Miyajima MADAKE experience

Well, I'm a huge fan of the SPU Royal N (this is my third and I swore I wouldn't sell it again). All the Miyajima stereo cartridges have a debt to the SPU series, so there is something of a common character, but much as I love the SPU, the Madake has an 'ahhh that's good' kind of rightness about it when I put it in - it's not any more detailed or punchy than the SPU, but it's just so musical.

The Ikeda is a different thing entirely. If you know the Decca London cartridges you'll know about seat of the pants presentation, it's compelling listening (if a bit exhausting). The Ikeda takes this vividness and kicks up up a gear. Great for showing off equipment and hearing the ultimate detail that's on a record. But the Miyajima beats it for musicality and enjoyment. That's not to say that it's missing anything, but that the whole is more organic and believable. The 9C is a superb cartridge though in its own terms.

This on a pair of Ikeda tonearms btw (my TD124 MkII currently has an older model Ikeda IT-407 12in arm at the back, and a post 2011 Ikeda IT-345 CR1 9in arm at the side on the main armboard.

Hi, I have a "retipped" 60 hours Shilabe, a Kansui with 600 hours and two Madakes, one of which cannot be officially "retipped" (it was purchased outside the US) with is c. 500 hours and a new one with 20 hours which can be "retipped".
The Shilabe is actually my third, the first I bought from Miyajima-san in Japan in the pre-importer days, then a retip (swap) from the importer, and then the latest retip which was a real retip performed in the US.
The swap retipping is 40% of the retail price or about $2360 for the Madake according to Robin Wyatt who imports them.
The cartridges all can be retipped for c. $650 by Andy Kim at the Needle Clinic, who redid the Shilabe with a comparable aluminum cantilever and diamond. The cartridge measured the same after his work as it did before, and seemed to sound the same- taking into consideration the play time. Andy is extremely knowledgeable and helpful- and a fast worker.

The Madake retip from him wouldn’t have the, well, madake, and probably would really be a Kansui, so the Madake will always cost a fair bit to replace.

By the way, has anyone measured the frequency response of these cartridges? I’m having issues with my second Madake being too bright, and the response is anything but flat in the top end (>+7dB at 18kHz!). I’ve measured all of them using my system, and none of them are, well, exemplars of an ideal response, but the second Madake is a bit much.

After the accident (with rare Technics cartridges) described by one of our member few years ago, i would never deal with Needle Clinic and wouldn't advice it to anybody else. 

There are many retippers with good reputation such as Expert Stylus and NorthWest Analogue is UK, SoundSmith in USA ... etc 

Well, I'm not alone in having had good experiences with Needle doctor, and I used him because of recommendations that I received from other satisfied customers who had him re-tip high end MCs.
Sometimes things happen, no matter who it is. 

@wynpalmer4 I know, but that case was more about Andy's personality, so for me he's no longer in the list of retippers. 

Anyway, i think it's not a good idea to service Madake at anyone else, but the Miyajima Lab. And it's sad that Miyajima's service is less affordable now.  

As for the lower model i'm sure that changing one aluminum cantilever to another is not exactly the same. Alumimum cantilevers are different too. The best about Miyajima was the cheap factory retipping/refurbishing service, it was possible only several years go, but not today.