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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
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Totally different than ''don't mention M name'' I re-tipped only
one of my MM carts. The other guy posted all his MM carts
for ''refreshment''  regardless of their  need. I noticed that
re-tip by MM carts is done by cutting the original cantilever
and gluing new cantilever/stylus combo in or on the original
''rest pipe''. By ''per analogy'' reasoning one can ''imagine''
cutting the ''joint pipe'' by XL 88 D behind the diamond and
gluing new cantilever/stylus combo instead. The length of
the (aluminum) joint pipe is such that one can cut twice (grin).
lewm
13,021 posts
 
Been listening a lot to my Dynavector 17D3 cum diamond cantilever.  I "inherited" this cartridge due to the passing of one of my best friends and partners in audiophilia.  At the time he bought it (new), I believe he paid about $800-$900, and it was considered a sort of best buy among LOMCs.  I have mounted it in my FR64S on the TT101, using a CF headshell.  It feeds a modified Manley Steelhead which drives my Beveridge system. It hadn't been used by him, if it was ever used (because he was already unwell when he bought it), for at least 7-8 years, and at first I was not overwhelmed with the sound.  It was just OK. But after putting a few hours on it, wow it's quite nice.  Very nice tingly realistic treble. Very detailed yet non-fatiguing over all. Dynavector is one of a few old line audio companies that give you value for dollar on a consistent basis.  I have no idea what fraction of the goodness is attributable to the diamond cantilever.
gallus
45 posts
 
@halcro Have you ever considered trying your Sony cartridges on a Sony tonearm of those days - Sony Pua-7 or even better the Pua-9?


halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
The Pua-9 looks like an interesting arm Gallus....one I had not heard of previously.
THAT fact bothers me 🥴
Vintage tonearms, like vintage cartridges and turntables gain a ’reputation’ if they are really great.....a reputation that grows with time if they are truly ’legendary’ components.
Maintaining high resale value on the ’used’ market is a good sign of ’legendary’ quality in a component 🤗
I’ve had perhaps 15 tonearms (vintage and modern) and of the six I currently have.....five can be truly called ’legendary’ whilst the sixth one I believe, will one day attain that status.
Soundwise in my system....they all perform at a superior level to their competition, be it vintage or current.
That doesn’t mean to say that the Sony tonearms you recommend, wouldn’t compete.....
It’s just that I have no reason to believe they will...and I’m not one who is ready to test all the arms in the market place 🤪

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@gallus
 I had SONY PUA-7 tonearm, the original one that was for sale only as a separate unit in the box, not those cheap version people removing from Sony turntables to sell as "PUA-7" on ebay often. 

I must say the original PUA-7 is outstanding tonearm in terms on usability and build quality, very few tonearms can compete with PUA-7 in this aspect. My advice for those who're looking for PUA-7 is to buy ONLY stand alone unit like this. The armlift is the best ever, much better than anything i have tried. VTA of the fly, very nice anti-skating mechanism, so easy to use. There must be a DIN connector, cheaper version does not have it. The price even for stand alone version is very nice only if you can find it. However, It terms of sound quality there are better vintage tonearms from the same era, but they are normally much more expensive than PUA-7. Never tried the PUA-9. 

I was not impressed by the SONY MC cartridges such as XL-55, there are more better LOMC cartridges from different manufacturers (vintage and new), but i like their MM XL-50 with Boron Pipe cantilever and still have it (mint on dedicated sony headshell). 


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