A Story about a Defective Signature Platinum

@cleeds \

No, not that I am aware of. 

@lewm 

I can't say what it was exactly Lew. A filament is the best description I could come up with. It was covered in glue. It crossed over both leads, it was involving the left channel and I could find no other irregularities. Until I set it up and have a listen for myself I can not be sure it has been fixed. It works but that does  mean it has been fixed. 

@mijostyn Stated,

"The problem has already been adequately described. What I found on removing the cover was a filament lying across the lead out wires of the left channel coil which are tack glued to the body of the magnet on their way back to the pins. The filament was incorporated into the glue. I pulled up the hot wire and removed the filament. As I had removed the back plate and disconnected the lead out wires from the pins. It looked like two of the wires would require splicing which is beyond my capability. Steven has hooked everything back up and says the cartridge sounds "great." We shall see when I get it back in the system. The coils, suspension and cantilever remain unscathed. " 

 @mijostyn Stated,

 " In this case I think the problem was manifest all along it just took the right conditions for me to notice it. " 

There is no Secrets about @mijostyn's thoughts on how this particular $11K purchase price Cart', has undergone Scrutiny by themselves, for the sonic that can be produced and the values on offer from having it used in the audio system.

I know from my own investigations that a MSL Platinum is not a $11K Cart' to have it delivered to the door of the home, more on this later.

As a result of the above quoted and recently made known information offered from the OP. I have formed a re-evaluation of previously assessed information supplied by the OP about the MSL Plat', which has potentially been selected as a proportion of the used info, that encouraged myself to add the MSL Platinum to my Shortlist of Cart's that I intend to receive demo's.

I am happy to be corrected on the following.

My re-evaluation is based on the OP now stating they sense the faulty Cart' was in their possession throughout the time it has been put into service, or in this case, the estimated 75 hours of usage has been with a Cart' that has had a inherent fault. 

I now feel quite confident in my re-evaluation, as it is based on the OP's disclosure. If the OP is correct in their assumption that the now VAS treated Cart' had the fault when put into service. It now seems the MSL reports being made prior to the VAS intervention are not quite a MSL Plat' Cart', but a inferior version of this Cart'.

As a result it seemingly makes sense to discount any info that relates to the sonic produced by this particular Cart', as the sonic being described was potentially a tainted sonic with interference noise being present from the offset.

It took 70 year old ears a period of estimated 75 hours to discover such a detractor embedded into the sonic produced.

I might be quite wrong about the following and have no concerns for others to suggest a alternative approach.

Not Proven!, but a denial could have been in place by the Cart' in question owner, in relation to an area of the sonic that was a becoming a concern. The fault could have been 'pasted over' until it was at a stage of noticeability where even the oldest of ears could not avoid the impact it was having and the detraction it had become.

@mijostyn Stated,

" Steven Leung has fixed the cartridge and it is on the way back to me minus $330.00. Sure Beats $6000. "

What is assured to me, is that the MSL Plat' Cart' is now presenting something of it being a correctly functioning Cart' following this non-OEM - Third Party Service treatment.

The VAS work is extremely well supported and I regularly make this service known. 

I was instrumental in having a UK based Transfig' Proteus owner use this service for the non-working Cart' where the outcome was the Cart' owner felt the Cart' performed much improved, in comparison to the Cart' when in its prime as a OEM version. I was supplied a very generous thank you for my passing on info that lead to VAS.

The OP's MSL Plat' Cart' is no longer the OEM Cart' version, it is also thankfully no longer a OEM Cart' version with a fault.

VAS has seemingly put this issue to bed, even though the OP has remained sceptical on the matter. I presume this is relating to the OP's regularly seen stance that is seen expressed over many Post's, where the OP clearly suggests that the Manufacturer is the only entity that should receive their designs for a technical appraisal or undertaken work.  

 @mijostyn Stated,

" Until I set it up and have a listen for myself I can not be sure it has been fixed. It works but that does  mean it has been fixed. "

In relation to the above statement, would this be the claim, if the OEM received the Cart', I doubt it very much.  

I now feel based on knowledge of the VAS effect, resulting from the work carried out by this service,  that the MSL Plat' Cart', is now a MSL/VAS Plat' Cart' and will be a unique/bespoke version of this model with a VAS interpretation for how it is optimised for creating a signal.

I don't know any Third Party Service that leaves untouched, interfaces that are potentially needing a optimisation. Third Party Services, I feel are more attuned to the optimisation measures than the OEM, as they are getting the Cart' usually after some sort of settlement period for the assembles parts, such settlement can lead onto Sloppy interfaces, no one wants a Cart' returned from the service provider with approaching Sloppy interfaces.

I now feel as a result of the above that any reports offered on this particular Cart' are now not going to be a report on a MSL Plat', but what some might refer to as a  Franken MSL Plat', I prefer the term bespoke for the uniqueness produced.

For me the info shared on the sonic are coming from experiencing a Cart' that is now non-OEM, and in my world this is a Bespoke Produced Cart', and all offered up assessment/evaluation being read and absorbed by those with an interest in this Model of Cart' should keep this in mind.

For the Record, I own, use, and encourage rebuilt Cart's, ones that are definitely not OEM, quite far removed as a end product. I will remain a vociferous advocate of this as a method for the rest of my time using audio equipment.

I feel that the MSL/VAS Plat' Cart' is now the version where it is bespoke and offers a betterment than what was in place before.

 

 

my investigations have shown with both Shipping and Import duties the Platinum can be discovered an an approx' £5K purchase and the Gold an approx' £4K purchase. When using the option to show prices in USD, the GDP and USD are parity. I use From Japan, but the Items priced as approximates are to be found on 'Rakuten' in an outlet listed as 'Steroya'.

@pindac 

The repairs made to this cartridge are not going to change the sonic characteristics of this cartridge in any way. Nor did the original fault which was a noise in the left channel some 50-60 dB down. It will be easy to determine if the cartridge is fixed. The noise is either there or it is not. 

As for your comments on the pricing of this cartridge, the same can be said of any cartridge imported into this country, more so for any cartridge coming from Japan. The problem is if you buy the cartridge outside the usual channels the warranty is voided. The only company we Americans can deal with directly is Grado and I'd bet dollars to donuts I can get a better deal from any number of dealers than from Grado directly on one of their cartridges. 

You are correct in saying that I have said on any number of occasions, the only place to get a cartridge rebuild is the original manufacturer and I stick to that opinion, but in this case I was given no choice. The cartridge did not need to be rebuilt. It just needed a little repair which MoFi refused to do. At least now I can get my money's worth out of this cartridge. I will not be buying another and not because it is not a fine cartridge. 

@mijostyn

I am correct/not correct, in my saying the Cart’ in question has most likely been faulty and one that has been possibly present during all made known user assessments from yourself?

I am correct/not correct, in my making it known a Cart’ such as the MSL Platinum can be acquired for much less than $11K, and without further investigation the warranty offered with the Cart’ bought as I have made known, is yet to be identified?

I am correct/not correct, suggesting your MSL Platinum Cart’ is no longer the Cart’ that commands a High Price, resulting from it supposedly being produced by the hands off, or close scrutinization of MSL Founder Yoshio Matsudaira, the Cart’ is now a ultimate expression of the designer Yoshio Matsudaira - MSL / ultimate expression of Steve Leung - VAS NY Inc Hybrid?

 

I am correct/not correct, in referencing from recollections, your stance on a Cart' only being assessed by the manufacturer for technical defects or works needing to be undertaken, my recollections not limited to a rebuild only. Suggestions are seen made by yourself, to adopt this method to receive support, as a response to inquiries made by forum members on much lesser concerning issues than that of  your own one reported on in this thread, even a general wear and tear issue is suggested to be a manufacturers treatment only. 

I look forward to your corrections where applicable. 

Don’t take my evaluations as a criticism, I have only used your present and historical supplied information to present the assessment.

Additionally, I can’t but help feel a much increased attraction to your Cart’ that is being returned to you after having undergone being improved via VAS NY Inc, as the Company selected for the carrying out of the corrective works Service . Such a Cart’ with a overview and treatment given to it by a service such as VAS, leaves me feeling that more, maybe much more is available than that what was present initially.