Anybody ever have a Cart Re-Tipped?
- Thread starter WOPL Sniffer
- Start date
Vinyl tends to sound the best out of all media (my opinion), why would I want to buy a cheap copy? If the cheap ones sound the same as a good quality original Stylus (I'm hearing they don't) I probably wouldn't care and stick with a $29 replacement but the vinyl guys are saying the replacements don't sound as good as the ones that were built and tested with the original carts. My 2M Black on the Rega RP6 clone sounds outstanding and I'm anxious to hear how this TT stacks up. It's apples and peaches but with a few different carts to test it against, it should be interesting.
The current Micro ridge/ micro line elliptical cuts we have these days are superior to all but the best from yesteryear.
If the cantilever is not damaged, a good tech will be able to replace the Diamond alone. But there could be improvements if the cantilever is replaced along with the Diamond.
Like cars: buy the seller. See if they make you feel comfortable that they will do what’s right by your standards.
If the cantilever is not damaged, a good tech will be able to replace the Diamond alone. But there could be improvements if the cantilever is replaced along with the Diamond.
Like cars: buy the seller. See if they make you feel comfortable that they will do what’s right by your standards.
I don't like the idea of retipping for 3bills a nail that sold for 50 bucks back in the day. There are better options out there.
Joseph Long, needlestein banned and content removed from ak, cartridge_retipping-5 on ebay. Probably banned for in-thread advertising his services without being a vendor. He has a listing for these cartridges on the bay
Steve at VAS, vas_cartridge_repairs on ebay, Phono Cartridge Repair & Retipping Service | VAS Audio (vasnyinc.com)
Andy at phono cartridge retipping, Services – PHONO CARTRIDGE REPAIR & RETIPPING. (phonocartridgeretipping.com)
Soundsmith.
All are spoken of as being good. I have heard difficulties with some of the Soundsmith work, one resolved, others (Bob's is one of these) not resolved.
Some can scrape the diamond off the cantilever and glue a new one in place. Some can rebuild the cartridge. Most like to replace the cantilever with a diamond attached. The idea of the micro-line being the one to get seems to be the general consensus, unless you need specific diamond for some reason.
There are others around the world. Getting diamond loaded cantilevers and affixing them to the old cartridge. Among other means of refreshing the cartridge.
For the price of a rebuild will the cartridge be better than an AT 540 which seems to be at about the price point of the bay listed option from Joseph. Is the Stanton or Pickering so good that a retip instead of a nice new cartridge isn't gonna be better? I leave that up to you to decide.
I'm saving my use of these guys for the LOMC nails I have that might one day need a refresh. Cheaper by far than replacing it. I'll be going to VAS first, probably driver over with a couple friends for the tour. Let him evaluate all my cartridges for wear when I drop off the ones needing work, the Shelter 501II, SEAC C3, Ortofon MC30Super and return with whatever I have left that is in good condition. I have a few that I know are in good enough shape, but a new viewing would be nice to have.
Joseph Long, needlestein banned and content removed from ak, cartridge_retipping-5 on ebay. Probably banned for in-thread advertising his services without being a vendor. He has a listing for these cartridges on the bay
Steve at VAS, vas_cartridge_repairs on ebay, Phono Cartridge Repair & Retipping Service | VAS Audio (vasnyinc.com)
Andy at phono cartridge retipping, Services – PHONO CARTRIDGE REPAIR & RETIPPING. (phonocartridgeretipping.com)
Soundsmith.
All are spoken of as being good. I have heard difficulties with some of the Soundsmith work, one resolved, others (Bob's is one of these) not resolved.
Some can scrape the diamond off the cantilever and glue a new one in place. Some can rebuild the cartridge. Most like to replace the cantilever with a diamond attached. The idea of the micro-line being the one to get seems to be the general consensus, unless you need specific diamond for some reason.
There are others around the world. Getting diamond loaded cantilevers and affixing them to the old cartridge. Among other means of refreshing the cartridge.
For the price of a rebuild will the cartridge be better than an AT 540 which seems to be at about the price point of the bay listed option from Joseph. Is the Stanton or Pickering so good that a retip instead of a nice new cartridge isn't gonna be better? I leave that up to you to decide.
I'm saving my use of these guys for the LOMC nails I have that might one day need a refresh. Cheaper by far than replacing it. I'll be going to VAS first, probably driver over with a couple friends for the tour. Let him evaluate all my cartridges for wear when I drop off the ones needing work, the Shelter 501II, SEAC C3, Ortofon MC30Super and return with whatever I have left that is in good condition. I have a few that I know are in good enough shape, but a new viewing would be nice to have.
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Micro-Line is a name for a narrow elliptical. Standard elliptical was .3x.7 then the .2x.7 showed up, narrower and supposedly sounding better. Then everybody and their brother came out with a special diamond shape, Fritz Gyger, Van den Hul, Shibata and others.
The Shibata is a very thin edge that rides the groove so it has the ability to track and reproduce the 45,000Hz of the Quad records of whatever type. We don't need that and some say it is harder to set up correctly, keeping it so that left and right sides track the same part of the groove at the same time instead of one side being a step ahead.
Any of the fine line, micro line, or whatever would be the one folks are enjoying these days without going as far as the Shibata.
Phono Cartridge Stylus Shapes | HFA - The Independent Source for Audio Equipment Reviews (hifi-advice.com)
I would think that all the retippers offer something in this line of nails. Then you have to decide on the cantilever material.
Ruby
Tapered Aluminum
Aluminum tube
Boron
used to have beryllium but who knows, dangerous to breath but it might be some other reason we don't see it much anymore.
Talk to your retipper for their recommendations. No reason to put a Diamond cantilever and a super performance shaped diamond on an AT10. I guess you get in for about 250 and get the best for 450-500 or so. Same work different cantilever and diamond.
The Shibata is a very thin edge that rides the groove so it has the ability to track and reproduce the 45,000Hz of the Quad records of whatever type. We don't need that and some say it is harder to set up correctly, keeping it so that left and right sides track the same part of the groove at the same time instead of one side being a step ahead.
Any of the fine line, micro line, or whatever would be the one folks are enjoying these days without going as far as the Shibata.
Phono Cartridge Stylus Shapes | HFA - The Independent Source for Audio Equipment Reviews (hifi-advice.com)
I would think that all the retippers offer something in this line of nails. Then you have to decide on the cantilever material.
Ruby
Tapered Aluminum
Aluminum tube
Boron
used to have beryllium but who knows, dangerous to breath but it might be some other reason we don't see it much anymore.
Talk to your retipper for their recommendations. No reason to put a Diamond cantilever and a super performance shaped diamond on an AT10. I guess you get in for about 250 and get the best for 450-500 or so. Same work different cantilever and diamond.
No way I'd rather have a chunk of aluminum in place of the ruby cantilever in my 23R. First it would be junk and second it would need to be called the 23A.
As far as replacement cantilevers I'm not up on what is good other than boron. Don't know if tapered aluminum is offered. The Soundsmith retipped F9e was done with ruby, long slender. Mark owned that one until he heard a moving coil and sold it quickly.
As far as replacement cantilevers I'm not up on what is good other than boron. Don't know if tapered aluminum is offered. The Soundsmith retipped F9e was done with ruby, long slender. Mark owned that one until he heard a moving coil and sold it quickly.
