What is the “World’s Best Cartridge”?

One fact about the Decca/London pickups with which I’m sure @noromance agrees with me is that they are more critical of the tonearm onto which they are mounted than are just about all other designs. No cantilever, no mechanical damping, a very high level of mechanical energy transferred into the arm tube and bearings, models other than the Reference and Jubilee having a somewhat resonant body---which may be ameliorated by having the stock plastic mounting bracket replaced with the optional Decapod top plate. And the design suffers from a high frequency resonance, mitigated by electrical damping (varying amounts of capacitance and resistance so as to create a "tank circuit". You can read all about it in the writings of Decca enthusiast/expert Harvey Rosenberg of New York Audio Labs).

Once optimized in an appropriate and suitable arm, and amplified with an appropriate RIAA phono amp which can handle the pickups 5mv output (!), the Decca/London’s have an extremely alive, startlingly dynamic, somewhat "forward" (but also reproducing the depth in recordings as do few others) "robust" sound, producing music with great immediacy and presence. The "horn loudspeaker" of cartridges, if you will. Not for sissies ;-) .

Bdp, I owned a Decca London back in the 90s and your synopsis is a good one. Especially comparing it at its best to a horn loudspeaker.

back it up by inviting anyone to come and listen with me.....anytime. if you were here in my room would you go on and on like your posting? would anyone?🙄

I've been to Mike's.  He is a gentleman and very gracious and generous.  In talking with him, it's clear that he's humble and while he has a great deal of knowledge, he's also a continuous learner.  There isn't a hint of braggadocio or ego, just a love for music. 

As far as his system goes, all I can say is wow!  It's far and away the best I've heard.  He's put the work into his room and has taken a system approach that has resulted in something magical. 

This forum is following the pattern of others I've seen, where over time the experienced and knowledgeable members leave because of a few know-it-all egotistical posters.  After a while, most of the posters that are left are inexperienced members asking basic questions and then the next level of experienced members start leaving and after a while, the forum shrinks and becomes relatively inactive. After some time, what you end up with for the most part is the blind leading the blind.

There's a level of anonymity and insulation that the internet provides.  Some of you might behave in person exactly like you do on the internet, but in real life you wouldn't be invited back to someone's home or to hang out with a group of friends.

I've learned a lot from this forum and others and look for every opportunity to pay it back.  In that spirit, I try to limit my comments and opinions to things that I have actual experience with either in my system or that I've heard in a friend's system.  I don't want to be part of the "noise".

@noromance 😁😁😁

@mikelavigne , Listening to music together and sharing the experience is a totally different proposition then trying to describe what something sounds like at a 2000 mile distance. In listening together you now have the framework to interpret what that individual is trying to tell you. Now their opinion has meaning.. It is a shame that we are unable to do more shared listening. Perhaps we should form regional groups that get together once or twice a year giving group opinions on this that and the other. Since we are both LZ fans I'm sure we could loosen a few fillings. That has to be the box set of all time. But then there is that Bill Evans Riverside box.....