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Cartridge new or used ?

How do I know if a cartridge is new or used and number of hours played ? 1- If it is bought from an individual or 2- Could it be that a HiFi store sells used or a "Demo" without anyone knowing it? 3- Is a cartridge that remains on the shelf of the store for 3 or 4 years, retains its same performance or its internal parts, can harden and lose their flexibility of reading? 4- Is it easy with a magnifying glass to see the wear of a cartridge, if so what would be the best magnification to use?
audiosens

Showing 2 responses by analogluvr

analogluvr
859 posts
 
Exactly!
analogluvr
859 posts
 
  I’ve had mostly good luck buying used cartridges. For my last example I paid 2K for a used Lyra Kleos SL.   To start with make sure you’re buying from somebody with lots of good feedback and make sure their backstory makes sense. For example if they claim 200 hours on a six-year-old cartridge, do they have multiple arms, why does it have low hours? 
 Then considering I’m getting it for 2K off of retail. So even if it has more wear I can retip it for $500 and be ahead of the game.  Then there are those that say it’s not the same cartridge after it’s been retipped. Technically they are correct but in my experience it’s still a very very very similar cartridge.  I retipped a Lyra Delos and I would be hard-pressed to have noticed that it was any different. 
 I refuse to pay the ridiculous amounts they want for new cartridges these days. 
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