Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Dear Danwkw: I can't agree more with you on your post.

Btw, maybe could be interesting that you can test/try some time in the near future the MM/MI vintage analog source alternative, these humble items are so good that through them you can discover a new " audio world " that the AHEE had hidden for you.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

OK. Now I think I can place the Azden cartridge. It is a great one for sure. Now I have to go listen to more different cartridges and also try the Azden in different set-ups, before I could ever give it a rating on a 1 to 10 scale. (But surely is up there at between 8 and 10 based on my past.

Raul, you have to realize that until I "took the plunge" about 2-3 years ago, I never before owned more than one turntable/tonearm/cartridge at any one time. And turntables lived in my system for a very long time between "upgrades" from one to the next. I never would have believed that tonearms (once one limits oneself to "good" ones) and turntables of a similar cost and quality could sound so different and affect one's impression of a cartridge so greatly. For stimulating me to embark upon this learning experience, I do thank you, Raul, and I also have to thank the Lenco users for first provoking me to think outside the belt-drive box. That odyssey led to this one.

Thanks for the clarification Raul.
What I gather you are saying......is that your 'test' tracks are really used for a system 'diagnosis'. In other words, to assure yourself that the turntable/arm/cartridge combination is setup to its optimum capabilities?

I'm not sure exactly how you can 'nullify' the characteristics of the various speaker systems which can project differently, those sonic clues you are listening for?
And yes Raul, I am still enjoying the fabulous Empire ZE/X thanks to you.

Dear Halcro: Yes.

+++++ " I'm not sure exactly how you can 'nullify' the characteristics of the various speaker systems " +++++

examples: looking for system/item resolution I take the PB track and the first step is try to hear/heard how many Patricia breaths you can discern in the first three minutes of that track: here I don't care about speakers or my preferences, I only have to count.
In the same track ( somewhere ) I have to discern how the system/item perform when the battery/drum player hit ( several fast hitting. ) the big cymbal in the outer cymbal place/side: some items only can give you a shshshshsh sound when in other with better resolution you can hear the initial stick hit ( each one ) followed for the shshshshsh: again I don't care about preferences or the like, it has the resolution or not.
There is other part on that same cymbal where the player hits in the inside cymbal part where different items give you different resolution level.

In the Hotel California track between other things I use it for azymuth where I/you either don't care about preferences or system signature.

That's why is very difficult that a process of this kind can fail, certainly is not perfect but IMHO and due to my experience on it is 90%-95% secure.

You can " design " your own process and over the time with practice you can attain that same 90%-95% of confidence with.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Halcro: When you start with this kind of process " things " could be frustrated till you learn the relationship of those track you choose and learn to discern what is happening but when you have the right practice ( this could be take it months or years depend on each person. I take months but the " refinement " in the process take me years. What am I saying with " process refinement "?, that I now achieve that 90%/95% of confidence ( no fails. )) you can make the whole precise process in less than a hour, sometimes more time that depend on the item/system performance.

This " fast track " process is the one that permit that I can test so many cartridges in a short time with IMHO :success or any other audio item or audio system even if I'm hearing it for the first time.

I hope that Downunder now could understand why the " cartridge of the week/month " like he say.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.