Replicant 100 stylus longevity - truth or myth?

Dear Janhavjar: Always is important to know that cartridge spec by the manufacturer and obviously from cartridge users but IMHO could be more critical and important one fact:

almost any today top cartridge as the A90 you own could last over 2K hours ( the manufacturer of my Allaerts proclaim that last over: 6K+ hours!! ). The subject here for me is not how many hours could last but HOWM MANY HOURS COULD LAST WITH OUT START/BEGIN MAKING ANY DAMAGE TO OUR PRECIOUS LPs.

This is IMHO the important subject about. I posted twice on this regards and seems to me that almost no one gives the importance to the subject.
I have not any evidence or facts that could confirm this: I think that over 500 hours the stylus tip could start to show the wear/erosion that not only could start to make some kind of damage to the LPs but that could make that the cartridge performs with lower quality performance.
Many of us can't hear those tiny performance changes not only because are a tiny ones but because we are accustom to the cartridge and equalized over time, so we only be aware of changes in quality cartridge performance when those changes are higher.

I would like that stylus tip manufacturers could come here and put some light about or that any one of them could take this subject and make a research through scientific tests to achgieve results and give to all their avid customers this information.

Gentlemans, remember that the more precious " gems " in our audio system hoby are the LPs and we need that the cartridge stylus tip be always in PRISTINE condition/shape to make the lower/less damage to the LPs.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Downunder, thanks for the good info. My A90, too, is getting a little long in the tooth--or maybe short in the tooth is the better metaphor, since we're talking about wear on the tip. I'm curious, how did you determine yours was finished, by sonics or examination?

To my knowledge Jan Allaerst uses Gyger S for all of his carts. The Gyger S is designed by van den Hul for Gyger and also used by Lukaschek by some Benz carts ( SP and Ruby 3s). According to Fremer the Replicant is similar to Gyger S qua shape ( see his revieuw about A90).

Regards,

Hi Wrm57

By sonics and starting to not track as well.

One day I'll get someone to look at it.

cheers

I believe it is the folks at Benz that state that the inherent longevity of a stylus is principally determined by the quality of the diamond. Higher quality natural diamonds being much superior to synthetic diamonds because of the better crystal lattice structure. The particular shape of the diamond is less of a determining factor. Benz quotes a life expectancy well above 2,000 hours if the stylus and record are kept reasonably clean.

I have found that most records are surprisingly durable and can be more or less undamaged even when they are played with a mildly worn stylus (as evidenced by mild mistracking on highly modulation parts of the music). I have gotten records from people that had that kind of gear that played with no obvious wear. It is possible that the wear/damage is on a different part of the groove than my cartridge contacts--microgroove, ogura, replicant, etc. styli contact the walls of the groove deeper down conical styli--so that may account for why I don't hear damage when a record is played by a mildly mistracking cartridge.

Still, for the sake of my collection, I would never play a record when my cartridge shows obvious signs of damage or wear.