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Who needs a Diamond Cantilever...? 💍

So suddenly, there seems to be a trend for Uber-LOMC cartridges released with Diamond Cantilevers...😱
As if the High-End MC cartridges were not already overpriced....?!
Orofon have released the MC-ANNA-DIAMOND after previously releasing the Limited Edition MC-CENTURY...also with Diamond Cantilever.
Then there’s the KOETSU BLOODSTONE PLATINUM and DYNAVECTOR KARAT 17D2 and ZYX ULTIMATE DIAMOND and probably several more.

But way back in 1980....Sony released a Diamond-Cantilevered version of its fine XL-88 LOMC Cartridge.
Imaginatively....they named this model the XL-88D and, because it was the most expensive phono cartridge in the world (costing 7500DM which was more expensive than a Volkswagen at the time)....Sony, cleverly disguised this rare beast to look EXACTLY like its ’cheap’ brother with its complex hybrid cantilever of "special light metal held by a carbon-fibre pipe both being held again by a rigid aluminium pipe".
The DIAMOND CANTILEVER on the 88D however......was a thing of BEAUTY and technological achievement, being formed from ONE PIECE OF DIAMOND including the stylus 🤯🙏🏽

I’ve owned the XL-88 for many years and recently discovered that it was my best (and favourite) cartridge when mounted in the heavy Fidelity Research S-3 Headshell on the SAEC WE-8000/ST 12" Tonearm around my VICTOR TT-101 TURNTABLE.
Without knowing this in advance.....I would not have been prepared to bid the extraordinary prices (at a Japanese Auction Site) that these rare cartridges keep commanding.
To find one in such STUNNING CONDITION with virtually no visible wear was beyond my expectations 😃

So how does it sound.....?
Is there a difference to the standard XL-88?
Is the Diamond Cantilever worth the huge price differential?
Is the Pope a Catholic....?

This cartridge simply ’blows my mind’...which is hard to do when I’ve had over 80 cartridges on 10 different arms mounted on two different turntables 🤯
As Syntax said on another Thread:-
When you have 2 identical carts, one regular cantilever and the other one with diamond cantilever (Koetsu Stones for example), the one with diamond cantilever shows more details, is a bit sharper in focus and the soundstage is a bit deeper and wider. They can sound a bit more detailed overall with improved dynamics
I’ll leave it at that for the time being. I will soon upload to YouTube, the sound comparisons between the two Sony versions on my HEAR MY CARTRIDGES THREAD.

But now I’ve bought myself a nightmarish scenario.......
There is no replacement stylus for this cartridge!
There is no replacement cantilever for this cartridge!
Each time I play records with it, I am ’killing’ it a bit more 🥴😥
If I knew how long I had left to live......I could program my ’listening sessions’ 🤪
But failing this.....I can’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable listening to this amazing machine.
128x128halcro
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,051 posts
 
This is another example of: " at your own risk ",.

you can’t buy a new cartridge that sounds better than the XL88D?
In 40 years of owning over 80 cartridges (both vintage and modern)...I can honestly say NO . """"

Only an opinion. A respectable opinion but nothing more than that.

@halcro , got it?

You are rigth the 55 does not came with boron cantilever but a blended one:

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/sony/xl-55-pro.shtml

exist a 44B that came with boron cantilever.

Btw, the 55 models seen the " ligth " before the 88 and were in the 55 where we can find out the famous 8 figure at the coils that shared to the 88 models.

I wonder why the 88 has higher output than the 55: 0.4mv vs 0.2mv in the 55. Other than that differences are at the cantilever material and stylus shape. The Sony model that comes with the same 88 stylus shape is the 44L.



R.
best-groove's avatar
best-groove
842 posts
 
In 40 years of owning over 80 cartridges (both vintage and modern)...I can honestly say NO . """"


perhaps someone in his turntable and system does not find it so marvelous or it could be a cartridge that, in any context, holds the leadership, remains a super queen unchallenged..... in short where everyone agrees.

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I’ve heard Sony XL-55 with Boron cantilever and did not like it at all.

@halcro

my mistake, but anyway a sample of my ex flat mate was not impressive against my Zyx Airy III at that time, compared on my EPA-100

the one i like better is Sony XL-50 MM with Boron Pipe cantilever, i have it NOS, very nice for the money. Have you tried ?

Neither the Sony XL-55 nor XL-88 (in standard form) had Boron cantilevers.

You’re right. So it was even more compicated cantilever on the Sony XL-55 MC sample i did not like :)) The cantilever on XL-55 MC was "A triple-layer carbon clad cantilever using a special light alloy is used." The next one on PRO model was "A triple-structure carbon clad cantilever using beryllium / aluminum / carbon fiber is used. " But i never tried a PRO version. On XL-88 we can see the same "Triple cladding of beryllium / aluminum / carbon fiber is used to achieve high rigidity and light weight." And on your XL-88D we have Gemstone "cantilever integrated super elliptical diamond needle". On all models only elliptical tip :((



150K Yen =$714 =$2223 (today)

7500 DM =$4400 =$13700 (today)


Actually the price for XL-88D in the 80’s was 150 000 YEN as you can see here.
(Same price for Dynavector KARAT Nova 13D), very expensive for its time, but not as much as you think.

I don’t know why do you think the price was 7500 DM ($4400) in the 80’s ? In Japan the price for XL-88D was just 150 000 YEN ($714) in the 80s, not $4400, i don’t think the difference between Japan and German retailers is so big, can’t be true!

I think you mixed up two different models, there was a regular XL-88D and limited edition version that was made in very small quantity! J.Carr has mentioned this mega rare model on a’gon years ago. I think that model was expensive, but not the XL-88D that you have.

halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Thanks Terry,
A limited 'Club' at the moment.....but sure to increase if current trends continue 🤔
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
The Yahoo Japan auction site looks like a very DANGEROUS place for someone like myself to visit! lol.
Uber, it's not for the faint-hearted 😬 but the first 'auction' is the most fearful. After that...with more experience, it becomes easy and exciting.
I list my cartridge 'Preferences' with HiFi Shark and every day they send me an Email with Links to any of those cartridges they have found on any site on the Internet.
80% of the Links they send me are for Japan Yahoo....understandable as most of the cartridges I desire were made mostly for the Japanese market.
Once you sign up to Aleado...the Administrator of Japan Yahoo....you have to deposit funds into your Account via PayPal before you can bid at any Auction.
This scares most people but it's perfectly safe I've found.
You 'Bid' your max. amount but they only put the amount needed to beat the highest offer by another Bidder.
Communication with Aleado is excellent and prompt and if you 'win' the Auction.....their packing of the goods is unbelievable 🤯👍
The only caveat about the Site is......the 'automatic' English translation of the Japanese description of the 'Goods' is USELESS!!!!
That's why one needs to be able to assess the product from careful examination of the pictures supplied.
More to discover