What happens when the stylus tip wears out on a $12,000 cartridge?

I'm so grateful to be following a conversation about how to re-tip a $12k phono cartridge.

Sure beats coversations about laser prostrate surgery.

AVERAGE

I’m no expert, I post what I have read by reliable sources.

It’s very hard to believe a diamond can wear so quickly (on average), however, the forces occurring in the groove are tremendous.

Jico is the source of the AVERAGE life expectancy chart Soundsmith included in their article about stylus shapes, based on Jico’s EXPERT research.

It is qualified, based on technical performance (not based on occurence to damage grooves, I think our biggest concern)

"stage the wear has reached the point where distortion at 15kHz surpasses the level specified by Jico for a new stylus. (Which I believe is 3%)."

Many have said they get 1000, 2000 hours, that is great, saves a LOT of money: but according to Jico they are statistically playing well into the % of distortion, perhaps unable to hear it. After all, by the time we can afford good stuff, we are OLD (on average), ability to hear high frequencies diminished (on average).Groove damage may or may not be occurring after a certain point.

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MAJORITY

I’m not in the majority, are you? Of course we are all part of the majority even if we get superior results than the majority’s lower average.

I have read several times that it is found that the MAJORITY of wear is on only one side, because the anti-skate has not been properly adjusted.

Which means: the MAJORITY of vinyl listeners are not getting balanced performance, (audible and stylus/groove wear) from the 1st hour or beginning at some point since a cartridge was improperly factory/dealer aligned, or subsequently adjusted/replaced.

AND those misaligned stylus wear earlier than properly aligned, contributing to the AVERAGE short life they find.

Alignment tools and skills are of vital importance in Vinyl systems.

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A spherical stylus (any stylus) does not know what cantilever/cartridge it is on, or how it is mounted (nude or bonded).

Jico says Spherical wear much more quickly than other stylus shapes, based on their research findings, AND quite logical considering the tremendous groove forces are concentrated on the smallest amount of groove wall contact, spherical the least contact area thus highest wear.

“The Shibata was developed just because of the wear observed from elliptical styli when developing CD4, in the years just before 1970. In order for an elliptical to track CD4 45khz, exceedingly high VTF was needed, and wear was too high. Shibata improved that a lot, and today several line contacts have equal or even greater contact patch compared to Shibata.
A MicroLine tracking at 2g, for instance. It’s contact patch is much larger”

That’s advanced stylus shapes compared to Elliptical which has far more contact surface than spherical.

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This is why, On AVERAGE, a more expensive advanced stylus shape does not cost as much over time, their larger contact surface minimizing wear to both itself and your grooves.

IF your stylus lasts 3 times what Jico says, the difference between Spherical and Advanced Stylus Shape is still relative x3, and the cost per hour of an advanced stylus shape is even lower, 3 times lower? At some point the advanced stylus shape is SAVING you money, all the while delivering better performance/less groove wear!!!

No matter what, cartridge alignment is FUNDAMENTALLY CRITICAL.

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Back to $12k cartridge: no way is that going to save you money!!!

 

I have read several times that it is found that the MAJORITY of wear is on only one side, because the anti-skate has not been properly adjusted.

I should have also mentioned improper azimuth as another cause of wear on one side of a stylus.

once again, tools and skills for alignment are critical to success.

In 2023, I visited a friend's to assess a change to the  Signal Path within their Analogue Source, Cart' Tags were now continuous and Phono Cables and Phonostage connectors were low eddy. 

Here is the complexity that was met, by complexity, the element of hard to believe is a good description.

A donor model Cart bought in to be rebuilt was added to the Cart's to be used.

The system owner kept the Cart's condition to himself, but made it known we might be easantly surprised.

The donor Cart' really did impress and was encouraged to run on in ure.

Winding up the session the system owner revealed the Cart had been sold to him as a Cart with well over a 1000hrs of usage. To this day the Cart' has left a indelible impression and made me rethink less harshly about what defines the end of a  Cart's usage life when it is still intact and usable. 

 

SUCCESS is/was achieved for:

that cartridge, that stylus shape, that tracking weight, that proper alignment in all respects, those new/properly cleaned LPs ...... EVERYTHING ’right’ makes a huge difference, far above Average.

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I like low tracking weight

1.0g Shure V15vxmr Shure (max 1.25)

1.25 Shure 97xe; AT440ml; AT14SA; AT TR485U

1.5 Grado Mono

1.7g Goldring Eroica

2.0 AT33PTG/II (both Stereo and Mono versions); Sumiko Talisman S

as you can see, I don’t buy expensive cartridges, but I get excellent sound out of my current variety, which I hope NOT to add to.

Wear is also minimized when you use a variety, but alignment skills are important for initial overhang/null points, then VTA/tracking force/anti-skate each time you change the headshell. Easy and precise arm height adjustment is a gift you give yourself, you can change tracking weight/anti-skating very quickly after a while.

Level always on the TT deck, I re-check tracking/anti-skate every few months anyway. Dust in/on the arm/mite pee in the bearings, who knows

It is worth repeating, the alignment of advanced styli is more critical than spherical or elliptical. Not just for best audible results, also to prevent damage the mis-aligned advanced stylus can make.

The tools are inexpensive, the skills are readily acquired after a few tries, someone showing you hands on very helpful. Confidence grows. I have taught several friends, they handle it themselves now. One ’knows’, has all the tools, done it himself while I was watching, but is still waiting for me to finish recovering from recent heart surgery so I can do it for him. I try not to use the word cowardly ....

Seriously, it is liberating to be able to change/align cartridges. Hands on, making a difference yourself is part of the great enjoyment of Vinyl. Hands on, the lack thereof, was a big part of early unhappiness with CD players.