Cartridge repair; re-tipping; canitlever replacement: The Needle Clinic A++


Happy New Year fellow A'goners. Last Monday I bent the boron cantilever on my Rega Apheta 2 MC cartridge. After a miserable attempt at self-repair (I know, but I just had to try), I decided to send it off for cantilever replacement. All of us know of the terrific work that Peter at The Soundsmith does. Only problem is, turnaround time is often in excess of 12 weeks (in my case he estimated 14). I started doing a little research about possible alternatives. One name that came popping up with (almost) unanimously positive reviews was Andy Kim at The Needle Clinic in Bellevue, WA. I contacted Andy and asked if he could repair the Apheta 2 (a somewhat radical design and difficult to work on, as I'm sure Gandy intended). Andy said he could indeed. I asked if he offered boron cantilevers and super-fine nude styli, and yes, ditto. Then, drumroll please, I asked what the turnaround time would be. He said about a week. Pardon me?? I live in North Carolina. Yes, one week.

I decided to give him a whirl. I shipped the cartridge via UPS and it was delivered last Wednesday, January 11. I received an email from Andy late in the day Thursday, January 12 telling me that the repair was complete and that he was "ear testing" the cartridge. Holy cow!! He responded that it sounded fantastic, and sent me a Paypal invoice for $450.00 plus $8 shipping. I paid immediately and the cartridge arrived at my home here in North Carolina yesterday, Saturday the 14th. Unbelievable. More impressive still is his work. I installed the cartridge on my Rega P9 (RB1000 arm) this morning (its a snap in that the cartridge is made principally for the RB1000 tonearm), and the sound is FANTASTIC.

I am a discerning "audiophile" of 54 years with ears fit for the hobby. I won't bore you with a boastful list of my high-end gear, but suffice it to say my system is comprised of very revealing and top drawer kit. The Apheta 2 has always been an excellent low-output MC cartridge, but I think it actually sounds a tad bit better than ever. I had read that Andy employs only the best nude diamond tips, and this thing is marvelous now.

I take nothing away from The Soundsmith, whom most of us know to be excellent as well. The great news is that there is now a clear alternative that offers no compromise and a much shorter (for now) turnaround time. Highly, highly recommended!! -David 

klipschking
Not trying to be a smart a__, but how did you manage to bend a boron cantilever without shattering it?????
Well, Mr M if you must know, just being careless. I rammed my ZeroDust stylus cleaner dead on to the front of the stylus/cantilever. It did not shatter, but bent. Attempting to repair however = shattered.
Thanks for that tip David, I'll have to keep that in mind in case I am ever in a rush. I sent a Ortofon Cadenza Bronze to Soundsmith last year for repairs, and it did take about 10 weeks. Of course I had another cartridge, so I was not in any rush. In fact, though it's been back for about 3 months now, I still haven't re-mounted the Ortofon. I've been having too much fun with a Transfiguration Phoenix S.

It's always nice to have options though. Congrats on your Apheta 2!
Klipschking. I understand your plight. I was reaching over the top and behind my turntable with a loose baggy t-shirt on. When I backed up and stood up straight, I snagged the stylus tip and bent and kinked the aluminum cantilever. New cartridge was in order....
...and Happy New Year to you! Great info, I was just thinking of alternatives for an upcoming retip of my Denon DL-S1 and will definitely check with these guys when time comes (the quick turnaround is an important factor for me as well).