@lewm
Tell me about it.
@daveyf , @cleeds @dover @mulveling @rsf507 @wrm57
And to all involved. Jon Derda is insisting on sending me a check for $330.00 The Cartridge arrived back home today and sounds great, no noise noted. Jon Made sure I knew if the cartridge was not repaired he would take care of it. I will be watching the MSL website for the new warranty period and will report back.
If none of you responded to my post I have to assume I would have been ignored. The brisk response helped kick the brick upstairs to people who could remedy the issue not just for me, but hopefully for others that have MoFi soursed equipment and music that might develop a problem in the future.
Cheers, The Buffoon.
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@lewm , @cleeds , @dogberry , @rsf507, @thecarpathian , @drbond @mulveling
I wish to report that Jon Derda, VP of sales and marketing, MoFi Distribution has made a very convincing attempt at rectifying this situation. If the cartridge is not repaired he promises he will have it taken care of. In addition new rules have been set for the customer service department and he is having the warranty periods of cartridges reviewed with an eye towards increasing them to the industry norm.
Time will tell, but I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. Afterall, sometimes you don't know you have a problem til it "swims up and bites you in the ass."
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@mulveling
Steve had to splice two of the wires to get them back to the pins which is tedious work. The wire is litzed which makes it even more fun. I suspect it took him at least two hours so I did not think $300 was all that unreasonable. $30 was return shipping and insurance.
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@lewm
That is my experience with the Japanese. They are honored that you have purchased their product and will bend over backwards making sure you are happy with it. My own perspective of them comes from purchasing woodworking tools. When it comes to edge cutting tools (planes, chisels and knives) and hand saws they handily make the best. This talent extends back to the manufacture of swords. Each tool (sword) is endowed with a spirit and given a name! It is difficult to get the best tools and sharpening stones in the States. You have to develop a relationship with a store located in Japan. Fortunately, there is no protectionism when it comes to woodworking tools.
@pindac
It really distresses me that you do not know how to work with forceps under a dissection microscope. Tell me, Can you use a screwdriver? What about an adjustable spanner? They are safe to work with. You do not have to worry about any sharp edges.
All the information, questions and responses in this thread have been appropriate, straight forward, well intentioned and very helpful with only one exception. Thank You all.
The cartridge is supposed to arrive the day after tomorrow. I will let you all know the end of the story.
The 69 year old Buffoon.
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@rsf507
Thank You.
@pindac
Steven Leung was a pleasure to deal with and I highly recommend his services, but other than repairing the MSL's defect he had no role in the quality of it's reproduction. This lies entirely with the designer Matsudaira san. Mr Leung does make his own cartridge, the Nova Signature for a very competitive price and I am very interested in giving it a spin.
The value of the cartridge is a consideration only if you plan on selling it which I do not. I do not sell cartridges, I give them away or toss them in the trash. The technology has usually moved on and why spend $5000 to rebuild it if you are not guaranteed to get that back. I prefer to let the recipient deal with it.
@thecarpathian ,
I had a brief email conversation with Jon. He offered to look at the cartridge which had already been mailed to VAS. He did suggest having a phone conversation, but at that point I did not feel the need.
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@pindac
The repairs made to this cartridge are not going to change the sonic characteristics of this cartridge in any way. Nor did the original fault which was a noise in the left channel some 50-60 dB down. It will be easy to determine if the cartridge is fixed. The noise is either there or it is not.
As for your comments on the pricing of this cartridge, the same can be said of any cartridge imported into this country, more so for any cartridge coming from Japan. The problem is if you buy the cartridge outside the usual channels the warranty is voided. The only company we Americans can deal with directly is Grado and I'd bet dollars to donuts I can get a better deal from any number of dealers than from Grado directly on one of their cartridges.
You are correct in saying that I have said on any number of occasions, the only place to get a cartridge rebuild is the original manufacturer and I stick to that opinion, but in this case I was given no choice. The cartridge did not need to be rebuilt. It just needed a little repair which MoFi refused to do. At least now I can get my money's worth out of this cartridge. I will not be buying another and not because it is not a fine cartridge.
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@cleeds \
No, not that I am aware of.
@lewm
I can't say what it was exactly Lew. A filament is the best description I could come up with. It was covered in glue. It crossed over both leads, it was involving the left channel and I could find no other irregularities. Until I set it up and have a listen for myself I can not be sure it has been fixed. It works but that does mean it has been fixed.
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@rsf507
Thanx for the consideration, but I do not need or want any blows lessened.
Cartridge had a problem. Cartridge off warranty. Cartridge fixed. End of story, for me anyway.
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@cathyboston
Exactly. I would don your radiation suit.
@jonderda , @lewm
The problem has already been adequately described. What I found on removing the cover was a filament lying across the lead out wires of the left channel coil which are tack glued to the body of the magnet on their way back to the pins. The filament was incorporated into the glue. I pulled up the hot wire and removed the filament. As I had removed the back plate and disconnected the lead out wires from the pins. It looked like two of the wires would require splicing which is beyond my capability. Steven has hooked everything back up and says the cartridge sounds "great." We shall see when I get it back in the system. The coils, suspension and cantilever remain unscathed.
Jonderda, you are now in the unfortunate position of having to do damage control. MoFi is not operating at the same level as it's peers. I fully understand that there are plenty of wacky customers out there but treating us all as if we are wacky is obviously a mistake. I think the service department has to learn to give the customer the benefit of the doubt. The main issue here is a substandard warranty, If you had published it I would not have purchased the cartridge which is why you did not publish it. But, even after the warranty period issues due to faulty materials and workmanship can occur and taking care of these issues is great and inexpensive marketing. In this case I think the problem was manifest all along it just took the right conditions for me to notice it.
I think you should show your superiors this thread and revamp your system. MoFi can not afford issues like this. It's reputation is already in the dog house.
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@lewm
Everyone loves a tragedy. Maybe I can put an end to it.
Steven Leung has fixed the cartridge and it is on the way back to me minus $330.00. Sure Beats $6000.
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@pindac
For political reasons Ortofon changed the name of the Anna to the MC Diamond and upgraded the suspension to that used in the Verismo. The MC Diamond is essentially the Verismo with its pants on. I am listening to it right now. Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Sessions. Magic.
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@pindac
Well, I am running an MC Diamond now and it is very similar to the Verismo and as long as you have a phono stage with a very good signal to noise ratio you can not do much better. It is a bit out of the price range you mentioned but that is sort of like the debt limit we have here in the States. I think you can forget about world peace for a while. History says this is going to get rough.
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@daveyf
All very true. Unfortunately, it is a very significant fault based on common human behavioral traits. I use to give people the benefit of the doubt but you can't do that anymore. Friends and family are more important than ever.
@rsf507
The MSL is not as detailed or dynamic as the Lyra Atlas SL or the MC Diamond. That is not to say it is not detailed or dynamic. I listen to all three cartridges regularly on electrostatic speakers ,so I feel very comfortable in that assessment. Another point is that these differences are subtle and in many instances would not be noticed especially with limited exposure. If anyone listens to a cartridge for one song and gives you a full detailed assessment of it's performance they are FOS..
@pindac
You might want to take a look at the Ortofon Windfeld Ti. It is a fabulous cartridge made by a reputable, well funded manufacturer. It is a neutral, smooth sounding cartridge with superior tracking abilities and arguably the best diamond profile made.
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@pindac
The Platinum is a great cartridge. It is very easy going, smooth and quiet. It's high output makes it a shoe in with most phono stages. It does not have quit the detail, dynamics or spatial resolution of the Atlas SL or the MC Diamond.
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@cleeds
I never get upset and always use a polite diplomatic manner. If I do not like the results I never use that entity again and start posts like this. Another thing is "I do not care about the price of the cartridge. Someone buying a $500 cartridge should be treated exactly the same. All people are in business to make money. Some only care about the money others care about having happy customers and their reputation. Music Direct is an example of the former, Soundsmith and Clearaudio the latter. As always it is consumer beware. I should have checked the warranty before buying the cartridge.
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@lewm
The upgrade bearings are doing fine so far. The 997.1 was the last car with that design. It came with a much larger Intermediate shaft bearing. The 997.2 onwards do not use intermediate shafts. This means the heads, instead of being identical are mirror images of each other. The cars with intermediate shafts sound different and much more in keeping with the classic character of 911s. Porsche has always treated me well.
@pindac ,
I cut loose with a four letter word somebody did not like. If you were to spend $11K on a cartridge and it did this and you were handled in the way I was I think you would be upset to say the least. With the exception of the diamond and cantilever cartridges are really very simple and quite tough. The Umami Red is the one to go for.
@whart
Exactly, I started this thread to warn others of the limited warranty on these cartridges and the corporate nature of Music Direct and MoFi. The grape vine will do the rest. Steven has been ace so far. All I expect is a manufacturer to take care of problems that are obviously do to a manufacturing defect within a reasonable period of time.
@rsf507
I have direct experience with Soundsmith and Soundsmith cartridges are wonderful and the service is excellent.
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@daveyf ,
I agree but all dealers are not like that. Some are.
@lewm
Porsche replaced a lot of those engines even after the warranty ended. They sent letters to the owners of those cars telling them to get the intermediate shaft bearing replaced because in a few months they were not going to support it anymore. The suits come after. 996's are cheap because their ass is not fat enough and they have stupid looking headlights. However, the turbo version has a fantastic engine and is a steal if you can find one. I own a 17 year old Porsche. What is wrong with that? You jealous?
@pindac
So far so good. Steven has been very responsive. The cartridge arrives at his shop today. The lesson is that I should have looked at the warranty before buying it. That would have killed the sale. I have to say that the Hana Umami Red looks like an excellent cartridge for the money as does the Mutech.
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@daveyf
While I agree that a good dealer will try to ease the pain by making a deal on another cartridge. The dealer does not set the warranty and once you are dealing with a huge bureaucracy it is like talking to a brick wall. It is much easier dealing with smallish companies like Musical Surroundings. They are great. The Hana Umami Red is looking better by the minute. I have never heard one of the more expensive Clearaudio cartridges. The Da Vinci is a possibility.
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@lewm
MoFi is the distributor, Music Direct is the parent company. Yup, I went as far as I could go. Sorry the warranty is only three months. We would be happy to rebuild it for $6000.
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@mulveling
I really was no paying any attention to the One Step thing as I do not buy them. The Hi Res digital downloads are superior most of the time and MUCH cheaper. Thanx for your support! Funny, I do not think it was the warranty that bothered me most, but the curt manner I was dealt with.
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@lewm 1++
@cleeds
Not warm and fuzzy at all. I do not plan on using him again. Music Direct sets the warranty in this country. They are a large outfit with soldiers who just follow orders. Getting to anyone who might change the game plan is next to impossible. I am quite comfortable taking the hit and letting everyone know. It is nowhere near the worst insult I have ever sustained.
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@daveyf
I agree. 3 months for an $11,000 cartridge is worse than weak and I believe this policy is being set by Music Direct. My only recourse (NH does not have minimum warranty laws.) Is to let everyone I can know and avoid Music Direct and any of their subsidiaries like the plague. Not knowing the Warranty before I purchased the cartridge is on me. Assumptions are the mother of all F-ups.
@cleeds
I sent the cartridge to Steven and we will see what he can do. If he has to rewind the coils he will have to get ahold of the unusually thick wire MSL uses to maintain the low impedance. I'll test it and listen when I get it back. If I do not like it for some reason I'll sell it as a rebuild for a couple of grand. There are two cartridges I have my eye on, The Soundsmith Hyperion and the Grado Epoch. I am very comfortable with Soundsmith's quality and support. I have not had a chance to handle or listen to a recent Grado. My old Statement was fine. I never had to test Grado's support but I have never heard a bad comment.
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@daveyf ,
Sure, I went through the dealer and he did not get any further than I did. He is an approved dealer. Warranty is three months and that is it regardless.
I wish to remind everyone that MoFi is now owned by Music Direct. Since I have so many other reliable options I will not be doing business with either company from now on.
@wrm57
I have an Atlas SL and it is certainly a wonderful cartridge. I have no doubt given jcars involvement in this forum that Lyra would never do this to one of its customers.
I opened the MSL up and did not find anything easy to fix, the interior workmanship is beyond reproach however, The shell is rather thin metal and leaves a rather large interior cavity. It does not look this way from the outside. I think the Lyra, Verismo, Van den Hul style of construction makes more sense.
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I will also note that MoFi is owned by Music Direct. Who I am going to send a polite letter.
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@terry9
I had one of the very first Rosewoods and did not like like it. I had a Grado Statement and it was much better, so I am sure you are right. The Epoch is on my short list including the Hyperion and DRT-XV-1T. My current favorite is the Lyra Atlas Lambda SL.
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@mulveling
Thanx! I will try transfering to Imgur.
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The links to my stylus pictures did not work. Anybody know how to cut and paste a Photograph? I have seen it done.
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@mulveling
I had the stylus disappear from the cantilever of a Clearaudio Charisma. I took a microphotograph off the cantilever and emailed it to Musical Surroundings. I had a brand new cartridge and a shipping label for the old one in four days. Fortunately, the stylus on my MC Diamond has remained resolutely in place and it just played a Nickelback record :-)
@terry9
Koetsu is also distributed by MoFi.
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@gregdude
No, I buy too much stuff and I am 70 years old giving me a lot of time to buy too much stuff.
@rauliruegas
I have not heard the MSL mistrack at 2 gram VTF. I have not run it on a test record yet either. I will when I get it set up again and let you know.
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@lewm
A mans got to know his limits:-)
@ghdprentice
I have been taking things apart since I was four years old. One of my mother's favorite stories was about me taking apart a broken electric can opener fixing it and putting back together. She says I was 6 at the time. Whenever anything broke I was put into action. My father did not know which end of the screwdriver to use. I have no idea how I got this way. I am not worried about taking the back cover off the cartridge at all. The magic to doing things like this is holding the object in a fixed position, in this case a model maker's vise. Then the right lighting and finally the right tools. I will also be using very strong loops. Working under magnification is magic. Working with tiny little things is easy.
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Thank you all for responding.
@lewm, real simple, a microscope. microtweezers (I used them to pull out splinters) and a Weller soldering station with the smallest tip on. The back plate is held on by one screw. I can inspect the solder joints and lead out wires. I will not go any farther.
@jcarr Thank you so much for responding. No surprise you are the first one to have plausible explanations for the problem. I am definitely not getting involved with the coils, lead out wires maybe , but not the coils. One person suggested that it was a cracked diamond 😆 Do you think the coils can be adequately replaced by local techs?
@whart Given that it is virtually impossible to get through to MSL you can bet that MoFi is setting the warranty. The Japanese culture would never allow this sort of treatment. If I can get an address for them in Japan I will send them a letter explaining the situation. Companies that I have dealt with who handled this type of issue beautifully include Soundsmith, Musical Surroundings, Clearaudio, Elusive Disc, B+H Photo, Atma-Sphere and The Cable Company. These are only the ones I have had direct experience with. I'm sure there are a lot of others.
For those interested in the diamond (don't know it this is going to work)
"C:\Users\mijos\OneDrive\Documents\MSL AP.jpg" and
"C:\Users\mijos\OneDrive\Documents\MSL Lat.jpg"
@newtoncr Does that refer to Newton Center, MA? I have not heard the Sig Platinum mistrack in the bass and I have boosted subwoofers. Check your tonearm setup and make sure the stylus is absolutely clean UNDER MAGNIFICATION. You would be surprised at the stuff that styluses can collect especially with some record cleaning solutions. You can not tell with the naked eye. I use an artist brush with the bristles cut 1/2 way back. Many mild stylus cleaning solutions will not work. There are times when you have no choice but to use 50% ethanol is water. If the stylus is clean and your setup is good you have a defective cartridge in which case you are in the same boat I am in.
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@cleeds ,
I forgot to mention. The dealer is a small establishment and I have had good service from him before. I care not to damage his reputation unlike MoFi, a huge establishment that really underperformed inexcusably. They are the ones really responsible for handling this problem as MSLs representative.
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@rsf507
Then MSL cartridges are out until they change agents.
@blisshifi
The stylus is essentially brand new and it is definitely not the source of the noise. I expect to find a cold solder joint.
@cleeds
Thanks for the recommendation. I visited his web site and sent him an email explaining the problem.
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