New cartridge vs. Re-tipped


What I am trying to ask is, what are the down sides, if any, to buying a re-tipped cartridge as opposed to a brand new cartridge. Do you get less hours with a re-tipped, a completely different sound? Is tracking ability compromised?

Thanks

audiorusty

@jcarr 

Thanks so much for posting this. I am a happy owner of both Atlas Lambda SL and Atlas Lambda Mono (Joe Harley talked me into it smiley ). These are great, great cartridges and I have saved this information you posted for future reference. 

I keep my records cleaned with a Degritter II and use SPT before every listening session. I use the provided carbon brush to wipe the stylus after every record. 

These cartridges sound so fantastic. I love playing my records, new and old. I also have a DV XV-1s but haven't used it in a while.

I now own 2 used and 1 NOS MM AT160ml cartridges with advanced micro linear stylus on BERYLLIUM Cantilevers. They sound fabulous, I highly recommend them.

Has anyone found someone who can eventually retip Beryllium_________?

I'm seeing Steve and Ray at VAS on Tuesday to pick up a rewired tonearm and AT33PTG/II Mono Cartridge with retipped cantilever. The cantilever and tip was new, I heard it when I picked it up, never mounted or played here for over 2 years, but last week finally mounted it, found the tip mysteriously gone. __it happens.

I never had an OEM tip disappear or fall off, anybody ___?.

 

I never had an OEM tip disappear or fall off, anybody ___?.

Yes, I had a stylus unexpectedly come off my DV XV-1s. Dynavector took care of it under warranty.

Steven Leung of VAS delivered my repaired Dynavector 17D3 to me at AXPONA. Excellent work and a very easy guy to deak with. I appreciate his work.

Great discussion!

I retip beryllium all the time.  Most common retip for me is the Micro Acoustics MA 2002e.  Utterly fantastic cartridge.  I’m a bit obsessed with them.  Original diamond was a round shank .2 x .7 mil elliptical.  I have square shank .2 x .7 mil elliptical that will fit inside the round shank.  I can also surface mount diamonds to it when necessary, say if you want a low profile half height Fritz Gyger FG 2 on it because I can’t get a full size one to fit in the original hole.  I can’t drill beryllium because its dust is highly toxic.  
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCcAqKVO9pr/?igsh=enJ2OGcyamgzNGw2

Other brands of cartridge that used beryllium back in the day that so I have retipped are Audio-Technica and Yamaha.  I really can’t think of other manufacturers that used beryllium except for maybe some very early Dynavector.

I also retip sapphire and ruby and hollow sapphire and hollow ruby, though the hollow ones are very very rare.