FYI, the amount of capacitance "needed" to smoothe out rectified AC voltage into DC voltage is inversely proportional to the final DC voltage that is delivered to the circuit. This is why solid state devices, which typically operate on less than 100 DCV usually contain 1000s of uF of capacitance; whereas a typical tube amp or preamp usually will incorporate 100s of uF of capacitance to smoothe 300VDC or more. At the extreme other end, my Beveridge amplifier output stage operates on +/-1600VDC and the output stage PS uses a net of about 16uF of capacitance per each phase.
What innovative, unconventional cartridge designs can you recommend?
Most cartridges have a stylus and cantilever where the transducer (magnet, iron or coil) sits on the far end of the cantilever. What other designs are there?
I am mindful of two designs which put the business end right on top of the stylus. The first is the moving coil (MC) Audio Technica AT-ART1000 which places two tiny coils, each 0.9-mm diameter, with eight turns of wire directly above the stylus. Australian price is about AUD-7000 and there apparently is a newer model, slightly less exxe. the ART1000X. This has square coils for a bit more output, and threaded mounting holes.
A downside is that stylus replacement involves a factory maintenance program and the Australian website page describing this service does not exist.
Another design is optical, exemplified by DS Audio's range. While these still need a stylus to trace the groove, the signal is produced by reading the intensity of light produced by a Light Emitting Diode (LED) hitting two sensors. Between the LED and the sensors are two 'shades' mounted above the stylus which change the amount of light as the stylus vibrates. These cartridges need a special "photo-stage" to replace the conventional phono-stage which is an additional expense.
Australian prices including photo-stages range from AUD-2,150 for the DS-E1 to the DS Master 3 at approximately AUD-40,800, which is a bit outside my price range! Where is the sweet spot?
What other way-out designs are there?
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. Presto Classical lists more than 170 offerings of his sixth symphony alone! There are incredible 150th anniversary deals - for example a 12-CD set with Sir Simon Rattle conducting all the symphonies for under A$50. Includes his towering performance of #2, for your #1. My #1 even thanked me for playing it to her 
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