2. analog
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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 1 response by grgaudio

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grgaudio
38 posts
 

When listen to the records, the entire pass has too many points that contribute to the correct reproduction or severe loss. Different cartridges has different electrical and mechanical specifications. These specifications constantly change and degrade with every record played. Unlike digital, when you can hear the same sound again and again, Analog (LP) will play the same record differently with wear and tear effect included.

A cartridge can track and reproduce information from LP even with 10,000 records played, However, the lifespan of diamond stylus is limited to 500-1200 hours. It will play after 1200 hours, but the faces of a diamond stylus will change the shape and it will produce distortion within the actual sound pattern. The longer the stylus used, the less soundstage separation, correct mid-high harmonics and eventually mono-stereo will be produced. Cheap and low quality MM styluses can hold on 50-300 hours only. But from some posts on Audiogon they are "GOOD FOREVER"

The dempfer and suspension could hold on up to 20 years, but have no correct proven functioning pass 2 years.

This is reality of phono cartridge building/using. Also most of the producers would say opposite to protect their sales. After all, not many people could invest $5K-$10K in new/upgraded cartridge every 2-3 years.     Making Aidas cartridges, the most challenging task was to find the correct dempfer material. We spent 5 years experimenting with numerous manufacturers, producing our own composites ets. Still in the process, but we got probably the best dempfers on the market, that we actually can tune our cartridges to needed specs. Some materials we got hold on specs already for 5 years. There is a hope...
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