NOS cartridges

Stan,
These words are not mine. I am repeating things, statements I have read in audio books, and magazines that afre informative. Some are designers. In fact, one is named Les Watts, a cartridge designer for Shure for many years, and he was cautioning many members of the Forums, such as Audio Karma, Audio Asylum, Vinyl Circle, and others, about how these parts deteriorate over time, even in NOS Stylii. This was a direct conversation that I had with Les Watts, again, a cartridge designer for Shure, not some Salesman, or the like. And he is from the days of Vinyl from 1970's and 1980's. And also a Audio Consultant besides a designer. I am not talking with some of these young kids, or guys that are hired today, that in conversations you can tell, that they know no more than I do, by their responses, and the need to look things up in books because they have no clue of what Im asking. Not everything has to be a moving part to age, and become brittle, its human nature, like Science. I dont care whether you want to accept it ot not, thats on you. But my sources are very reliable, and the cartridge designing was their specialty. Not sales. Les Watts is well known, and worked with the Berrylium cantilevers, the best cartridges that were ever available. I still have his email for contact. So Stan, this may not be advertised on a box, but is in nearly all informative books and magazines about audio, and cartridges/stylii. Ray

Kristian, although I presume that the reply that you received is correct regarding the M20FL, I believe that it may be stretching the truth to extend that explanation to every cartridge.

When it comes to cantilever metallurgy and corrosion resistance, or chemical composition in the damper elastomers, suspension, coil lacquer and so on, there are too many differences between brands and even individual models to apply hard-and-fast rules.

And although Ortofon may be one of the oldest cartridge manufacturers, they have managed to lay a few eggs in production models. For example, at least one model that I know of combined silver coil wire with damper elastomers containing sulfer. The sulfer in the dampers would gradually penetrate the lacquer insulation protecting the wires, attack the silver, and sooner or later the coils would corrode and break. Needless to say, the follow-up to this model was substantially revised.

A couple of other models from several manufacturers (unfortunately all very nice-sounding cartridges) didn't incorporate sufficient strain relief on the coil lead-out wires, and with the constant flexing that regular use would impose on the lead-outs, they would gradually work-harden and eventually break.

Other cartridges used certain aluminum alloy cantilevers that had good performance when new, but were prone to corrosion failure over time (particularly in humid environments), and the cantilevers would tend to collapse after a few years.

All of that said, I agree that an 18 months replacement cycle is much too short for any model that has been designed reasonably competently and used carefully.

hth, jonathan carr (cartridge designer)

Jcarr,
I personally felt the same way, when I read this info regarding the shelf life of anew cartridge. That is why I always tried to find audio dealers that sold alot of cartridges, didn't overorder, and was able to buy as new and fresh a cartridge as possible. Because for me, its alot of money to spen on cartridges. Only to have to worry about shelf life. But being in the business, and from a repair/technician point of view, I myself knew that it does make sense. So, I tried to buy as new as possible, and it gave me something to be wary of when buying used cartridges, or old new cartridges. But this was well known by those with the technical know in business back in the day. Im only telling you what was known, and stated by dealers, who has constant conversations with dealers, and me as with the designer, Les Watts from Shure. Ray

Ray, Obviously, it's a case by case phenomenon and past history of storage conditions must be an important determinant of cartridge longevity, but there is enough collective experience on this thread alone to put the kibosh on your thesis that cartridges only last 18 months from manufacture, granted that you are only repeating what you learned from two reputable sources. In my 35 years of playing vinyl, I never ever noticed any sort of deterioration in a cartridge after such a short time. In fact, since I don't get that many hours per week to listen, many of my cartridges (purchased new from dealers, not NOS) were still getting better at the 18-month mark. Also, I used to haunt audio salons in the good old days; I never heard any dealer make such a blanket claim re shelf life of cartridges. (By the way, why is Laura Dearborn qualified to expound on this subject, other than the fact that she wrote the book you cite?)

Rayr2, If you think the Shures were the best cartridges ever available there is not much more to say. I have been in audio since 1962 myself. Since my PhD is in the History of Science I have some slight acquaintance with it, especially with regard to scientific argumentation. Announcing that something is "Science" is not a good example of it. Nor is quoting statements by others without evidence. This is a forum designed to let members express their views; apparently you are uncomfortable that some of us have ones that differ from yours. That is your problem, not mine. No one has a gun to your head forcing you to buy old cartridges. All I can say is that I am currently considering buying a NOS Ortofon on ebay for my own use. As to which of us knows more about audio I invite anyone in doubt to look at our past posts on this forum.