I agree about the advantage of a direct connection from cartridge to phono input, but in practice, I do not hear a problem when using high-ish output cartridges. When you get to very low output MCs, I like to go direct.
I definitely do not agree that SR categorically makes "the best" wire. First of all, they don't "make" any wire; they buy it from an outside source and then dress it up to look expensive, like most other boutique cable makers. (SR is no worse than others, except the claims they make are particularly noisome to me personally.)
Maybe it's more helpful to talk about the wire per se. I like either pure silver or pure copper. I dislike silver-plated copper because it seems to impart an edgy or hyper detailed character to the sound. I also like thin gauge solid core wire (vs stranded), multiple insulated parallel strands, if current-carrying is a factor. Geometry also counts; I have not been a big fan of Litz windings, because that seems to overly tame the sound such that everything sounds "good" but not exciting or dynamic as live music. Windings that result in a low characteristic impedance, which usually means low inductance, have also found favor with me. These are just my own preferences based on decades of listening, but anyone else may prefer something different, and it's just as valid, because no one that I know of has ever made any measurements that prove conclusively there is one best way to connect two pieces of gear, assuming good conductors and connectors. For sure also, the fewer the connectors, the better.
I definitely do not agree that SR categorically makes "the best" wire. First of all, they don't "make" any wire; they buy it from an outside source and then dress it up to look expensive, like most other boutique cable makers. (SR is no worse than others, except the claims they make are particularly noisome to me personally.)
Maybe it's more helpful to talk about the wire per se. I like either pure silver or pure copper. I dislike silver-plated copper because it seems to impart an edgy or hyper detailed character to the sound. I also like thin gauge solid core wire (vs stranded), multiple insulated parallel strands, if current-carrying is a factor. Geometry also counts; I have not been a big fan of Litz windings, because that seems to overly tame the sound such that everything sounds "good" but not exciting or dynamic as live music. Windings that result in a low characteristic impedance, which usually means low inductance, have also found favor with me. These are just my own preferences based on decades of listening, but anyone else may prefer something different, and it's just as valid, because no one that I know of has ever made any measurements that prove conclusively there is one best way to connect two pieces of gear, assuming good conductors and connectors. For sure also, the fewer the connectors, the better.