2. analog
  3. 149638-16074

Real world life expectancy of a high end cartridge?

While I know they’re supposed to last 1000 hours how many make it all that way?  

Question prompted by my brushing a knuckle on my AS Palladian this afternoon and trashing it ... lesson learned not to try tonearm adjustments without full access to the table (normally I move the table off the wall shelf to a more convenient location to make adjustments, but not this time 😬)

And doesn’t it just happen that the cost of a recipe/trade is exactly my deductible so even insurance is no help 😲

Anyway just needed to vent ... but anyone playing with these expensive baubles better be prepared to reup on a replacement at any moment 🤪
128x128folkfreak
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,198 posts
 
I just strolled through this thread...

One poster said "Stylast is nothing but Freon". My memory recalls this same response in another thread.
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,198 posts
 
@don_c55 ,

Of coarse, there's nobody that can verify your findings.
normansizemore
601 posts
 
Wow, I simply just replace the stylus when I notice it doesn’t sound right. Usually a year maybe two?  My favorite is the ancient Nagaoka MP11 Boron.  Love the fact that I can switch between elliptical, and conical depending on what I am playing.  

A few years ago I re-tipped my 1966 Denon 103 for the first time.  I must say that after the re-tipping I noticed absolutely not one bit of difference.  My Decca Red still has it’s original stylus and sounds fantastic.

Most of my cartridges are from the 70’s and 80’s and most still have their original stylus.  I never thought of counting playing time, I just simply listen.  Works for me.

N
don_c55
1,025 posts
 
Slaw
My cartridges last five or six years, and I play Lps 3 hours per day ave.
That is my experience!
david12
1,454 posts
 

I use the golf clicker too, but have settled on 20 minutes a side. I keep two cartridges, an SPU Synergy and Benz Micro LP and have re tipped them both once.There seems to be two issues regarding cartridge life, sound quality and record wear. Of the two, record wear concerns me most, my ears are too old to notice sound degradation anyway.

Anyone care to comment, assuming no damage, which would tend to come first, sound decline or record damage? I have always assumed it's sound degradation.

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