Is There An "Absolute" Best Cartridge?

Travbrow,
The EPC 100C was first sold in 1976, meant to be sold with the Technics SP-10Mk2 when it came out. The cartridge cost 60,000 yen at the time, which was less than $600. However, that was when the EPA 100 tonearm which was also meant to go with the SP-10Mk2 was also retailed for 60,000 yen. It was not a cheap MM cart - probably costing twice as much as the next best at the time.

The EPC 100CMk2 came out a few years later at 65,000 yen. The Mk3 was in silver in 1981 at 70,000 yen (I have yet to see one of these), and the Mk4 came out in I think 1982 with the SP-10Mk3 when it came out. Each successive version got the cantilever and magnet lighter and lighter, with each successive version seeing lower and lower output. The 100C is 1.5mV, the 100CMk2 is 1.3mV, the 100CMk3 is 1.2mV, and the 100CMk4 also 1.2mV.

FWIW, the EPC-101C came out in 1979 at the same price as the then 100CMk2, and the main difference between the two was the cantilever material - the 100C had a boron cantilever, and the 101C a tapered titanium nitride cantilever. Both sound very nice.

As far as I know, the EPC 205CMk3 also came out in 1979 as a lower-cost version of the 100C. It was a built, I believe, as a cross between the 205CII and the 100C, again with a boron cantilever.

Until this recent flurry of activity, I had never actually seen a picture of a P-mount 100C. The vast majority still floating around are integrated headshell versions (overhang and azimuth can be adjusted, but if the cantilever is off kilter, you're out of luck...).

Dertonarm, you could become a follower of Adolphe Quetelet... :^)

Why has noone stated the obvious? Raul has let out his inner "Valley Girl" (or Valley Girl Sith) and the Technics 100CMk4 is just.. like... well you know, like, just the best!

Dgob,
Thanks. I learned a new word today! (I did not know 'Aporia' had an adjective). While it may not be the place to discuss it, we are still stuck with lack of agreement on what "the best" is and whether it indeed exists (or whether, if it exists, it is by definition unattainable). I expect that people may enjoy the same cartridge and respect others' enjoyment without agreeing on the philosophy behind the words they use to describe it... Personally, I expect the carts themselves don't care much, and the cart designers are much more circumspect.

Shane,
The issue raised by this new "tie" for best cartridge is that the original premise of this thread is now endangered... there is no longer one "absolute best cartridge", but now two absolute bests... which brings into question the definition of 'absolute'...

Shane,
I wasn't suggesting any answer to the question per se - intellectually I prefer to stay out of discussions of 'absolute' as arguments about semantics are a favorite on this forum and accomplish little (but sometimes I just have to throw myself in the mud too :^). That said, I think you have hit on the issue with your point about musical taste and ears.

There are lots of ways to skin the cat and once one gets a fair ways down the path of quality, things are much more alike than different in the grand scheme. Where carts are concerned, if one has a canvas of excellent table/arm/isolation/setup (a big if), it allows the carts to render their individual flavors differently and thus while the base level of great carts is 'greatness', there is still quite a bit of 'personality' to many carts.