Who is Michael Fremers'

Plebians? I'm sorry Speedy, but speak for your own sorry ass. You seem to go from one extreme to the other. That's fine, your opinion. But don't lump us, as in we all here in A'gon, in the same class. Especially just to garner favor with an individual who is given credibility simply because he gets his opinions published in some magazine. Sorry Mike, nothin' personal, but you know what they say about opinions.

Well, Raul, here again is another point where we can agree to disagree. If you really want to share your love of that cartridge with me why not send it to me so I can hear for myself in my own system and form my own opinion?

While Mike may have much more experience writing down his opinions, that doesn't make his opinion any more valid than anyone else's. Some people need to see their opinions and theories in print to somehow validate to themselves (and maybe others, in this case) that they are correct. I don't and I quit looking for validation in magazines year's ago.

I understand that you are trying to get something accomplished. I also understand that to be successful in this you need to stridently uphold Michael Fremer's opinion or your efforts will have been in vain. So once again you have taken the opportunity to belittle me. Big deal. Sure, I don't have a train load of components in and out of my system year after year. Who of us does? But really, what good does it do read about what someone else says that they hear? Does that really supercede the necessity to hear for one's self?

Raul, I'll be the one at the Zocalo WITH clothes. :)

Speedy, I like you better when you aren't such a milk toast.

Read all the reviews you want. If you believe they help you, fine. I know they don't help me because I've learned that I don't make good decisions based on written input. I have most certainly take advice and input from people. I couldn't have assembled the first class system I have now without such input.

I have found that I make much better decisions after I have met, listened, and talked face to face with people while listening to the equipment in question. I've even had the pleasure of such an experience with Raul. Because there, in that space and time, I have the best input I'm ever going to get short of listening in my own system, in my own room.

For the record since some seem to think it matters. In the last 6 years since I've gone hi-end, this is what I've had in my system, in my own room, listening with my own ears. Doesn't include what equipment I've heard while traveling to demos around the country.

5 different turntables
7 different tonearms
5 different cartridges
5 different phono stages
5 different preamps
4 different amps
4, soon to be 5, different speaker systems

Obviously, this in no way makes me any kind of an expert. I'd never claim to have "the most golden ears". I'm sure it provides many folk with whatever ammunition they're looking for to point out my shortcomings. Well, have fun.

Speedy, you really are the pot calling the kettle black.

P.S. Ebalog, I've got cows in my back yard. Can't get much more rural than that. :)