Who uses high end TT setup for vintage records ?

No, Pani. This is not a tonearm issue for sure, but mostly related with speakers and electronics ... and (in some very rare cases) to a lesser degree on some unacceptably draft made IC and speaker cables. (I am perfectly happy that I've discovered the 3T series of VDH).

Geoch, nice to see that you understand where I am coming from. Right here on the forum we discuss certain stylus profile not suitable for certain records and then there is a big movement in the MM direction where many senior members here seem to go back to good MMs because they found more "real" life there compared to even very high end MCs. But then truly neutral systems should not be biased to any recording technique, it should just bring out whatever is there in the groove "in the right proportion". And that is exactly the aim of this thread, to understand what combinations people have arrived at to achieve this universal musicality regardless of recording type/quality/era etc.

As far as my system goes, I use a Tannoy Turnberry with Naim integrated, both are superb music making equipments which I am fortunate to have come across. In fact they are one of the examples where high-rez doesnt mean unforgiving.

Pani wrote:

Cartridges that clearly favour newer vinyls:
1. Lyra

I disagree.

I've owned a Lyra Helikon Mono for many years (mated to a Graham 2.2 arm), and it plays 50's mono records like you may never have heard: lots of punch and detail with lower surface noise.

Pani,

But then truly neutral systems should not be biased to any recording technique, it should just bring out whatever is there in the groove "in the right proportion"

A TT system with good resolution will bring out what is in the groove --- only IF the playback is effected correctly.
Which means numerous things -- for example, playback speed!
Differences in the cutting process make older records play better at different playback speeds...

The TT is a mechanical device, so many parametres affect the result, and these parametres may vary with each record, albeit slightly.

I've always considered a good turntable setup to be agnostic in regards to source material vintage.

That is a very good way of putting it!

FWIW, the cutting needles used in cutter heads to make LPs have not changed particularly since the late 1950s.

I am with Audiofeil to make the story short.
Design done right counts and not everything we can buy today will do a real
good job.
Differences in Arm Design, Material, Bearing, Energy Transfer and a proper
Geometry will show you very different listening results, carts are not so critical
overall, some diamond cuts can do a better job than others and this is probably
the reason why you can hear that some sound better with older vinyl.
The older records have sometimes a very high dynamics, mainly from the
middle to the last tracks, some Arms can't track them well, they produce
distortions, not in a way that you can hear it clearly, but the musical flow is
different. VTF is also a chapter, 1.6gr and a soft cantilever will give you total
different results than a Cartridge which was designed for 2.5gr...
Reissues have normally a lower, pale high frequency area, needles which
compensate that can sound very different with Originals( 1960+) ... there are
indeed differences, but there are technical reasons for it.
Btw. I tried a few mono carts and my choice was Lyra Helikon with a modified
Diamond, good tracking, super silent, no hum...there is worse out there... :-)