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My Cartridge needs a new Stylus


Hi Guys, I need to get my stylus replaced on my Supex cartridge and have a question. At this time the cartridge has a Boron Pipe cantilever, The company I decided to do the rebuild, I read good things about, they cannot do the Boron Pipe but can do an aluminum or a sapphire cantilever. My question is, does anyone know if there would be any or what the difference would be in the sound between the cantilevers.

128x128thefile
thefile's avatar
thefile OP
42 posts
 
Thank you Nandric,
      That is what I was looking for, to see if it was possible to use my existing Boron pipe. I looked at the tip of the cantilever with a stylus scope and it looks good to me but I am not an expert. After all the years I had the cartridge it was time for a rebuild anyway.
fleib
1,124 posts
 

Thefile, I agree with Nandric. The boron pipe can not be replaced with its equal, and any substitute will most likely be inferior.

It might cost more money to retain the original cantilever and have it retipped rather than a rebuild which replaces it. If you wish to retain the original performance, have the same type (as original) stylus as a replacement. This is one area where I would consider an upgrade. If it had an elliptical tip I would consider a line contact or micro, but I'm not familiar with your Supex to make such a recommendation.

Regards,

thefile's avatar
thefile OP
42 posts
 
Thank you Fleib, I am going to ask about using my Boron pipe. I have owned many cartridges in my time and I just got lucky with this Supex, cartridges that cost 3 and 4 times as much. Just so you know the Supex line was made by Sumiko.  Nandric had mentioned to check your thread on cantilevers but I cannot find it, is there any way you can put in a link so I can read it, I would be interested. 
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Boron's pretty hard to beat, I would think. Its atomic number is 5, making it lighter than oxygen (8) of aluminum (13). I've never had a sapphire cantilever, but I've been enjoying the boron cantilever on my AT150MLX for eight years now.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@thefile
Axel Schurholz in Germany repaired my Technics EPC-100c mk3, new boron cantilever is no problem for him if you don’t mind boron rod instead of boron pipe. He use Nagaoka boron cantilevers as far as i know.

Look at this picture of the new elliptical tip on boron cantilever of my Technics EPC-100CMK3 (retipped by Axel). Sounds great!

I’ve owned two cartridges with sapphire cantilevers: ADC Astrion (i wasn’t impressed at all) and Argent MC500HS (high output MC which i like a lot!).

Nothing wrong with alluminum cantilevers if the nude well polished diamond pressure fitted like this Denon 107 i have sent to a friend.

It’s all about the balance, not the material used in cantilever alone. You can lose the magic of your cartridge replacing cantilever from alluminum to boron or sapphire. Some of the vintage cartridges with alluminum cantilevers sounds amazing in original form.



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