No cartridge is good enough.


It appears that even the very best can't extract everything from the groove. Yes, along with table/arm.
Is there any way, theoretically speaking, to take cartridge design and execution to a much higher level?
What about laser instead of cartridge/arm? I know there was/is one company that tried. It didn't sound better and required cleaning records before each play. But laser could be improved. This approach didn't take off, it would seem.
inna
@Inna- Try the Limited Edition turntable by Kronos with the Black Beauty tonearm by Andre Theriault.
Dh193449, we are not talking about digital. Nor do I think your analogy with steam engine is correct.
I could say why bother with vinyl when tape sounds better, but that's not the reality that we have.
Interestingly enough, some people here try to avoid the subject, including Atmasphere.
Infection, there is a number of great set-ups, that's not the point. By the way, for that kind of money I wouldn't even bother with vinyl - I would get Studer reel deck and buy master dubs. Not an easy thing to do but good money would buy cooperation, believe you me.
Inna, in order to appreciate the full potential of your desired cartridge you need a highly resolving set-up, so don't even consider cartridges until that is addressed.
Inna:

But we are.

Remember what the purpose of the LP was in the first place. The distribution of music to the masses. That job, whether audiophiles like it or not, has passed to the digital domain. No one is talking about going back to LPs for mass distribution of music, just a blu-ray is not giving way to laser disc. If music was widely available at a real 24 bit/96K digital we would not be talking about LPs any longer.

And if ultimate sound quality is the real goal, then why not 1/2" tape at 30 ips?

As far as archive issues go, you don't need a laser system. A decent phono cartridge is just fine. How often does the Smithsonian play these archived records anyway?