What is the average lifespan of a phono cartridge?

Dear @tbbromguard: Years ago Ortofon made a research about and they found out that after 500 hours any stylus tip showed signs of deterioration and this means that after those 500 hours that stylus tip it’s not tracking as is new: obviously.

In those times they said that when cartridge approach the 1K hours it’s time for re-tip.

Those informtion from Ortofon makes sense because if it’s true that at 500-K hours the stylus tip can has more hours to play with it’s true too thta’s is performing aginst listening enjoyment and against the LP grooves lifespan.

I know that through our ears and even after 1.5K-2K hours we just do not listen nothing wrong ( we are not aware of. ) but the damage exist in the stylus tip and will ruin those LP grooves.

Any one decides when to re-tip but maybe is time to think about again.

R.

What is clearly stated in the manual of ZYX Premium 4D cartridge is that a LIFE TIME of the 3 um x 60 um (Micro Ridge 0,07 mm) stylus is 2000 hrs at 2g tracking force. I believe that Nakatsuka-San is qualified to say the truth even if he’s got a profit on every exchange of the worn cartridges to a new ones!

So 2000 hrs at 2g tracking force is a life time of brand new Micro Ridge stylus according to ZYX.

Buy cartridges with Micro Ridge or similar ultra high-end needles to use them for 2000 hours without retiping them.

@chakster 

that advice is not universal. Any stylus can be damaged and worn in far less time, depending on whether the arm is adjusted correctly, the overall treatment of the cartridge, and most importantly- the condition of the vinyl that is being utilized. A record that is full of pits and has dirty grooves will wear down any cartridge in a much quicker time. Some cartridges may last even longer than 2000 hours...depending on how they are treated, OTOH, the exact same cartridge may last just a mere fraction of that time.
Stylus shape is no guarantee of long wear. 

Well, i am not afraid of used vinyl and my interest is original pressings from the 70's. The benefit of playin used vinyl with Shibata, LineContact, MicroRidge, Stereohedron, MicroLine, MicroRidge..  is explained earlier in this post.

Conical stylus can't touch (damage) the area of the groove that Shibata can read easily. Even if the vinyl is slightly worn by previous owner during the 1970's it is most likely worn by conventional conical tip or an elliptical tip. Shibata can read the undamaged part of the groove on the same vinyl. This is the reason why i always buyin a cartridges with the most advanced diamond profiles. Another reason why i like the MM/MI is replaceable stylus, so i can compare used stylus to a new stylus by swapping them in 5 seconds (which is impossible with MC carts). For the same reason i like to try different styli on my MM carts to compare one cantilever/stylus combo to another. 

We're not talking about accidental damage, sh*t happens, i know. 
I believe an experienced audiophiles know how to set up a cartridge and a tonearm too. 

Simple FACT: LineContact type of the stylus has much longed life than conventional conical/elliptical, that's it. 

    

What's the best one can hope for, any stylus ? 3000 hours or so ?