What innovative, unconventional cartridge designs can you recommend?

The DS Audio is no different to any other cartridge in that it measures the groove using a suspended cantilever/stylus mounted in a cartridge body. The only difference is that it uses an optical system to generate an output voltage instead of coils/magnets etc.

Therefore any change to housing, suspension, cantilever material or stylus profile that can improve rigidity, tracking ability, or reduce tracing distortion will be clearly audible.

This is not rocket science.

@dover Your statement is far from convincing and your usual, I am the authority demeanour is clearly missing from the context of your comments.

An Optical System on a modern design Optical Cartridge measures shadow. How does Materials, such as the use of a Diamond Cantilever effect the Shadow being read??

How does the Stylus form or Body Material effect the Electrons being released within the Photocell to a quantity that enables a charge to be sent as a Electrical Impulse??

A Transducer that is using electromagnetic induction principles with data received as adulterated in condition as can possibly be achieved is a design well known how certain material selected offer improved benefits on how the sent energy impacts on the Magnetic Field that is generated.

Ortofon are so on top of the importance of the function of the Magnet Field, they have designed the FSE to create a uniformity / a gathering of the parameters the Field works within.

Where is the evidence that suggests LED and Photo Cells reading 'Shadow' to produce a increased Electron Count resulting in a electrical impulse to be transported for adding gain. Is a technology that is Equipollent to a Mechanical Energy Transfer effecting a Transducer whilst producing an electrical impulse to be transferred for adding gain. 

I can't answer these inquiries, but there is somebody who can, definitely not the usual contributor to the Gons Analog Section. 

For myself, I have no willingness to accept descriptions that imply that the Typical Cart' design where electromagnetic fields are produced, has identical impact on each system.

@pindac If I understand you correctly, you are questioning whether stylus and cantilever can affect the sound of an optical cartridge?

From the tip of the stylus to the point on the cantilever where the transducer mechanism sits* all that we have are mechanical vibrations being transmitted with greater or lesser fidelity. Then the transducer creates an electrical signal from the mechanical vibration. Surely, whatever kind of transducer is used, the most complete, accurate and faithful representation of the groove will be desirable? So does it not seem correct that a stiffer, or lighter cantilever, a better suspension, and a stylus capable of tracking every little wiggle of the groove is going to make a difference to any of those transducer mechanisms?

*be it a coil, a magnet, a chunk of iron, a shade plate or a strain gauge

Photon - Shadow - Electron - Electrical Impulse. ( Materials used for overall structure are copied from an alternate technology and are only used to mimic the designs from that technology - One Brands has done extensive R&D and really knows the value if what is selected. Or has the approach been to adopt matwerials without fully understanding their value. Modifying the materials to suit the interface to suit other parts belonging to the alternate technology??)

Coil - Magnet - Electromagnetic Induction - Electrical Impulse. (Materials used for overall Structure very very well known. Multiple Brands have extensive R&D and knows what is to be selected)

Again another contributor with no substantiation only conjecture to attempt to answer the inquiry being made.

For the record, I am not saying a DS Audio Cart' should be avoided, I am saying why does a modern design Optical Read Cart', need a Diamond Cantilever or other materials renowned for being exceptional when used as conduits for managing transferred kinetic energy.       

@dogberry 

We are wasting our time. Pinman thunks the DS Audio cartridge could use a rusty nail or a wooden toothpick for a cantilever and it wouldn’t sound any different.