Who needs a Diamond Cantilever...? 💍


So suddenly, there seems to be a trend for Uber-LOMC cartridges released with Diamond Cantilevers...😱
As if the High-End MC cartridges were not already overpriced....?!
Orofon have released the MC-ANNA-DIAMOND after previously releasing the Limited Edition MC-CENTURY...also with Diamond Cantilever.
Then there’s the KOETSU BLOODSTONE PLATINUM and DYNAVECTOR KARAT 17D2 and ZYX ULTIMATE DIAMOND and probably several more.

But way back in 1980....Sony released a Diamond-Cantilevered version of its fine XL-88 LOMC Cartridge.
Imaginatively....they named this model the XL-88D and, because it was the most expensive phono cartridge in the world (costing 7500DM which was more expensive than a Volkswagen at the time)....Sony, cleverly disguised this rare beast to look EXACTLY like its ’cheap’ brother with its complex hybrid cantilever of "special light metal held by a carbon-fibre pipe both being held again by a rigid aluminium pipe".
The DIAMOND CANTILEVER on the 88D however......was a thing of BEAUTY and technological achievement, being formed from ONE PIECE OF DIAMOND including the stylus 🤯🙏🏽

I’ve owned the XL-88 for many years and recently discovered that it was my best (and favourite) cartridge when mounted in the heavy Fidelity Research S-3 Headshell on the SAEC WE-8000/ST 12" Tonearm around my VICTOR TT-101 TURNTABLE.
Without knowing this in advance.....I would not have been prepared to bid the extraordinary prices (at a Japanese Auction Site) that these rare cartridges keep commanding.
To find one in such STUNNING CONDITION with virtually no visible wear was beyond my expectations 😃

So how does it sound.....?
Is there a difference to the standard XL-88?
Is the Diamond Cantilever worth the huge price differential?
Is the Pope a Catholic....?

This cartridge simply ’blows my mind’...which is hard to do when I’ve had over 80 cartridges on 10 different arms mounted on two different turntables 🤯
As Syntax said on another Thread:-
When you have 2 identical carts, one regular cantilever and the other one with diamond cantilever (Koetsu Stones for example), the one with diamond cantilever shows more details, is a bit sharper in focus and the soundstage is a bit deeper and wider. They can sound a bit more detailed overall with improved dynamics
I’ll leave it at that for the time being. I will soon upload to YouTube, the sound comparisons between the two Sony versions on my HEAR MY CARTRIDGES THREAD.

But now I’ve bought myself a nightmarish scenario.......
There is no replacement stylus for this cartridge!
There is no replacement cantilever for this cartridge!
Each time I play records with it, I am ’killing’ it a bit more 🥴😥
If I knew how long I had left to live......I could program my ’listening sessions’ 🤪
But failing this.....I can’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable listening to this amazing machine.
128x128halcro
I am using a Beryllium Cantilever with Ogura Vital + Stylus that was installed into the Cartridge in 2019.
This compared to the Ruby Cantilever used on the Original Design is noticeably  improved and presents in a much more attractive manner.
Hoow the Two different Stylus Shapes are contributing to the SQ differences is an unknown to myself. 
I recently tried to have another Cartridge produced with the same Beryllium/Ogura parts, but the option is no longer on offer.

Boron is now the Material of choice I am looking at, hence the inquiry about the Gold Plated Option.
Dear @dover  :  "   I have found every shibata tipped cartridge I have heard to be brittle... ""

If I remember the original Shibata was used mainly for the CD-4 recordings and several vintage cartridges ( mainly MM. ) used to as the AT 20 Sla/SS that, between other shibata cartridges designs, I owned but at least with those AT I don't remember or can't remember that " characteristic " you mentioned.

Btw, several design cartridges including today ones that in theory comes with Shibata in reality are " modified Shibata or Shibata like " but not the original Shibata shape.

R.


dover : The original Shibata ( same dimensions. ) stylus shape is used by Ortofon today and in other designs. You can read experiences with a Shibata design cartridges:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/classic-ortofon-cartridges-the-mc2000-mk-ii-or-the-mc3000-mk-...

both the Jubilee and the Cadenza comes with that stylus shape. I owned the Jubilee and like me, no problem with.

Yes, only opinions.

R.
Rauliruegas, it seems to me the big difference is the way certain stylus shapes like the Gyger S decrease surface noise some how. Straight elliptical styli are noisier. Perhaps the larger contact area rides over the surface of the record better. There is a reason but I have never heard any of the experts voice it.