A New MC to Catch One's Attention

It is difficult to see where a report might materialise from, as there are only 60 to be made available.

I have followed Cart's from other Brands that I presume have sold across the Globe in the thousands, but only a limited amount of dedicated user reviews is found, that can be seen as supplied from an experienced source that can be relied on, especially when it comes to their experiences with another selection of Cart's.

Maybe the 'Gon' could arrange a Group Buy for the MC2022 and send it off to @mikelavigne or @mulveling for an assessment. There would be very reliable description to come from these individuals' quarters.  

@pindac 

When learning about the Body, it is unique as a Material, which is a Plus, especially as the Material has properties which are recognised for the Damping that can be produced.

My query would be how separated in the attractive properties is the Nagra's EXIUM AM to Titanium or Duralumin. It seems Cart's are available with these materials in use for quite a lesser sum of monies.

Exium is nothing new - I have been using a thin slab of M2052 ( virtually the same high damping copper/manganese/ferris/nickel composite alloy ) under my cartridges since the 80's. Its a bit like launching a new wheel and calling it a twheel ( trademarked of course, which means nothing ).

I can tell you though from hands on experience the use of a high damping alloy from manganese/copper/ferris etc  vastly improves cartridge performance compared to aluminium & titanium - removing hash and colourations, lower noise floor.

My whole turntable is built from superplastic zinc alloy  ( SPZ ) cast and manufactured in the 70's that sinks all vibration from 10hz to 100hz via internal grain sliding at a molecular level at room temperature - now that's a truly unique material that is unobtainable today.

The Link has been used for the info' I have looked at on the EXIUM AM Material.

I think I would rather have the ART1000 with its butterfly wing coil.  

I was super happy when the ART9 was a $1K cartridge, actually $950.  

Now they are $1500 bucks and the next lowest price model is the 33sa @ $769.  

Quite a big gap.  

As stated earlier in the thread, there is an exchange programme in place.

Does this mean there are 60 Assembled Cart's in Storage or enough Parts in storage to replace 60 Cart's.

I suspect the catalogue of stored parts, or parts that will need to be readily available is limited to the Carts Visibly seen moving parts as they are the most fragile and vulnerable to incurring a premature damage or need an exchange resulting from wear and tear from usage. Other Moving Parts that are concealed will most likely have spares as these are able to be damaged at the same time another damage has occurred. 

It would be hard to believe all Parts in use are unique, there is a strong possibility there are a Part or Two, that are utilised in an earlier generation of Cart'.

The asking price might reflect that there will only ever be 60 Cart's using certain Technologies and Parts allocated to this design, so the reserve of materials to keep the Cart' in operation for a customer is reflected in the asking price and follow up refurb pricing.

Alternatively, as suggested previously, there could be a New Cart' on the Horizon using a selection of the Technologies produced as a Trickle Down to a lesser model.

This would certainly help with keeping the necessary parts to carry out a refurb in a continued production. 

Hypothetically, the MC2022 is not a One of Used Cart' it is expected to to returned for a refurb, due to its rarity and hopefully sonic capability.

Using a standardised equation, it will come in close to a $9 per Album replay Cart'.

If a Refurb' is to cost $5000???, the cost per replay will come in at approx' £7 per Album relay using $14k @ 2000hrs

Does a Person go for round Three of a Refurb' at again approx' $5K where the cost per replay is at approx' $6.30c, using $19K @ 3000hrs.

Whichever the method used to extend the usage of the Cart', there does seem to be a substantial cost per replay belonging to this Cart'.   

As stated previously, It is a Sacrificial Device, offered as a luxurious item, where 60 are available to satisfy an indulgence.

A set of wheels and Tyres for a performance Spec' Vehicle, are in their own right a sacrificial item and can easily get close to this type of price. As it is for a Car the purchase will be better accepted by the masses, and certainly not thought of as being too ludicrous to consider, as it is a Bloody Good Talking Point at the Golf Course Club House.

Try this out, I've just put a 10K set of Wheels and Boots on the Brabus Merc, vs,I've just put a 9K Cartridge on my Turntables SAT Tonearm