Cartridge reliability

Personally, I would value proxmity to Soundsmith pretty high.  It would able me to hear all levels and properly choose.  Everyone has different values....I think Soundsmith cartridges are extremely good..especially the top of the range

Do you think your next cartridge must be your last cartridge?
Why? 

With advanced stylus profile like MR you can use a brand new cartridge for 2000 hrs according to the manufacturer. It's too much time if you're not playing records everyday.  

Then you can just buy something else. Do not try to find an MC cartridge that will last forever, especially those new MC. 

If you're so concerned about stylus wear or suspension condition then buy an MM cartridge and spare styli - this is the best you can do. 

Did you every try a good MM or MI ? If you want something user friendly then look for a cartridge with user replaceable stylus, but get the best MM/MI if you want superb quality.  

P.S. I want to correct a previous poster, Dynavector are NOT for heavy tonearms. Actually, Dynavector LOMC cartridges are high-ish compliance, they are great (Karat series for example) for mid mass tonearms. 

Excuse me chakster. The top 4 cartridges in the Dynavetor line have a compliance of 10 um/mN. That is most definitely at the low end of the scale. Better with heavier arms.
The most compliant cartridge in the line is the Karat 17X which is 15 um/mN. That is medium. The DV 20X2 i2 12um/mN on the border. 
Koetsu's are very low at 5 um/mN. These are for use on a fork lift. Your favorite V15 is a high compliance cartridge 30 um/mN. Most people use these with a coat hanger. 

V15’s and Infinity black widows 

Excuse me chakster. The top 4 cartridges in the Dynavetor line have a compliance of 10 um/mN. That is most definitely at the low end of the scale. Better with heavier arms.

It’s a common mistake @mijostyn

Japanese manufacturers measure dynamic compliance at 100Hz, not 10Hz as you expect!

Dynavector is not a low compliance cartridge, to convert compliance from 100Hz (Japanese system) to 10Hz you have to multiply it on 1.7 at least.

It’s been discussed before on another forum:

"On to the information contained in the response from Dynavector, 100 Hz is not the normal 10 Hz used for compliance testing and there are notations about this on the cartridge database indicating that the compliance might be as much as twice as high at the normal 10 Hz test frequency."

I own Dynavector cartridges.
What I have now is 17D2 mkII (dynamic compliance 15 @ 100Hz)

BUT at 10Hz it’s nearly 26 cu and this is definitely not a low compliance, you know that Grado MI is 30cu and it’s high compliance.

For this reason you can see Dynavector KARAT on Well Tempered Lab tonearms.

@zavato

V15’s and Infinity black widows

Not the best cartridge and average lightmass tonearm (fragile).

Denon DA-401 tonearm is much better, as for the cartridges you can try low impedance (low output) MM like Pickering XLZ-7500 designed for MC phono stage (or MM phono stage with high gain), or even with SUT or Headamp. Spectacular cartridge with user replaceable Stereohedron stylus, the best model (top of the line, expensive). Low impedance MM are unique. Expert stylus in UK can service them.

Regarding some very nice MM look for SONY XL-50 with Boron Pipe cantilever, this is a high compliance cartridge. Jico replacement available for this model, but original is superior.