Andy Kim - Needle Clinic

I sent Andy Kim a Koetsu Pro IV for a retip, boron/microridge. The retipped cartridge sounds fantastic.  The Koetsu magic with more detail — the bass impact is striking. Now the Pro IV is one of my favorite cartridges. Andy is great to work with. Good communication.  I have also had good experiences with Soundmith — but it takes a lot longer. 

Interesting that the different Styli used is solely thought about as being the cause of the additional detail Retrieval. 

The Weight and Length of Boron and Adhesive used for connecting both Cantilever to the Armature and Styli to the Cantilever, are as per the chosen method quite capable of influencing the perception of extra truth being discovered and noticeably presented from the recording. 

Andy Kim -Needle Clinic

I recently purchase a previously owned Pro-Ject RPM 9.  Included in the purchase was a Sumiko Blackbird MC cartridge without stylus. I searched the internet for places to have the cartridge checked out and possibly repiped.  Andy Kim’s Needle Clinic showed up located in El Dorado Hills, CA, just 20 minutes from my house. I arranged for him to check out the cartridge and if it was good to repipe it.  I got the repiped cartridge back in two days.  It played absolutely amazing and provided a new level of playback definition and experience.

After a month or so my left channel went out.  I figured I must have broken a connection on the cartridge with one of my careless needle drops. Sent the cartridge back to Andy.  He let me know that I didn’t break a connection, but that a coil on the armature went bad where it rubs the white silicon rubber damper. He tried to find the broken connection to repair (remember you have to look through a microscope to do this) but he couldn’t, says most retipers, even Sound Smith, don’t repair coils.

As a result, he replaced the high output coil with a new mid level output coil.  So now I have the Needle Clinic Blackbird, the hot rod version of the Sumiko.  It even sounds better than my original repiped version.

Needless to say, I am very happy with the service from Andy Kim.  If you’re in need of repiping service check him out.

From one Bespoke Cart' owner to another.

A Bespoke Cart' all yours to savour, and only being in front of it will enable another to know the sound it can produce that you find so satisfying.

Enjoy the next 1000 Hours of Vinyl.

I know the Sumiko Pearwood quite well and look forward to the times I know it is to be used at a HiFi Group get together.

Another happy Andy Kim customer here...  I had a Madrigal Carnegie One in use for ~12 years and decided it might be time for a re-tip.  After reading testimonials from all the major players' customers, I gave Andy a call.  He patiently explained what he thought of my cartridge and what it would cost to re-tip it.  I asked what he thought about its age and if he had some idea of a Carnegie's suspension at 15 years, and told me he was familiar with this cartridge and not only where it might be in its life-cycle, but how difficult this cartridge is to open and service.

Instead of pursuing that route, Andy provided some insight about his modified Denon 103 option.  Boron cantilever, micro-line stylus, partially-nuded body to go along w/ the Denon's superb generator, and at a great price to boot.

This was back in March, and after setting up my Ariston RD-11s / Sumiko tonearm, I'm now two months in I am smitten with the sound.  Open, airy, detailed, smooth... I don't have the vocabulary to fully explain the impact this cartridge is having, but I believe I paid a fraction of what comparable high-end cartridges sell for.

Thank you, Andy!