Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Dear No_regrest: The source is the net, you have to convert in a " hunting man " on MM/MI cartridges.

It is a patience work but the rewards are very often great ones.

Our time ( today ) IMHO is the best time to try to find and test these vintage and humble MM/MI cartridges. We can find it at " ridiculous " low prices and enjoy it with our current audio system that is a lot lot better than the one we owned 30-40 years ago that is the time where all those cartridges " belong ".

I really think that the people that already give ( and give him self ) an opportunity ( where no one has nothing to loose. ) to this analog source MM/MI alternative have the privilege a unique privilege to hear/heard a " new " audio experience with notable differences on the LOMC alternative.

Yes, IMHO this is the time and maybe never come back because this analog source alternative is not part of the AHEE.

I have to say that the MM/MI alternative is so good that even cartridge owners with system limitations on a better set up : load impedance/capacitance/direct connection on P-mount ones or samples with integrated headshell, etc. are enjoying it even that are not on optimum circumstances!!!

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

While it is good and may seem logical to have your 8-9 prime demo cuts you always go to when evaluating a new component, it is also fraut with danger - "familiarity breeds contempt".

We humans can have a tendancy with very familar material to all ready have a " preferred sound" we are evaluating in our heads. We begin to somewhat stop listening to the music and listen to our pre conceived "preferred sound" checklist. As Lew said, you then play less familar/new music and the results are not always as convincing.

I fully agree with Lew. You need to live with a new component and play LOTS of different music over a reasonable period of time, then go back to see if it really was an improvement or just different.

Of course, like Siniy said - there is no perfect cartridge for all music genres or recordinds within a genre - but sweepeing statements that MM is good for ex and MC's are better for y is also not correct.

And, I feel a lot better within myself that my Technics EPC100C is back as equal " best cartrigde" :-)

cheers

Shane,
The issue raised by this new "tie" for best cartridge is that the original premise of this thread is now endangered... there is no longer one "absolute best cartridge", but now two absolute bests... which brings into question the definition of 'absolute'...

Hi Travis

I agree entirely and you for one would understand given your great collection of Japanese audio treasures. There never has been one absolute best cartridge. It is impossible for anything to be best given all the variables with equipment, rooms, musical taste and our ears.

I have found that the tunrtble to have a bigger contribution to any sound I hear than any cartridge. Especially when comparing excellently designed belt trive to DD drive tables.

Shane,
I wasn't suggesting any answer to the question per se - intellectually I prefer to stay out of discussions of 'absolute' as arguments about semantics are a favorite on this forum and accomplish little (but sometimes I just have to throw myself in the mud too :^). That said, I think you have hit on the issue with your point about musical taste and ears.

There are lots of ways to skin the cat and once one gets a fair ways down the path of quality, things are much more alike than different in the grand scheme. Where carts are concerned, if one has a canvas of excellent table/arm/isolation/setup (a big if), it allows the carts to render their individual flavors differently and thus while the base level of great carts is 'greatness', there is still quite a bit of 'personality' to many carts.