Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Thank you Raul for a superb review.

Although English is not your first language, the time and effort you have devoted to describing in minute detail the attributes of this incredible cartridge have paid dividends in communicating to the readers, every nuance you are hearing.

I too am awaiting a renaissance in the MM/MI cartridge making skills which the industry obviously once possessed.

Thank you again for initiating this 'crusade' for without you, many of us would probably not have had the 'guts' to revert back to our old MM 'friends'.

Kind Regards
Henry

This 'car' analogy with audio has very short legs IMHO.

Surely the sole purpose of an audio system is to produce the best (most accurate?) sounds possible from the various forms of software?

Is the sole purpose of a car to produce the best acceleration, highest speeds, highest G forces, best cornering and best braking?
I suspect that this is the aim of 'performance' cars and in that respect the Ferrari Testarossa would look fairly stupid against Formula 1 cars or in fact any racing cars open or closed wheels?
So is the 'best' car a 'racing' car?

The problem of course is that there are many diverse requirements for a car:-
Can granny get inside?
Can I fit the 3 kids as well as the wife?
Can I park it easily?
Can I steer it easily?
Will it be nice and cool inside?
Will it be quiet and relaxed on a long trip?
Can I get it over that hump in my driveway?
Will it keep the rain off me?

It's really hard to find an analogous product that has a 'singular' purpose (like audio) without requiring the talented input of a human to extract that potential performance I think?

I tend to agree with Shane on the issue of 'judgement' according to 'favourite test material'.

Raul, you have assembled and refined your entire system so that it suits your tastes as precisely and happily as is currently possible.
This does not imply that everyone else will like the sound of your system or agree that it is the way music should sound.

When you listen quickly to your favourite test records on another system, you are simply correlating how the tracks 'differ' in presentation to your own system.
This is a very easy thing to do and requires very little 'training' as you seem to imply, however it should not be confused with validating the true worth of another system?

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.