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

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.

I currently have a 17D2 and D3, I also have a Karat 23, which I was listening to (via?) one evening when half way through the album side the the sound took a sudden dive in quality. A quick look revealed a very dirty (fluff) stylus which was strange as I always brush the album side before playing, a clean stylus made no difference, taking the cartridge off and inspecting it under a microscope revealed that the diamond was displaced in the cantilever (in comparison to my 17d's) on this particular cantilever the diamond appeared to have been set into an open ended slot and that most of the diamond was sticking out of the back with hardly any of the tip showing. If my understanding of the Dynavector cantilevers is correct (it may not be) they secured the diamond either in a hole or a slot (I find it difficult to believe that the end of the cantilever broke off in front of the stylus). Perhaps you should re-examine your stylus to ensure that you haven't experienced the same problem. By the way I managed to push the diamond back into position, but couldn't secure it, so maybe a skilled re-tipper could successfully re-secure a displaced diamond. Having been using Dynavectors for quite a while the result of my inquiries (many years ago) about re-tipping are in accord with those above, Dynavector were the only manufacturer to use the ruby/diamond assembly as fitted to the 17 and 23 series, they did not supply re-tippers and they did not allow the cantilever/stylus manufacturers to supply re-tippers so the only option was/is a trade in.

More information about different versions of KARAT cartridges is HERE