A pragmatic view of cartridge expenses / many questions

Back in 2003 at a show in London (Heathrow/Novotel) me and some friends got to hear a very expensive turntable set up which featured a £5k cartridge.

I can't recall the names, perhaps my friends could, but it did feature a huge, somewhat ridiculously deep 6-8 inch platter and the motor assembly was attached by a long thin belt driven by a motor assembly several inches removed.

It would have been funny of someone had enquired about a dust cover or potential hazards of combining audiophile pleasure and alcohol with such a Heath-Robinson contraption.

But no one dared to disturb the demonstrators rock hard demeanor..

Nevertheless, it was still a memorable occasion as it was the first time I got to hear the Avantgarde Trios. Very impressive they were too.

Nonetheless, the thing that sticks in the memory was the attitude of the man supposedly demonstrating the turntable. He was quite standoffish and seemingly very reluctant to play any of his prized 50s Jazz vinyl.  Finally he reluctantly agreed to play one of his records but not before complaining that the cost of his cartridge resulted in about £5 of stylus wear each time he played a record.

Needless to say, all of this intensity did not create a very good impression.

Isn't this hobby supposed to be about enjoyment? Isn't it supposed to be fun?
Why should we have to worry and stress about the cost of cartridge (or even vinyl) wear when we're looking to relax.

As the OP said, 

'My thoughts are that having a few normally priced cartridges around is a good thing, due to the wear and tear, and replacing or retipping would also be less costly.'

I could not agree more, and this is the point where I would personally draw the line.


Nagoaka MP-200
HiViNyws channel June 2018.

https://youtu.be/E4G7hSUQoOc

@pindac,

'Interesting, One of my early ventures over a few years, when I started my earliest investigations into building my System by visiting places beyond the High Street was at the Ramada Heathrow Show.'


I've got a feeling I also went to that one, if it was the 1998 show!  I think we had to catch a special tube train to get there as there had been a problem on the underground that Saturday.

Ken Kessler gave a lecture that day and I remember being surprised by how much more erudite and learned he appeared to be than the persona he adopted in his magazine columns for Hi-Fi News and Record Review.

Yes, a lot of the pleasure in this hobby comes from the social side with some of the warmest people you could hope to meet.

Only last year at the Leamington Spa show there was a guy who had restored and rebuilt some vintage reel to reel decks. He obviously knew his stuff but it was wonderful the way he was willing to share his time and knowledge with us, who barely knew how to operate them.

And it's good to see that Ken's still going strong. From his reference system, he seems unusually fond of the London Decca cartridges.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/international/soundstage-uk/1440-what-is-your-current-refer...

@unreceivedogma,

'- a friend who has won 6 Grammys for his work with Deutsche Grammophon and has done some work on my amps for me (since undone by someone else, lol) swears by the Shure ... is it the V5? It’s no longer made.'


I think I remember reading somewhere that the Shure V15 mk3 was the exemplary tracking cartridge in its time. Perhaps this is what your friend from Deutsche Grammophon was suggesting? 

There's a little information here from the website Your Vinyl Destination:

'Shure V15 - the best cartridges of all time?'

http://best-turntables.com/shure-v15-series-explained/

According to J Gordon Holt, in the kind of review you're unlikely to read nowadays,

"In short, this is one of the two best pickups available, and is probably the best for most hi-fi perfectionists."

https://www.stereophile.com/content/shure-v15-iii-phono-cartridge#:~:text=Phono%20Cartridge%20Review....


Unfortunately Shure decided to pull out of cartridge manufacturing in 2018 citing the lack of availability of suitable parts.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/sad-news-vinyl-lovers-shure-exits-phono-ca...

@unreceivedogma,

'I found the Shure V15 type III, IV, V and MR on eBay.

ONE of them is supposed to be the one, the others, also-rans.'


I'm afraid I don't know enough about them apart from their no nonsense sturdy all-round reputation. Domestic products can have all kinds of conflicting reputations but established products used professionally in broadcasting can be regarded as far more dependable.

When buying used it's probably just as important to have a look at the seller in as much detail as the product or the price. 

I have never bought a used cartridge having always preferred to start with a new stylus, so I'd be pretty nervous too. 

There are definitely some dubious sellers/dealers out there who tend to leave a lot of information out of their ads.
Perhaps they just forget.

On the other hand there are some exemplary sellers out there who will readily disclose the most minor issue or blemish.

A perennial problem for not only an audiophile is the conflict between the heart and the head. Right now I'm asking myself if I really need another CD player as a backup, just in case.

It's really irrational, and probably no more than a sign of a lack of focus, but there's something really warm and enticing about looking for an audio product.