Dynavector Karat 17D3: retip for $500 or get something new?

ART-9 topic is irrelevant today, this is discontinued cartridge and our friend Pani replaced it with EMT 75th Anniversary after all, the hype is over. 
My Dynavector 17d2mk2 (for example) designed for light mass tonearms. The compliance at 100hz is 15cu and it’s about 27cu at 10hz - this is a high compliance for MC cartridge and tonearm choice is important. 
There are many unique features in Dynavector cartridges. Great cartridge, the rest is just speculations. There are always 20 more cartridges to buy. 

Here is another post on retipping this Dynavector model

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/re-tipping-dynavector17d/post?postid=2089249#2089249

I can say from personal experience that Sound Smith will not re-tip the 17D3. Dynavector is the only place to send it/ swap it. 

@chakster The ART9 discussion may be old but not irrelevant. And just because one person replaced his with a cartridge over twice the price doesn’t mean it’s not a great cartridge. I replaced mine with one six times it’s price, yet I still recommend it. 

This is not about hype. That thread happened 3-5 years ago. People still go crazy over cartridges like the DV-XV1s and Koetsu, both which have been in the running for over a decade.

And if you read my initial recommendation, it was to also look for the ART9XI, which succeeded the original ART9 and is available today. And though I have moved on to other cartridges myself, I still recommend the ART9 or ART9XI. 

Regarding Dynavector, I also own the DV-XV1s and DV-XX2 MK2 in my collection. I think they are fantastic cartridges, and this isn’t a bash on Dynavector. 

Should the OP want to retip the cartridge, reach out to Steve Leung of VAS audio. He is a top notch guy, and his office is the next suite over from VPI. His retips are excellent, and I’ve had three carts done by him myself.

thiefoflight, It's not a matter of the quality of work done by whatever aftermarket re-tipper one might choose for the 17D3.  I am sure your guy is fine, and so too are many others in that business.  The point is that no aftermarket re-tipper can supply the very special 17mm diamond cantilever and stylus that was mounted on a 17D3 OEM.  So far as I know, no one can source this assembly except DV.  This is a rather unique situation, compared to conventional cartridges.  Now, if you just want a new tip without regard to the fact that you would also be getting a cantilever that was not designed for the cartridge, you of course could choose to do that (maybe).  But you wouldn't expect such a Frankenstein to perform similarly to an original 17D3.