Direct Drive vs. Idler Drive vs. Belt drive

Touche'!!

Re Sony XL88D

Chakster

Very interesting, indeed @nandric 

One of the simplest stylus (Elliptical on one of the most exotic cantilever (Diamond, gemstone cantilever) - this is SONY

On the other side is pretty simple Aluminum cantilever with advanced stylus tip such as Refined Contact (on FR-7fz) and PH Semi Line Contact tip (on Miyabi MCA). 

What we have here is an extreme on both ends:

1) better cantilever, but simplest diamond
2) better diamonds, but simplest cantilever 

But both cartridges as LOMC, so we have something in common here. But at the same time we’re comparing apples to oranges, because those cartridges are different and designed by different people with different concept in mind. 

I think people who love to "upgrade" their LOMC with help of some re-tippers could change cantilever on FR or Miyabi, they could also change stylus tip on SONY. 

This is of course nonsense. Developed around 1980 the Sony XL88D had a "super elliptical" stylus profile. It was much sharper and finer profile than any off the shelf elliptical at the time. This is the danger of speculating about what not you know. How do I know - it was mounted on my turntable, spankers new in 1983. The Sony was developed and released just prior to the development and availability of the microridge profile. Great cartridge.

Sony subsequently used the microridge stylus profile on the XL55ProII released in 1984 and a few other cartridges they released from 84 onwards to the early 90's

By the way the diamond cantilever and stylus on the XL88D are cut from one piece - it is not possible to retip as suggested.

This is of course nonsense. Developed around 1980 the Sony XL88D had a "super elliptical" stylus profile.

@dover
Good point, because advanced cartridge design should not be mated with conventional elliptical stylus, i don’t own 88D, never tried.

Super Elliptical ot Hyper Elliptical is what i have on various cartridges including SONY XL50 MM (on boron pipe cantilever), there was XL70 MM that someone selling on ebay now. Super Elliptical stylus as you can see, same profile as on 88D, good to know.

How would you describe Super Elliptical, it’s LineContact i believe (not MR) ?

By the way the diamond cantilever and stylus on the XL88D are cut from one piece - it is not possible to retip as suggested.

Right, nice to look at (in the display case). When diamond is worn it’s gone (or cut and glue, retippers normally breaking the rules).

In XL88D you have to change whole motor.
That means master has to make new coils in the way as Sony did. It's possible to use diamond cantilever from Namiki.
IMO total for that will be at least 2000 EUR.

I like disputes but not with dover (grin). I started an thread
with the title ''irreparable cartridge'' but nobody was interested.
Curious because my explicit reference was to Sony XL series
and ZYX series. The reason is the glued body with no possibility
to enter inside for eventual repair. It is , I think, never mentioned
that among other innovations Sony was the first with  ''potting''
the inside of the body. Axel needed to break the body to get
inside but inside he was confronted with ''glue'' as he put it.
That is some ''glue kind'' of damping material. Now regarding
 the optimistic inclination about retip. Those who thinks this 
possible have never seen  Sony XL 88 D. The diamond and 
consequently the ''joint pipe'' are not round . Besides the diamond
cantilever is not glued in the ''joint pipe'' in usual way. What Axel
was asked to do was straighten the cantilever/stylus combo.
This was, alas, not possible because of mentioned fastening.
That is why he needed to ''break in'' inside. The whole generator 
was somehow ''turned around'' . By straightening the generator
the coils  were broken in this (potting) glue. I lost my Sony 88D
this way while my initial thought was: ''easy job to straighten the
stylus''.