Diamond Stylus Enters the 4th Dimension

Dissolve Adhesive Story:

I have a Vintage Audio-Technica AT440ML, microline on aluminum.

Unused for 20 years (I preferred brush feature of Shure V15VxMR)

Recently revived it. The cantilever, and up into the body of the cartridge was FULL of black junk. FULL

I started with Stylus cleaner, got some junk out, but still a mess after several attempts.

I grabbed a can of spray Contact Cleaner, watched thru my shop magnifying light, it dissolved the junk off via it's chemical formulation and the spray force. Several rounds, spritz, wait, spritz. Cantilever still a black color, and surface 'rough' viewed magnified.

Finally, I saw the final layer of textured black 'skin' peel away from the aluminum cantilever. It seemed like spraying Brake Cleaner.

What have I done? Did I dissolve the suspension? Dissolve the adhesive? What did I have to lose?

Next, a play off against the Shure with new Jico SAS. Amazing, sounds great, it's on my Office Vertical TT, Mitsubishi LT-5V. Less dust up here.

The question for Soundsmith would be are they going to warranty this or charge me for the repair. I'm not sure if they can get a Gyger S stylus. Remember, this is the stylus and cantilever of the Goldfinger. Elusive Disc's exchange charge for this cartridge is $1200. My worry is that they are going to say I damaged it, I just do not know when. My comeback will be then it could not have been a very serious incident and the stylus should have been able to take it. 

I bought a second hand Van Den Hul cartridge and experienced the same thing. The seller refunded my money and I sent it off to Van Den Hul for a rebuild.

I’ve snapped the cantilever off my Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood not once, but twice. I’ll never buy another cartridge where the cantilever is that exposed.

One might consider the Teo Audio MM carts.
They are built to equal or exceed the MM’s being discussed.

They also have user replaceable styluses. Styluses that can be purchased anywhere and at you leisure, and at the best price you can find.

It is the body of the cart and the motor therein that is key. It is the custom motor and body that is key.

And a money back warranty for the first time buyer of the basic unit, if you don’t like what you hear.

One of the first purchasers is using it in the interim, as they have sent their Ortofon A95 away for a Ortofon re-tip. Now that’s a low self noise cartridge if there ever was one.

The Teo Cart has to put up with that previous cartridge as the inevitable comparison. Pretty rough standard to meet, right out of the gate.

He called the Teo Cartridge, "A Triumph". (thread over at canuck audio, it’s a no guff comment from a hard core 250 transaction audio and music fanatic)

Basically it’s an all win no lose trial of the cartridge which is on on the table.

When they become more well known, the trial period offer will be withdrawn.

Thanks for putting up with the post, and reading.

Just for yuks I took USB microscope pictures of the cantilever and posted them on on my systems page. I think I know how it failed. There was no glue between the end of the cantilever and the diamond, just the surrounding glue which was very thin on one side. Eventually, it just let go. The diamond should be fully bedded in the glue but there was not any on the cantilever side. They are positioning the diamond against the end of the cantilever then just placing a dab glue on it, The glue does not get into the joint. Any woodworker will tell you this is a bad way to do it!

@teo_audio, do you have specs on the cartridge? How much are you asking. Pictures?