Refurbished / Re-tipped Cartridges - Are they worth Buying?

When it comes to most moving coil cartridges "retipping" is a misnomer. They simply hand you a new cartridge in exchange for the old one. What happens to the old one is a mystery. My guess is that most of them find the round file.  I personally would never have a pricey MC like Raul's Lambda SL replaced by anyone other than the original manufacturer. 

Vintage cartridges are another story. I have tended to shy away from these as I was never impressed with their build quality. Now, companies like Jico are manufacturing replacement styluses for legacy cartridges with modern materials. Sentimentality finally got ahold of me and I purchased 2 Shure V 15V cartridge bodies with the intent of getting Jico styluses for them. Back in the day the V15 was the cartridge to own and I wonder how it stacks up against modern cartridges. Curiosity killed the cat. 

Regarding Manufacturers using newer methods or parts. I had an interesting experience of 'older' and very similar upgraded versions.  I have an Ortofon MC Anna Diamond that I bought used from a dealer I trust, but partly on the basis that the price paid plus Ortofon's refurb cost* was less than the price of the new cartridge, so I figured if I got 'half' life cycle and a full cycle on refurb I'd done ok to good.

But when I upgraded my main room turntable and the old one went to the lounge I decided to not put a cheaper cartridge and ordered an MC Diamond that has the Multi Wall Carbon Nanotube technology they developed and used on the Verismo.  Whilst I had heard one, I hadn't heard it comparatively on my system and replaced the Anna (which had sounded great) on the new deck and I was impressed by an immediate improvement, better than I had heard on the demo. 

So if Ortofon want to use that new nanotube technology when they eventually rebuild my Anna (and I have had well over a half life with it so far) I for one would be very happy to have the 'new' process included.  In fact I plan to ask them for it. 

*which is described in full and is basically a clean out of everything from the titanium shell and then a rebuild to the production process.  

stateside, if they been retipped by one of the big 3 -- VAS, soundsmith or groovetickler, then yes theyre worth it. 

Have never had an issue and in some cases they are better. 

OP states:

"much of the original design attributes are gone" 

Results vary...  I have had 4 identical cartridges retipped by the same vendor. Three sounded great, one sounded so-so...

Why?   All carts were UPGRADED to a better cantilever and stylus-shape.  The three 'good' carts were produced distinctly better SQ, the fourth cart did not.  Why?  I look at it under a strong lens, and the stylus was attached with too much glue.

Give upgrades a try, and work with your vendor to ensure the process is acceptable.

+1 dinov