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Am I asking too much?

I’ve  been looking to finally buy the cartridge my turntable - a restored Garrard 401 with Reed 3P tonearm - deserves.  So I sent a note to a local Koetsu dealer - wanting to support them over your typical big names (e.g., Music Direct, Upscale Audio, etc.) particularly during covid.  Though I’ve never bought from this local place,  I’ve visited them before a couple times, and live less than 10 miles away.   When I asked the dealer if they provide turntable set-up — remember, this is for a $7000 cartridge — he told me that they refer people to a local company for that (which means of course at an additional charge).

wtf?  So the only service provided by the local dealer is to order the cartridge that I can get cheaper on-line and then refer me to someone else to provide actual service.  Anybody else have a reaction to this?
128x128mdalton

Showing 4 responses by sancho22

sancho22
106 posts
 
I did enjoy the last few month's journey of tinkering with a Garrard.
Not as great a yours but has a DAS plinth, some new parts - all installed by myself.
Dr Feickert alignment tool helped with a vintage cart alignment.
Used Schroeder and rebuild vintage Ortofon arm.
I had some issues with the Scroeder set-up so email Frank in Germany and got several email responses what to look at (as well as several AG pointers).
It is a 10+ year old arm but he still happy to provide advice as well as his distributor in France, despite the fat that I got the arm privately.
So, customer service is not too dead...as some others pointed out above.
Too bad you did not clarify all the details prior to purchase. We unfortunately cannot "assume good service" anymore.
A few good videos on Youtube and many helpful folks here on AG and AK can help you set it up correctly. If you get some set-up tools (test LP, Fozgometer and or software from several folks like DR. Feickert and others) for the same money you would spend with this dealer you are set up for the future.
Enjoy the music and the one way ticket we all have!
sancho22
106 posts
 
Well I have a bunch of old carts from Grace, Pickering MM, to tricked out Denon-103 )mono and stereo), Fidelity Research, Supex (both retipped), Klipsch MCZ7, Phillips GP922. Some others I just got (on their way to me). Also, some new ones like the HANA SL and Ortofon Cadenza Black.
I think if you like lush sound the Koetsu could be the ticket.

Depending on your arm's specs in your price range, top end SoundSmith, Van de Hul, Miyajima, the recently announced TOTL HANA (around $4K), Ortofon, ZYX, Kiseki (Purple Heart?) and many more could possibly work.
If you can perhaps visit some local AG members or music lover friends and listen or get advice.
sancho22
106 posts
 
Mdalton - i misread it - looked like you already purchased the cart.
My bad.
Good luck.
sancho22
106 posts
 
Well for the Klipsch, Fidelity Research and the Phillips I have the matching factory SUT.
I use the Auditorium Hommage T2 (Seteophile class A+; ~$5k new, $3K or so used) )with the Ortofon Cadenza and the Auditorium A23 with the Denon-103 - the one is again developed to be specifically used with this cart.

FR has a few ones (I think the 4 and 5) which are supposedly really nice.
VAS audio MC-1 MK II is also really good (~$1200)
Many good ones from Bob's devices etc.

What phono amp are you using?
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