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A pragmatic view of cartridge expenses / many questions

Trying to see what your thoughts are on cartridge expenses? Do you buy cartridges and replace or retip after it’s worn? Cartridges are like tires for cars in some ways. You have to replace the tires after they wear out.

If you own an ultra expensive cartridge, let’s say, over 7k, is that your main spinner? Do you do a factory retip at costs exceeding thousands? Do some of you who own high cost cartridges use them only for special occasions, similar to drinking Dom Perigon for some special event, and use a normal not so exotic cartridge for regular day to day use and perhaps non-audiophile records.
I am sure each of us have our own price threshold and thoughts of high end cartridges. I only said 7k, because that seems to me a fair price point to describe a very expensive cartridge.

My thoughts are that having a few normally priced cartridges around is a good thing, due to the wear and tear, and replacing or retippimg would also be less costly. I do lust after some high end cartridges and if I do obtain one, my philosophy would be as described above. Enjoy for special occasions, and use a less costly for normal day to day listens. Geez, it feels like we are trying to separate our car cruises from a sports car feel to a luxury limo ride feel, in some ways. 
What’s your opinion on expendability of cartridges?
audioquest4life

Showing 2 responses by antinn

antinn
369 posts
 
@audioquest4life,

Regarding the Soundsmith Hyperion I heard it at the Capital Audio Show 2018 in the VPI suite.  They had two HW40 turntables setup - one with the Soundsmith Hyperion the other with the Lyra Etna.  They were playing a Louis Armstrong record - moving it from turntable to turntable.  The speakers were a big set of Wilson Audio.  To my ears the difference was not subtle. The Lyra Etna played Louis Armstrong as if he was singing in Aspen, CO - low humidity and crisp. The Soundsmith Hyperion played Louis Armstrong as if he was in New Orleans - humid and dense.  Which was right - to the ears of the beholder.
antinn
369 posts
 
@audioquest4life,

Responding to your OP, I do approach with life cycle cost in-mind.  I have two tonearms a VPI 10.5i with Soundsmith Carmen and a VPI 12-3D with Soundsmith Paua.  I setup the Soundsmith Carmen based on life cycle cost (got a great a price on the 10.5i).  I listen to music ~3hrs every day (~1000 hrs/yr).  I have a number of records that are not 'audiophile' grade and why waste the Paua.  I am partial to Soundsmith because of their acoustic presentation; they are very easy to drive - you not need a $$$phono preamp to get good results, they are quiet, and the cartridges can be 'rebuilt' - not retipped, but rebuilt with a completely renewed suspension.  So, when you get the cartridge back - its essentially new and requires a break-in period for the new suspension.   I purchased the Soundsmith Carmen MKII (hype-elliptical diamond - VTF 1.45 gm) on sale for $699.

From a life cycle/performance cost, the Soundsmith Carmen MKII is a bargain. Because of the low VTF, you should be able to get 1000-hrs and Soundsmith "rebuilds" the cartridge for $199. So a 2,000-hr cost is [($699 + $199)/2000-hrs] = ~$0.45/hr-use, and at 3000-hrs = $1100 = $0.37/hr-use.  

Compare that to an Ortofon 2M Black with Shibata stylus that is $750 plus ~$550 for new stylus, so the 2000-hr cost is $1300 = $0.65/hr-use, and at 3000 hrs cost is $1850 = $0.62/hr-use.  

Now for my Paua, I bought the cartridge on sale for $2500 and I am into the first rebuild ($550), so the 2000-hr cost = [($2500 + $550)/2000] = $1.53/hr.  However, one item to note is that Peter personally rebuilds all the top tier cartridges and turnaround can be 8-weeks. The Carmen is rebuilt by staff, and turnaround should be just a few weeks.

Of course, the above analysis is useless if you do not like the sound of the Soundsmith Carmen/Paua, but the analysis is presented as a way to access a cartridge life cycle cost. But, make no mistake, digital can beat analogue life cycle cost easily because the average laser or digital component MTBF is at least 5000-hrs (but sadly the 30,000-hr MTBF of the Phillips benchmark glass optic lasers are history). However, if you have the financial resources, life cycle cost means nothing, but this OP was asking if a pragmatic approach was used. 
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