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Cartridge retip stylus options/Opinions please

Hi guys,

I have two cartridges that I want to have retipped: Shelter 901 and Monster AG2000. The Shelter comes stock with an elliptical stylus and the Monster with micro ridge. Andy @ Needle Clinic will put a microridge on either for $450 ea. (line contact for $350, elliptical for $250). Soundsmith will put their best stylus (optimized nude contact line) on a sapphire cantilever for $399 ea. Both carts (esp the Monster) is very good in stock form based on my tastes; but, if I had a magic wand, I would say that I would prefer a little more openness and refinement in the highs with somewhat less emphasis on the mid bass from the Shelter; and a little more fullness from the Monster.

Any thoughts on the general quality of work to be expected from each retipper and/or the merits of each choice of stylus would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
frogman
ct0517's avatar
ct0517
2,041 posts
 
Frogman - don't forget to ask Andy or whoever does the work for you to take a little extra time to inspect the old stylus before discarding. The wear pattern tells an intimate story of the person's vinyl setup. :^)
frogman OP
7,456 posts
 
Very good tip (no pun), Chris. Will do, and thanks!
vpi's avatar
vpi
223 posts
 
Frogman,
If you haven't already sent them off, for what its worth I had Soundsmith repair a Lyra Clavis from which I had sheared off the cantilever.  While I was moderately pleased with the result it was not the same as my original Clavis.  For this reason, I think retip only without replacing the cantilever is probably the way to go.
Harry
nrenter's avatar
nrenter
766 posts
 
How would you retip if you "sheared off the cantilever"? Why didn't you send it back to Lyra?
vpi's avatar
vpi
223 posts
 
Guess I wasn't all that clear or perhaps I just assumed anyone on this thread would understand one cannot retip a cantilever if one has no cantilever.  Point being, with a change in cantilever the cartridge did not quite measure up to the original Clavis.

Didn't send it back to Lyra because they advised, while they do repairs on their higher priced cartridges, they do not repair the Clavis.  I suppose it's a cost issue.  Replacing the cantilever is practically a rebuild of the whole cartridge which is not cost effective for what was then a $1500 cartridge.  This is unlike Soundsmith who I understand just glues a new cantilever to the stub of the old cantilever.

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