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What is the “World’s Best Cartridge”?

I believe that a cartridge and a speaker, by far, contribute the most to SQ.

The two transducers in a system.

I bit the bulllet and bought a Lyra Atlas SL for $13K for my Woodsong Garrard 301 with Triplanar SE arm. I use a full function Atma-Sphere MP-1 preamp. My $60K front end. It is certainly, by far, the best I have owned. I read so many comments exclaiming that Lyra as among the best. I had to wait 6 months to get it. But the improvement over my excellent $3K Mayijima Shilabi was spectacular-putting it mildly.

I recently heard a demo of much more pricy system using a $25K cartridge. Seemed to be the most expensive cartridge made. Don’t recall the name.

For sure, the amount of detail was something I never heard. To hear a timpani sound like the real thing was incredible. And so much more! 
This got me thinking of what could be possible with a different kind of cartridge than a moving coil. That is, a moving iron.

I have heard so much about the late Decca London Reference. A MI and a very different take from a MC. Could it be better? The World’s Best? No longer made.

However Grado has been making MI cartridges for decades. Even though they hold the patent for the MC. Recently, Grado came out with their assault on “The World’s Best”. At least their best effort. At $12K the Epoch 3. I bought one and have been using it now for about two weeks replacing my Lyra. There is no question that the Atlas SL is a fabulous cartridge. But the Epoch is even better. Overall, it’s SQ is the closest to real I have heard. To begin, putting the stylus down on the run in grove there is dead silence. As well as the groves between cuts. This silence is indicative of the purity of the music content. Everything I have read about it is true. IME, the comment of one reviewer, “The World’s Best”, may be true.
 

 

mglik
mikelavigne
2,258 posts
 

At Bob’s I heard the Etsuro Gold. Amazing sound for sure. But it was overwhelming. So much new information that it circumvented a deep emotional response. That’s just me. My response was “OK, I get it!”. No matter how great a system, it cannot really be compared to a live event. My brain digested the information as a mismatch and prevented suspension of disbelief.

I am a diehard Quad 57 guy. One has to accept the limitations and accept that the Quads can never do many others can. But there is an organic, human quality that is addictive. And that is especially well suited for the Grado Epoch 3.

I also hear the “magical realism” your mention. And am able to suspend my disbelief to a point where I get emotionally connected with the musicians.
This special connection with the Epoch is in a different world from the Lyra.

@mglik not heard Bob’s system, so i can’t even guess why you might say that.

but i can guess how a Quad 57 oriented guy might not mesh with some systems. if you visited Bob’s, you are not that far from me. you would be most welcome to visit and hear the Etsuro Gold(s) in my system......anytime.

my big Studers set the bar very high as far as information and my system can use it all in service to the music......so a cartridge need not worry about that.

whether my system would tip you over into ’disbelief’ is anyone’s guess. i does work that way for me. not the 'live event'.....but it does touch my soul.

mglik OP
916 posts
 

@mikelavigne 

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the invite. We have communicated before.
I have a friend in Seattle and would very much like to experience your system.
Have to admit that I, as many, also hear with my eyes.
Bob demoed his Bayz speakers. I think part of my blockage had to do with the physicality of the Bayz. Strange at best.

But your "big Studers", I'm sure, will be a different story.

Thanks,

Mike

dinov's avatar
dinov
870 posts
 

The worlds best it what’s best to your ears. 

lewm
14,712 posts
 

If you think the Quad57 is inherently limited, you ought to hear 2 or 3 pairs that have been modified by Dave Slagle and direct driven in unison by a pair of his amplifiers. Plus or minus a subwoofer. To die for.

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