A pragmatic view of cartridge expenses / many questions


Trying to see what your thoughts are on cartridge expenses? Do you buy cartridges and replace or retip after it’s worn? Cartridges are like tires for cars in some ways. You have to replace the tires after they wear out.

If you own an ultra expensive cartridge, let’s say, over 7k, is that your main spinner? Do you do a factory retip at costs exceeding thousands? Do some of you who own high cost cartridges use them only for special occasions, similar to drinking Dom Perigon for some special event, and use a normal not so exotic cartridge for regular day to day use and perhaps non-audiophile records.
I am sure each of us have our own price threshold and thoughts of high end cartridges. I only said 7k, because that seems to me a fair price point to describe a very expensive cartridge.

My thoughts are that having a few normally priced cartridges around is a good thing, due to the wear and tear, and replacing or retippimg would also be less costly. I do lust after some high end cartridges and if I do obtain one, my philosophy would be as described above. Enjoy for special occasions, and use a less costly for normal day to day listens. Geez, it feels like we are trying to separate our car cruises from a sports car feel to a luxury limo ride feel, in some ways. 
What’s your opinion on expendability of cartridges?
audioquest4life
Please consider ultra-sonic record cleaning before you buy something really big. Not only does it improve the quality of the sound, but it improves the longevity of the cartridge.
I have a Clearaudio Double Matrix for cleaning purposes. I am looking at getting an ultrasonic cleaner to augment my cleaning regiment. 8,000 plus records and counting....always will have a mechanical cleaner for sure. 
Dear @audioquest4life : " Not properly setup...please! "

well that 20ohms loading means something about and this is not subjective.

" After setting up a least few dozen cartridges one gets used to the initial sound impressions. You should know that based on your vast MM listening experiences. "

Rigth, NO not exactly. The MM was a nice adventure and nothing else but a nice experiences ( " thousands " of it and way different the set up than LOMC ones. ) but I’m a LOMC cartridge advocate and my experiences with came from the Denon 103 passing through 100+ other LOMC ones including today top of the line ones. You can name almost any top vintage or today LOMC cartridge and you can be sure I owned or own or I listened it in my system.

My post to you is not subjective because you posted that loading and I know your phono stage and your tonearm and the cartridge and that can’t be improved by any kind of speaker or amplifier or room conditioning you have it. The best that can do speaker/room/amps is to degrade, at minimum if you like, the cartridge signal never can improve it and this is way objective in any way not subjective. I don't want to go deeper on this objective/subjective issue with your system.

Btw, MUSIC belongs not to the mid frequency range but to the frequency extremes. As better both ranges as better all frequency range harmonics.

Anyway:


" .it’s a hobby, enjoy while you can. Even if your told your setup is wrong! "

that’s your subjective opinion.

R.



At the end of the day, I am very satisfied with the cartridges I own and appreciate the insight from some of you regarding cost performance ratio and long term ownership costs. It’s something I thought would be of interest to a few who are evaluating ownership costs, and if your like me, leaving the work force in a few years with reduced funding for your hobbies. 

My system makes beautiful music as is...but, guess what, I am going to purchase the Hyperion, and Koetsu Jade. One reason is that I can trade up in the Soundsmith line, and the second reason is Jade is my birthstone. Talk about irrational purchases. Did not even take my own advice. Sounds all too familiar around these forums. 
@audioquest4life,

Regarding the Soundsmith Hyperion I heard it at the Capital Audio Show 2018 in the VPI suite.  They had two HW40 turntables setup - one with the Soundsmith Hyperion the other with the Lyra Etna.  They were playing a Louis Armstrong record - moving it from turntable to turntable.  The speakers were a big set of Wilson Audio.  To my ears the difference was not subtle. The Lyra Etna played Louis Armstrong as if he was singing in Aspen, CO - low humidity and crisp. The Soundsmith Hyperion played Louis Armstrong as if he was in New Orleans - humid and dense.  Which was right - to the ears of the beholder.