Cartridge retipping - Opinions needed

[Uncle Ants]

Originally Posted by NickG

Yes, but what are you saving it for? Life wears out eventually as well, want to get to the end and have some stylus life left?

Well yes. I was just thinking that if I chewed up a cartridge a year, I'm not sure my inate stinginess would stand the expense

[NealG]

Best stick to CD then!

[IslandPink]

Nick,

I'd give it a try with Expert Stylus , Nick . It might only be around £160, in which case it's a lot better than buying a new Kontrapunct .
I've just got the XX-1L back with new diamond - the last one came off due a combination of poor arm-clip design on the OL Illustrious and lack of care on my part while setting up the weight-gauge . As to whether the diamond was firmly bonded ( the problem Paul had ) I'm not 100% sure . I do however suspect the boron cantilevers may be hard to bond to .
They seem pretty technically experienced if you talk to them on the phone - did a lot of work for the BBC in the past. Some of the dealers use them for re-tipping - Nick Besley had about 6 carts in there last time I spoke to them .

I'm amazed you went as far as you did with that cartridge Nick - I sent them a Denon 103 that had 1000 hours on, and they said it was 'very badly worn' .

I sympathise with your problem of playing a lot of hours . I'm amazed how many times people seem aghast that I've played '1000 hours in ONE YEAR' as if it was difficult to do !!

Got the Hyperspace, by the way - just sorting out the correct arm shim (collar ) bit now, before I can play anything .

Mark

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by IslandPink

Nick,

I sympathise with your problem of playing a lot of hours . I'm amazed how many times people seem aghast that I've played '1000 hours in ONE YEAR' as if it was difficult to do !!

Mark

Yeah me too. My mate who is an avid footy fan said how can you blow £400+ in a year like that! I asked him how much his Sky Sports Interactive deal cost him over the year and he fell silent.

My DV 17D2mk2 died recently, actually it was probably a bit past it by late last year. So I await the outcome of Nick's findings. I'm using my backup at present a Linn Basik Akito II and G1042, not bad with the most recent phono. I do like the attack on the G1042, never been able to get a MC to match that wallop it gives, but then I like the MC sound in most other aspects. Think I might try a Shelter next!

I really should get a new arm for my Source as its a bit worn now and very difficult to set up with a dodgy horizontal bearing. I did look to get it serviced but I don't think it made econmic sense. The arm VTA is set with a pointed grub screw and after 20+ years the pillar looks like the surface of the moon so that it auto sets itself into a hole whatever you try and do.

Trouble is money is a bit tight at the mo'.....and I don't want to rush into a arm purchase. I was thinking Morch UP-4/6. Unfortunately, most people don't even know what a Source is let alone recommend an arm for one. Hmmph...

cheers,

-- Andrew

[NickG]

Cheers all, I think I will give Expert Stylus a call.

Nick,
For reference can you ask them about the possibility of bonding new diamonds to the ruby cantilever of a Kontrapunkt B, and if they give any guarantee in case of 'unbonding'?

Also Andrew, I believe the DV 17D2 MkII has a one piece diamond cantilever/stylus which could make retipping 'interesting'.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Lord.

Nick,
For reference can you ask them about the possibility of bonding new diamonds to the ruby cantilever of a Kontrapunkt B, and if they give any guarantee in case of 'unbonding'?

Also Andrew, I believe the DV 17D2 MkII has a one piece diamond cantilever/stylus which could make retipping 'interesting'.

I think it has an odd shaped diamond (mirco-ridge) as well - that I doubt they could match ;-( Unless micro-ridge is a fancy name for something more plain.

cheers,

-- Andrew

[Ianm2]

Nick, that is 'only' around a 1000 hours, I thought these things were 'supposed' to be around 2-3000? rather like output tubes, or is that being optimistic? and probably like lots of things, they wear out before we realise and we try to run them into the ground.

I suspect the same with car tyres, valves, and psu capactitors.

[NickG]

Not sure what the expected life is. I only started to realise after adding a regulated supply to my driver stage, so it could have been that way for some time before I noticed.

[Uncle Ants]

Originally Posted by NealG

Best stick to CD then!

That doesn't deserve a response :p

I just wish I could find the time to put a 1000 a year on me cart

That said, the 1250 or so that this one seems to have on it does seem a little short a life span. I was under the impression that the styli were of a quality and profile on these that 2500 to 3000 was closer. I shall endeavour to find out.