Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

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.

Sorry about the above post. I thought I was on the MM/MI thread at the time. I do not claim that the Azden YM-P50VL is the "absolute" best cartridge, by any means. The rest of that post was OT, too.

Dear Downunder: +++++ " I have had it on my P3 for a couple of months now - and it passes the long term satisfaction test easily, not just the short term WOW factor.
This is the only way to judge a cartridge, or any piece of equipment - not just a few hours or a day or so of joy. " +++++

certainly that was not " the only way to judge a cartridge " because through my " fast track " process I achieve and know in precise way what take you two months.
Different " roads " to get the same target. IMHO there is NO " the only way " in this matter.

Another " only ":
+++++ " It is the only MM cartridge I have heard that is truely world class. the others are just nice and a bit of fun to play with. " +++++

Well the Technics is so good tha's IMHO is almost impossible that could performs in poor way. There are many reasons why other cartridges you own does not performs as " world class " ones:

- wrong tonearm matching
- wrong cartridge set up
- wrong impedance/capacitance loads.
- no direct connection in a 4P-mount cartridge model.
- not fully broken.
- due to its aged: cartridge out of specs.
- does not makes synergy with your " ears ".
- even phono stages not up to the task.
- or maybe your syste$$$$ has no " world class " performance.

these and other factors has a definitive influence in any cartridge quality performance level.

I don't know for sure what is happenning on your system than with other MM/MI cartridges you can't achieve a better quality performance when many people with the same cartridges already did.
Maybe you have to try again and hard on the subject.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.