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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
audioquest4life OP
770 posts
 
@mijostyn, 

I am with you regarding the Hyperion, if I don’t like it, some other person will. Same with the Jade. Ironically, the weight of the Benz LPS is 16.4 grams, and the Jade is 12.5 grams. To be honest, I thought the SME V was going to need the accessory weight they sell for ultra heavy cartridges. But, I did not. The SME V was able to handle the Benz LPS with ease, but it was very close. I was able to adjust the tracking force and, voila, music. 
terry9
2,333 posts
 
Audioquest, there is a thread on higher end Koetsu's, and the consensus seemed to be that the Diamond Cantilever option was worth the money. To some. I agree, I have one.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Hold on audioquest4life you are making one slight mistake which I do not want to come back and haunt you. The Benz LPS has a compliance of 15 um/mN. The Koetsu's, all of them have a compliance of 5 um/mN. The SME V has an effective mass of about 10 gms and you will need an arm with an effective mass of 20 gm to run a Koetsu. Why do you think the Japs like those boat anchor tone arms?  Because you can balance out 16.5 gm we know you can add 5 gm to the head shell. If that does not get your resonance down to 10 Hz you will need more weight and the bigger counterbalance weight. 
If you just mount the Koetsu and try to run it with the tone arm as is it will pop right out of the groove with the first bass drum kick. 
audioquest4life OP
770 posts
 
@mijostyn, 

Thank you for the update. Will adding the optional SME counterweights mitigate this factor? After all, I thought that was the purpose of SME developing more counterweights to allow heavier cartridges. The V12 can accept heavier cartridges, hmmm. 
I could always move to an SME V12 which would be a nice experiment as well. My turntable has two SME mounts, and a third mount not being used. I have two SME Vs mounted and can add a third tone arm. Yes, those German Transrotors allow for some nice tone arm variation. Getting kicked out a groove has never happened to me, but does not sound good. Thanks. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
No, you can't just add a larger counter weight. The cartridge's compliance has no relationship to it's weight. You will have to add head shell weights to the arm and/or heavier screws. You will probably need the larger counter weight to handle this. The V12 is my favorite SME but it is still pretty light at 12 gm effective mass. You would have to add head shell weight to it as well just not as much. the best way to find out where you are is by using a Test record with vertical and lateral resonance bands like the Hi Fi News Analog Test LP. You add mass until you get "the shakes" between 8 and 10 Hz. Get it down there and you will note a healthy improvement in bass detail and dynamics. 
Getting kicked out of the groove requires a healthy miss match but I have seen it happen. Yours truly mounted an original Koetsu Rosewood in a Transcriptors Vestigial arm. The arm bounced out of the groove and because of the anti skate kept bouncing backwards right off the rim of the record:))) Experience is always the best teacher. Thus I learned about cartridge/tonearm resonance. Fortunately, the cartridge was not harmed and I got a more suitable arm. This was on an LP 12. 
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