Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Hi Travbrow, please re-read my last post - my system may have changed a bit for the better, but even back then it was easily the equal of anything the industry offers today or what you may find here on A'gon.
And - no, the FR-tonearms aren't all that heavy anymore once you omit their insane original headshell and choose the correct balance. You will get outstanding and unparalleled ( in the most positive sense.... ;-).... ) results ( if aligned to the "right" geometry - which all too often it is not...) from a match with a FR-64s even with Miyabi, Koetsu or Lyra systems - and none of these is low compliance.
As mentioned before - the EPC-P100c/4 is a great performer for its price.
But unless you bribe me with insane amount of money, I won't give it more credit than that.
And I know why.
Come on folks, it can't be that difficult to accept that there are other opinions, points of view and maybe different biases ?
I have no problem if this cartridge is "the best" for any of you.
If so - great for you and fine for me.
If it ease your mind, just predict that I not able to accept this solitary status of this cartridge am either half-deaf, have no clue or am simply unexperienced ( or all three.... free choice).

Hi Travbrow, other great cartridges?
Well - in no particular order and with different individual virtues:
- Shinon Red -2nd series
- Miyabi original
- Kiseki Purpleheart Shappire
- Sony XL-88 -2nd series
- Ikeda EMPL
and 3 others which I won't go public with.
2 of them were never available outside Japan.
1 never went to the custom market.
But you have the EPC-P100c/4 - no need to worry.....

Pickin' isn't the right way, when someone is a Graham/Lyra/Shelter Dealer and writes that this is a good one, where is the problem? DerTonearm also sells you some nonsense when you want that. Based on selling some FR stuff doesn't make him a Dealer. When I am right, that company is out of business more than 20 years ago. When someone wants a FR Arm/Cartridge all you have to do is to be faster at Ebay than he is. Big deal. Let's be honest, before he wrote about that, most didn't know that this company made something serious. Or Audio Technika for you, or Supex for the next one.
It is only a discussion.
Like I wrote before, for most the dice rolls only in 1 direction...

Hi Dertonarm,I don't own one of those 100MKIV cartridges.I just found it curious that two of the most experienced audiophiles with excellent top quality systems and both have heard some of the best cartridges available(which alot of us could never afford)disagree so much with the Technics performance.You say it loses out to a number of different cartridges and Raul thinks it is the best ever.Do you think for the $900.00 or so the last samples sold for where a bargain compared to whats available today?

I guess it will always be the same in this hobby,just opinions and people will never agree on what is the "absolute" best.

If only we could follow this curious money trail...