A pragmatic view of cartridge expenses / many questions

@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.

@grgaudio 

About stylus life, have you tried ultrasonic record cleaning followed by heroical rinsing? I have done this, and my Koetsu shows very minimal wear at just under 1000 hours (photomicrograph). Can't imagine that it's going to be playing badly any time soon.

Dear @pindac : Do you know why exist so many different transducers models? cartridges and speakers? 

Because everything the same transducers always makes the differences for the better or bad, down the re lives the " audio magic " ( if " magic " ezxist. ).

A transducer like a cartridge has its own signature, every time we change the cartridge we listen a different room/system quality level MUSIC performance reproduction.

That's why some of us own more than one cartridge where each one gives us different nice " color " and with any of iouyr samples exist our MUSIC enjoyment.

Your advise is good for you and I respect that but I'm in total disagreement with because at least me can't stay married for ever with the same transducer/cartridge it does not matters what.

To live with only one cartridge means that I already have the dream sysem quality performance level: turntable, tonearm, phonolinepreamp, amplifiers, speakers, room conditioning, cables, sour electrical system power, etc, etc and that may MUSIC sound priorities are already fulfilled.

Aditional to all those IF in the future I want it to make a seriously transducer up-date then : to whom can I sold that no-comercial identity cartridge?

As I said not for me but the OP is 100% with you, good.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @pindac : A gentleman in this thread asked to you:

" @pindac What is "exotic" for you ? Could you recall an exotic cartridges you're talking about and tell us why do you think they are exotic ? "

maybe you did not read it, no answer from you.

Other gentleman posted to you:

" The only problem pindac is that you have no idea what you have unless the "rebuild engineer" has some very exotic test equipmment. Just because it sounds OK does not mean that it is. "

and again no answer. I wonder why that attitude from you.

https://audiofederation.com/dealership/prices/magic-diamond/index.htm

Do you think this an exotic cartridge and why yes or why not ?


You posted :

""  I had a MC Cartridge rebuild that consists of a Specific Attention to the performance of the MC undertaken by the rebuild engineer,
combined with exchanging the Damping/Suspension to a design that belongs to much more expensive models in the MC Brands Exotic Models and a choice of Exotic options used for the Cantilever and Diamond........................................... I have a unique Exotic Equivalent Cartridge for a Cost of 20% of a Branded Exotic MC's retail price. ""

I can say you have a refurbished new cartridge exotic or not.


""  Equivalent Cartridge for a Cost of 20% of a Branded Exotic MC's retail price. ""

Can give us at least 3 today cartridge models by different designed different cartruidge manufacturers?
 

I'm trying to understand you:

For you Is it the Highphonic MC-D15 an exotic cartridge ?


Thank's in advance. Your answers appreciated.

R.

Dear @mijostyn  : "   Just because it sounds OK does not mean that it is."

it's not only the quality level measurements tools but what you stated: sounds OK ,because any designer/manufacturer of cartridges always makes several voicing tests in all its top cartridge models using more than one true state of the art room/systems.

You know what all those means and due the dead silence @pindac attitude he does not has yet the knowledge about. He likes talks with out any single fact that can prove/help what he said not even the name of the donor cartridge.

I know that his analog rig belong to the mediocrity/average levels with a not so expensive idler drive TT and a refurbished/up-graded vintage AT tonearm that btw I owned that same model along other AT tonearms.

Where has he the true foundation to stated what he stated here? .

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.