MP150 or MP200

It’s true, cartridge suspension hardness can change over the years . Even temperture changes on a new cartridge can change its performance on a day to day basis .

Nothing wrong with suspension inside any cartridge from my collection of the best vintage MM at the moment, please explain how it is possible if you think it must degraded in time? They are performing better than brand new cartridges. Many more people on audiogon have seen and heard exactly the same thing, those great MM are just better made than most of the new cartridges. And they can sound better if you know which one to buy (which exact model).

Also if everything is so bad with 30 y.o. suspension that why people are buying those cartridges for very high prices for an old design?

Each time I read something like "don’t buy any vintage MM because the suspension is dried or softened" I know it’s false at least in 99% cases, bought so many of them and (as I said) the worst are Technics MM - this is where the suspension is always dead and a cart is a low-rider and it’s so easy to check before buying, just play one side of the LP.

Anyway, this is just my own experience and I bought all those great cartridges in the past 7 years, not in the 70’s. I am using them right now.  

You can buy modern replacement styli for vintage cartridges that use modern synthetic rubbers that will last for decades out side. Styli back from the day are probably bad by now. Not only that but quality control was pretty poor back then. I frequently had to go through two or three cartridges to find one with a straight cantilever and a stylus pointed in the right direction. But the bodies are just copper coils so there is no reason they could not last forever. But, today we have better materials and magnets plus we have CAD. The Goldfinger used CAD to position its 12 magnets correctly. I personally see no reason to visit the past. Modern cartridges are better if you can afford them and I can.

I have been reading Chaks posts for YEARS on vintage MM carts and tried quite a few out myself mostly based on his glowing testimony.
Unfortunately I cannot say that any truly lit my fire, most did indeed work just fine although I did have one ADC cart collapse the suspension within a week of purchase ( sent back via eBay for full refund so no big deal).

Not a single one of them could get close to any of my good MC carts, not one. Think Koetsu Black Goldline, Scheu Analog SL, Ortofon Cadenza Black. Even the Ortofon 2M Black was a lot better to my ears.

Now maybe Chak does own some stellar examples I have not tried and I wish him all the best and hope he sincerely enjoys them but for myself there will be no more vintage MM experiments, just sold the last of them this morning!

@uberwalts the ADC is Raul’s favorite, not mine. You gave up pretty quick. In fact the ADC Astrion that Raul liked long time ago was the worst cartridge I even heard. 

Now please tell me do you own or owned any of my top-10 MM that I love and use for a long time against $5000 LOMC

AT-ML180
AT-ML170
Stanton CS-100 WOS
Pickering XSV/5000 or XLZ/7500
Grace LEVEL II BR/MR
Grace F14 Excellent
Grace F14 with Beryllium cantilever
Grado Signature XTZ

As far as i know you never owned any of them, correct me if I’m wrong.

My Favorite MC cartridges are:

Miyajima Kansui
Miyabi MCA
Miyabi Standard
Ikeda 9c III
FR-7fz

Seriously, If you want a stellar MM you (or anyone else) could ask me, not some idiots who's selling defective or worn/broken items cheaper. I only buy perfect samples or NOS samples for my collection. 

You can buy modern replacement styli for vintage cartridges that use modern synthetic rubbers that will last for decades out side. Styli back from the day are probably bad by now. Not only that but quality control was pretty poor back then.

@mijostin you can’t buy modern replacement for most of the best MM cartridges from the past because those type of cantilevers are NOT available anymore. But NOS originals are still available (but rare). If all post about weakness of rubber is nothing buy a fantasy, I have practically tested so many vintage MM (the best ones, not crap).

Instead you’re talking about rubber parts, do you think it’s more important ?

After years of contributing on this forum I have posted thousands of pictures and articles, but people like you ignoring everything and continue to post nonsense.

-Ever heard about Boron PIPE or Beryllium PIPE cantilevers ?

-Ever tried a ceramic cantilevers (also pipe) ?

-Sapphire or Ruby that are completely different from what SoundSmith can offer today ?

-Gold-Plated Beryllium maybe?

-Even aluminum cantilevers from Japan is not what you can buy today.

You will never find any of those great exotic cantilevers today, no matter how much you can pay, even on $20 000 MC you will never find a Beryllium anymore (production of this material was restricted long time ago), no more Boron Pipe (too expensive to made) ...

Quality control was MUCH higher and those cartridges made in JAPAN !
This country was way ahead of USA or Europe in technology.

This is the reason why the best MM are from JAPAN and they are extraordinary good even today because of the quality control and very high competition between the giants of the industry.

Even cartridge design (visually) was much better than all those ugly looking modern cartridges. Headshell integrated carts like this one is superior design and engineering. I can't post all of them here now, but there are so many amazing cartridges made in analog era, not in digital era.