Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?


Dear friends: We can read through different threads/posts in this forum that people always want/ask to know for the " best " " audio item " that IMHO and till today does not exist in " absolute " meaning.
Well I already have and I'm " living " a unique experience that makes me to share with all of you what IMHO could be in Absolute terms " the best cartridge ever ".

Please read this Technics EPC-P100C-MK4 information that could help you for you can share with us your experiences/thoughts on the subject of this thread:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&openflup&1827&4#1827

Thank you in advance.
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
Ag insider logo xs@2xrauliruegas
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.
Dear Syntax. That's exactly what the audio high end establishment say/said and " we " follow it like " robots ".

That's why we are still in 2010 speaking, raving, enjoying and using 1970 audio products instead the today ones!!!! and this could tell me that if that AHE establisment does not change fast in favor of customer real needs then those " vintage " products will grow up in more and more home audio systems out there.

Save the Planet!!!!!

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
Dear Raul,
first - what I meant with "physical presence" has nothing to do with the way a cartridge is able to express dynamic changes or amplitude.
It is a matter of energy transfer.
And it is a direct interaction related to the mechanical/dynamically match with the respective tonearm.
I gives the sonic illusion that the reproduced instruments or voices are "there" - with physical presence AND "real physical weight".

I am into this specific aspect of tone reproduction in cartridge/tonearms since a few years now and I have found this special quality to more or less extend in a very few low compliance cartridges only. One of them outperforms all the others by a considerable margin.
And this very cartridge has unique design aspects regarding cantilever, magnets and coil in combination with an unusual body.
No other cartridge is even remotely similar - neither in design nor in this specific aspect of reproduction.
In the "usual suspects" as dynamics, soundstage, color, detail .. etc bla bla... this cartridge is on a par with all the other great ones.
Clear, neutral, balanced.

In all respect, there is no need for me to re-audition the EPC-P100cmk4 - my sonic memory is good and my set-up 1992 was the equal to anything you find here on Audiogon or anywhere else today.
As I said - the EPC is good. Maybe it is very good. But it is not great - well, maybe for the price it is.

Take my word - what I mean with "physical presence" is something you hear with good 7.5 or better 15 ips 2-track tapes on Studer C-37 or similar (if you ever have a chance - listen to the great original 2-track tape of "L'historie de soldat" on a C-37. You'll immediately understand what I mean with "physical presence".

I have already expressed my serious concerns and reservations about your use with the phrase "the best" - which in fact was the only aspect that brought me into this thread. It wasn't the cartridge.
We simply have very different positions here and my concerns are deeply rooted in my humanistic approach and the abuse this specific term and its direct "offsprings" have created in mankind and our history.

It is not "us experienced audio sommeliers" who are able to discover or define what is best or great.
It is an individual search and an individual discovery.
Many uncertain souls however do ask for and look for guidance and an opinion- leader.
This is the point when people like you jump into place and action.
It is not your fault of course.
You are chosen by others.
Anyway - just a side-step...
Many of us do strive for excellence in their respective set-ups and within the parameters of one's specific taste, likes, dislikes and wishes.

Once you can agree that those aspects listed in the sentence above are NOT the same with all people you'll see that the phrase "the best" is - well - an illusion.
And a very dangerous one.

Lastly - never accuse me again of writing long posts.... ;-)...... you are outperforming me by quite a margin in this respect.
Hi Dertonarm,which cartridge or cartridges are the true great ones,in your opinion?Since you prefer the FR tonearm I guess it would have to be a heavy,low compliance MC cartridge?When is the last time you heard the Technics?If it was long ago and your system changed for the better,with a suitable tonearm maybe you would think the good sounding Technics now sounds great.Or maybe not.
Dear Raul,There is this German aphorism:'Gedanken sind Zollfrei' (the thoughts are duty free). Provided that they
are not loudly annunciated. We all have the same rights you know,the right to sleep under an bridge included.
You already got many appraisals from us so no need to do this yourself.
Regards,