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A Soundsmith Re-tip Believer


To paraphrase Michael Elliott, the eventual guru of Counterpoint, "price point defines the limits of the quality of the parts used in a piece of Hi-Fi. If a comparable profit margin could be attained using superior components I would have used them".

 

Hence the debate of re-tipping a cartridge, or buying a new one through a manufactures exchange program. Based on Counterpoint's paradigm, better products use better parts, that's why they're better products. This was the pivotal reason I had Peter Ledermann rebuild my Dynavector HOMC 20X2 cartridge, instead of going the exchange route.

 

A 20X2 is not as esoteric of a cartridge as the coterie use, but it's not bad. The reason I chose the 20X2 over the far more expensive LO Dynavector TE Kaitora is because of my Pre-amp (Gain 46db). The 20X2's factory cantilever is an aluminium tube and the stylus was a Micro-Ridge affair.

 

Using Counterpoint's philosophy I had Mr Ledermann replace the aluminium tube cantilever with a ruby and the factory stylus with an Optimized Contour Nude Contact Line Diamond. This combination creates an ultra low mass system according to Mr. Ledermann.

 

These bonuses are augmented by the fact that a gem stone is more inert than an aluminium tube. Plus an Optimized Contour Nude Contact Line Diamond has better tracking characteristics and superior sonic retrieval to a Micro-Ridge, and it has a lower mass. If these mods don't elevate the source to a better over all cartridge than why are they found on cartridges a few heads further up the totem pole.

 

The sound? Dead quiet. Beautifully transparent, gorgeous sound stage, and the imaging! Rich highs that are not intrusive, mid-range to die for, well controlled bass which I wish had more authority (could be the Pre-amp tubes), and a couple surprises. Very rewarding to good recordings, but unlike the Grado, not brutal to not so good recordings, and no Grado hum.

 

I'm in the re-tip camp. If any of you are pondering over the idea of exchanging your cartridge or having Soundsmith rebuild your current cartridge, my experience has been totally positive going the Peter Ledermann way. I'm just saying.
thehorn

Showing 3 responses by bpoletti

bpoletti
1,531 posts
 
I sent an old, tired Lyra Clavis Da Capo to Soundsmith for "retipping."  We agree on using a solid Boron cantilever and line contact stylus for the "rebuild."  The results were interesting.  The cartridge was cleaned, the motor was unchanged.  I don't think they did anything with the suspension.  

The sound was better than I recalled from the CdC.  The cartridge was always clean, but with the change of cantilever material and stylus size / shape, instruments were more fleshed-out with tighter images and defines space.  A very nice improvement over the original cartridge.  

And for the meager price of the "rebuild" I got a cartridge that fits firmly into a higher performance group than the original.  
bpoletti
1,531 posts
 
@chakster 

Improvements in performance due to a Soundsmith may be related to materials.  Consider that some "pretty good" performing carts used aluminum cantilevers and spherical or elliptical stulii.  The Denon DL103 is an example.  It can be improved by a different cantilever and stylus.  JICO made a living by producing improved stylus / cantilever packages for cartridges.  That doesn't make the designers stupid.  They just designed to a price point.  

There was a significant shortage of Boron when the Lyra Clavis and Clavis Da Capo cartridges were manufactured.  It seems Mr. Carr was compelled to use ceralloy material for the cantilevers of Lyra cartridges (I think even the Parnassus series).  The change to Boron cantilevers has been reported by several other Lyra cart users, including at least one other 'gon forum contributor as improving the performance of, in particular, Clavis series carts.  

Sometimes, a different stylus size can play a different section of the groove. 
bpoletti
1,531 posts
 
@chakster 

I rest my case.  
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