How long should a cartridge last?

You should have gotten a trade in for your old shelter 501. The replacement price is $650-$700, somewhere in between. This is from Axiss audio, the importer. Not setting up the Cartridge properly will shorten the life. My last Shelter 501 had about 2000hrs when I replaced it. The Analog Room should be able to help you set up the cart./arm properly.

Send the old one to Soundsmith and get a new cantilever installed. Cost starts at $150. They have done a couple for me.

I also didn't set my new arm up properly

Lesson learned?

Really, Axiss Audio would have replaced it? Wow...Analog Room should have known about that policy...I might check in an see what they have to say about that. Not sure, but possible I could have played about 2,000 hours on it.

The dealer told me sending to Soundsmith would not result in the cartridge sounding the same...not sure what to make of that. The dealer certainly seemed like a pretty credible guy. Turntable sounds fantastic.

Lesson learned? Unfortunately not, as I'm not sure where I went wrong. I certainly tried to set it up properly...even bought Wally Tools and a Fozgometer. Anyway, I needed help...wanted to pay a reasonable price, but may have ended up paying too much.

Mcmprov,

Brian, (the owner of the Analog Room), would have given you a partial credit for the cartridge if you had purchased it from him originally. I assume you did not, correct? (And he would have set up your cartridge on your turntable as a part of the service in selling you the cartridge.)

I base this on the fact that when he sold me my first cartridge, (Benz Micro Glider 2), about 7 years ago, he installed it on the tonearm, and did all the adjustments (i.e. he set the VTA, VTF, azimth, etc...) In fact, I had purchased my turntable used from a guy in NYC, (a Basis 1400, with a Rega RB 300 tonearm). When he found that out, he insisted that I bring in the entire setup, and he unpacked the boxes, assembled the table, and installed the tonearm, and then mounted the Glider. (All for the list price of the Glider - Not a bad deal, since I was an analog newbie at the time.)

And when the cartridge got damaged a few months later, (Don't ask!), he gave me partial credit, (50% I believe), toward a new cartridge. (And again, he insisted on installing the replacement cartridge.)

Good Luck!!!