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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
iopscrl
192 posts
 
Cartridges depreciate more quickly than just abt any other component or part (used tubes?).   This also presents opportunity.   There are a lot of high end cartridges floating around the market at prices that are a fraction of original purchase costs.  Some cartridge manufacturers offer rebuild services, but at extreme cost.    There are several independent cartridge rebuilders who have well earned reputations for excellent workmanship and quality.  And charge much less than manufacturers.   It becomes very cost effective to purchase a used cartridge then commission a rebuild from one of the independents.   Total investment is generally 33%-60% of the cost of a new model.    Just something to think about.  
drbarney1's avatar
drbarney1
172 posts
 
I find something almost Zen about tangential tracking tone arms, playing back the record the way it was cut. But there are several reasons I would not do it. First is the need for near frictionless air bearings, the noise of an air pump and air hissing through the holes, and the added maintenance requirements. Second is a difference in tracking angle makes the music from one side of the groove offset by a millisecond or fraction thereof, equal to sitting an inch or two from the center of the sweet spot equal distance from the speakers, Third is the cost of five figures for something I do not believe I would hear even if I concentrated very hard trying to hear it. In the case of a very expensive cartridge I think I would experience a point of diminishing returns long before $7000, complete with its limited life span. There have to be greater differences in concert hall acoustics and orchestras than there are in a cartridge costing hundreds to a thousand dollars vs ten thousand dollars.Years ago I made the mistake of buying the ultimate cassette recorder by Nacamichi, (if I even remember how to spell it) and in it played beautifully when it was new. A year later it was worn out and a few years later it was obsolete.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,227 posts
 
drbarney, that was a jump from rebuilding cartridges. But hey. Does not matter how frictionless you get a linear tracking arm. The large horizontal mass plays havoc with even the stiffest cartridges not to mention getting them perfectly level is next to impossible. But there is a way to do it. Check out the Reed 5T and the Schroder Lt. No compressors required!
Back to Cartridges. If you can find a good cartridge with low hours from someone you trust go for it. Otherwise I personally will only by a new unused cartridge. I have never rebuilt a cartridge because there is always something else I want to try. Like I said, from a rebuilder you never quite know what you are going to get. 
fleschler
1,922 posts
 
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the rubber suspension material would harden in 3 years while the stylus was still good (1000 hours).  This was due to the smog in Los Angeles area.  By the 1990s and using my highly modified SME IV, cartridges (stylii) lasted 2,000+ hours and I upgraded cartridges.  Now I need to replace a worn stylus and was warned never to give it to Soundsmith.  The worst part of being an audiophile is installing a cartridge.  Getting the overhang is easy with an SME.  Getting the correct VTF is not so bad but the VTA is a pain with an SME and takes many hours, especially since cartridge break-in is about 50 hours.  I HATE the process.  

I will not pay more than $3,000 for a new cartridge.  I have the option of trading in a Benz Ruby 3 for an LPS since Benz stopped rebuilding them to everyone's regret.  I really like the sound of the Ruby 3 so the LPS should be as good or better (per reviews).   The alternative is a Kiseki Purple Heart or maybe a Dynavector.  The Koetsu is too expensive and not matched to the arm.   Lyra's and Ortofon's appear to have more detail than a meaty sound.  I like a cartridge to sound like the Benz.  
terry9
2,243 posts
 
@drbarney1

Can’t say that I agree with very much of what you wrote.

1. Trans-Fi Terminator is a low pressure system which is virtually maintenance free. Air noise is undetectable in the listening position. It costs $1500.
2. My calculation says that a groove speed of about 50 cm / second corresponds to a distance of half a mm in a millisecond, while my stylus tip is less than a fifth of that. But why do you think this is a problem? A cartridge is offset in the tonearm to approximate tangentiality, whereas a linear tracker provides near perfect tangentiality. Sounds better to me.
3. A tonearm like the Trans-Fi allows precise setup. Precise setup means that you can readily tell the difference between cartridges, and the difference between a $1k cartridge and a $10K cartridge is large. IMO.
4. Nakamichi obsolete? My CR-7a is still capable of fine recordings in 2020. That said, sorry yours was worn out after a year - but must have seen a whole lot of hours. As noted, my CR-7 still meets spec today.
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