"Harder" cartridge recomendation


After some time with EMT TSD15SPH, which is basically my first serious cart (along with it's EMT930 platform and 929 arm), I comeback to the question of finding something faster, "harder", more transparent perhaps but I do like "bigger sound". I'm mounting a second arm on 930: SME3012R and I'm looking for a fast cart in 1-1.2kEU range. Phono is a diy 834 with Tribute nano crystal SUT's.

I've been looking at SPU Royal N, but IIRC EMT somehow derives from the SPU family, so it may or may not be what I have in mind.

Any opinions? Thanks,
bydlo
bydlo
Dear Dover, Have you ever seen an altar made from acoustic
materials? There is an obvious preference for exotic marble
kinds or granite. And, you know, those are also designed by
architects...Why should our own be less?
Hi Nandric, true, for some our hobby is a religious experience. I always thought the use of stone was to accentuate the high's when offering sacrificial lambs...
Acman, AFAIK, "Travisty" does = "T_bone". They are the same guy, who lived in Tokyo and then moved to HK about a year ago. I believe he used "T_bone" on Audiogon and "Travisty" on AA.

What I intended to convey is that there is a second person who uses "Tbone" (no underscore in between T and bone), on AA or here. So far as I know, this is a different person entirely. Travis was cool and a great source of information on vintage direct-drive tt's. Plus, he had access to the only remaining Pioneer Exclusive P3, P3a, and P10 service center in the world, located in Tokyo. They still have parts to rebuild the suspensions, etc. Thankfully, my craziness has subsided enough that I am no longer hungry for one of those beasts. Four turntables seems to be enough for me. Gosh, I am a reasonable average shmo. Just ask my wife.
Regards, Bydso: "Lacta alex est" - The die is cast, forgive me I can't resist.

Out of water, an octopus is an ungainly, flaccid, pulpy mass with stringy tentacles, knobby suckers and bulging eyes. In the water, it is a thing of grace, endowed with fluidity of movement, a mesmerizing blending of coloration and undoubtedly attractive to the eye, to that of a lady octopus at least. As there is no accounting for taste, there are those (barbarians) who eat the innocent cephalopod while reclining in their bowers, an octopus' garden of a different sort. The octopus comes in a variety of "flavors", there is the common, the giant, even a Croatian common. Cartridges, like the octopus, do best in an environment best suited to their requirements.

Cartridges offered to the audiophile come in a variety of configurations Which is preferred is a matter of set and setting. Palate and place give direction to the synthesis encountered in a knowledgable listeners' system, there are those who think the act of (musical) reproduction should bring satisfaction to the participant, B. F Skinner quote: “A piece of music is an experience to be taken by itself.” And: “Going out of style isn't a natural process, but a manipulated change which destroys the beauty of last year's dress in order to make it worthless.” I believe MC carts are currently in vogue?

Carts, blind men & the religious experience. The three blind men raised their hands & felt an elephant. One the trunk, another a leg, the third the pachyderm's side. "The elephant is like a snake", said one. "A log" said the second. "Like a wall", opined the third. I heard a cart that rolled off at 18kHz, a veritable festival of resonance, it was a MC with a conical stylus/aluminum cantilever. This is my proof that a MC cart has a limited hf response. I heard a MM cart that, measured, makes 45k without breaking a sweat.

I now have "faith" in the superior capability of MM carts to reproduce hf signals, it is my postulate that MCs are inferior in this capacity. The difficulty is in that postulates defy reason, those who are interested in verification seek broader confirmation. Those who would verify through measurement or are limited by an impression derived from an inadequate sampling or optimization forget that purity and perfection is not to be described in terms of either generalities or universals. Context and point of apprehension are relative.

Although some are willing to sacrifice MM carts on the alter of MC religion, others are more eclectic in their devotions. If you've not considered an MM alternative and open to the suggestion, you might visit Raul's review of the AT20SS.

Peace,
Raul prefers digital?
This is like finding out that God does not believe in God, which would bother me, if I believed in God.

I honestly don't think that "many" of us here prefer digital. There may be a closeted few who do, but not "many". For me digital is like Muzak, the old system of piping so-called music into elevators and department stores. It's decent background for when I am reading or entertaining non-audiophiles.

I confess, I too always thought that Halcro's room would sound a bit hard and "clinical". But it's his choice, to achieve his own concept of sonic Nirvana. Which is perfectly fine with me.