " grouping " for all the audio people in those diffrent stratums levels.
No one put me there or put you or any one in " that " stratum ": it is a " natural " selection/action.
We belongs where we belongs, nothing more nothing less and obviously we can improve about and as a fact we all are " working " on even if we don't care about.
Well, IMHO only the top stratum audio/music people ( where some of you are. ) has the capacities/overall training to discern about " the best " audio items subject and other " out of establishment " subjects along with the " luck " to find out that " the best ".
Now, IMHO if you or any one insist that is way " different " due to his " individuality " that's fine with me but in no way diminish the " the best " existence figure.
My position is not philosophical or something like that: I only want to live with out " deceit ", with the foots well positioned on floor and with out compromises other than those God decide.
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
