MC versus MM. Which to choose.

Dear Raul, We have also this thread about 'Stand out phono
stages' in which the Lyra Connoisseur is mentioned as the
best phono-pre among all others. Whatever one may think about HIFI Magazines it seems that the common opinion about this phono-pre is universal. While your phono-pre is
according to you 'second to none' I have seen no reference
to your phono-pre anywhere at all. Tolking about 'biased'
opinions. While you have no any understanding of carts construction and production you have no problem at all to dismiss the opinion of one of the most talented designer we know at present. One which already designed and produced some of the best carts in the world. I mentioned earlier your arogance but this one is above any comprehension. There is something wrong with you in my opinion.

Regards,

Hi Nandric:

Some of Raul's accusations feel a bit hollow to me, since I for one never stopped listening to MMs or MIs alongside MCs (which is by no means uncommon among audiophiles in Japan). Hearing about Raul and other audiophiles "rediscovering" MMs or MIs therefore sounds rather bizarre. Also, Audio-Technica and Nagaoka-JewelTone continue to make and sell lots of MM cartridges in Japan, so I don't get the impression that there is a lack of development effort being put into the genre.

But everything is OK between Raul and me. I don't have any animosity for Raul, and judging from the way that he writes, he doesn't have any for me.

As I said in a previous post, my attitude to MMs or MIs is that if or when I can design an MM or MI that convinces me that it is is worth signing my name on it, I will add it to my product lineup. When and if.

But please, let's not create flames where there is no need. I will continue to design and produce as I feel is correct, and I am sure that Raul will post and design in the same spirit.

At the very worst, we will simply agree to disagree about our respective opinions.

kind regards, jonathan carr

Dear Nandric: I know I'm not your cup of tea, my personality that for you is arrogance only means what is a fact: you don't know me in almost no way.

About the Essential ( I'm not on commercial " road ". ) and about my " arrogance " I can tell you that I already heard in my system and other great systems almost all the top Phonolinepreamps through years to be aware if our design can fulfil our main targets that as always is to be the best: period.

I don't care about magazines I care about music and music sound reproduction at home.

Second to none: I can show it. Why not prepare a meeting at any place where exist a top audio system and where you or any other person could bring with any/several top phonolinepreamps including the J.Carr one and then I will meet all of you with the Essential to make a serious shoot out and then we will see if my statement: " second to none " could be confirmed or not.

Before the shoot-out we can arrage the shoot-out rules/mechanism and audio items involved. We can do it with two sources analog/LPs and digital.

In the mean time I can say you again that IMHO the Essential 3160 is second to none.

Btw, I'm not dismiss the opinion of J.Carr in any way. As acartridge designer he has that advantage against me but as an " audiophile " he as any other persons is just as me or as you. He has his opinions and I have mines, some times we agree and some times we disagree. In both sides for very good reasons.

Nandric, you as any audio roockie ( and I'm not saying you are. ) looks to the pro-reviewers, designers, manufacturers and even auido distributors as something near " God ", people that knows more than you.

Through my audio life I learned that that is not true, I know several " pros " that are worst than you are. Those kind of " especial " audio persons are only that: audio persons as any one of us. J.Carr or any other designers can have a superior knowledge level of what he design but in my case only in that regards.

In the other side we have to accustom that always exist people with a knowledge audio level superior to the one we have because there are several a lot of different audio subjects where IMHO does not exist any one that is " perfect " in all them.

I have two-three audio areas where I know I have a good knowledge level but I know too that in other audio areas I'm almost ignorant.

Problem with you and me is that you can handle my " personality " for what ever reason.

Stay calm and be happy, especially today.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Raul, I have no idea how this Greek conception about
essences become universal because I am not aware that Aristoteles was teached everywhere. What I do know is that the Greek used this 'metal analogy' in attributing properties to humans. So if John has the property to be 'honest like gold' but robed some bank and seduced the wife of his best friend we feel somehow embarassed by those facts because they are contrary to what we assumed and believed. Consider this statement: copper sometimes conducts electricity and sometimes does not. This statement 'obviously' make no sense because we know that copper 'always' conducts electricity even if it is not connected to any electrical source. However this 'thought
model' is not adequate to 'describe' humans.
So, dear Raul, you get my praise with the good things you
do or have done and my critic when you state some 'bold'
things about your omnipotence ,extraordinary hearing capabilites, the highest level among all of us on your learning curve, etc.,etc,. This also apply to your gear.
I can claim as you do that all my componets are 'second to
none' if my own claims are to be considered as legitimate.
You stated explicite that your 'system' is better then the
'one'(?) J. Carr owns and this should 'explain' why you think that Carr is not able to hear the differences among carts like you can. But we , the poor souls, are seduced by
HIFI Magazines to believe that this J. Carr produced not only some of the best carts in the world but also the best preamp as well as the best phono-pre there is. Not to mention his proven capabilities. There is ,dear Raul, so much one can swallow depending on one's character and other capabilities but I am not among the 'blind followers' of anyone.
So dear Raul while you believe that I am ignorant about your capabilities you may be ignorant about my. I believe your descriptions of MM carts but am very skeptical when
you describe yourself. BTW is in Mexico the word 'modesty' totally unknown?

Regards,

Dear Nandric: There are advantages with ignorance:you don't have to worried of anything.

Be happy, useless to argue with you.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.