What innovative, unconventional cartridge designs can you recommend?

The Neumann, and the ART1000 are attempts to make traditional MC designs approach the tip-sensing goodness of the Deccas.

But the Neumann and ART1000 both have cantilevers wafting around upon which the coils are mounted..

The closest MC to the Decca is the original Ikeda 9 ( from the 80s' ) that has no cantilever, and the coils are wrapped around a hoop right next to the stylus, which is mounted at the apex of the hoop.

Superb cartridge - I've had a few, still have one.

I've set up at least 30 Deccas, both original and modified, the original Ikeda MC and Decca's are certainly the quickest and most direct sound of any of the modern cartridges.

The Dynavector Karat Nova 13D, with its 1.3mm cantilever is close. I have owned one since the 80's - thrice rebuilt by Dynavector, last rebuild with micro ridge stylus, which was a considerable upgrade over the previous pathfinder in terms of resolution - it will see off most of todays top cartridges.

I’d say the same for my Dynavector 17D3, though its cantilever is 0.4 mm longer than that of the Karat. Nevertheless an excellent performer.

@dover 

But the Neumann and ART1000 both have cantilevers wafting around upon which the coils are mounted

The diagrams I have seen of the Decca moving iron (MI) cartridge do label the structure holding the diamond stylus as a cantilever.  It is different in shape and position from typical straight cantilevers, though, and is made of iron.

Essentially it runs nearly vertically above the stylus, before doing a near right-angled turn towards the rear of the cartridge, where it is flattened into a flat spring shape and clamped in place.  The spring allows the stylus to move vertically through bending, and sideways through twisting (with different compliances!).

On its own, this (double?) cantilever does not prevent some unwanted fore-and-aft movement of the stylus, so a tie-back cord is added where a more conventional cantilever would run.  The actual cantilever is hidden above the lateral coil and magnet structure.

Have I got this right so far?  For the diagrams I am looking at, see for example Those Were The Days:Ortofon A/B, SPU, Decca London, Garrard GMC and Tannoy VariTwin Phono Cartridges

These diagrams also show damping medium (rubber?) attached to the flattened spring.

I don't think it is fair to suggest the ART1000 has its coils mounted to a cantilever which wafts around!  The coils are mounted almost exactly over the stylus as can been seen here Direct Power Stereo MC Cartridge | AT-ART1000x | Audio-Technica | Audio-Technica.  The cantilever exists solely to position the stylus in the body, and to stop it rotating.

@dogberry @viridian 

Surely the Neumann predates the Decca?

When I titled this thread "What innovative, unconventional cartridge designs can you recommend?" the words were carefully chosen to firstly not be click bait, and secondly to stop an eternal debate along the lines of my cartridge is better than yours!

In the latter aim, it seems to have succeeded.  We are now discussing just four families of cartridge designs, each of which has its sensors mounted close to the stylus.

The "can you recommend" was intended to influence an imminent buying decision.  While interesting historically, there was no intent to produce a timeline of who invented what, when.