Cartridge new or used ?

Wanting a used cartridge is like wanting to eat used food. Not my choice. ‘Nuff said.

There are many dishonest people on fleabay and you have no way of telling before you commit to purchasing, because fleabay protects its insider club sellers by doctoring the feedback info that’s published. 

Why would you go vintage when brand-new, I’m-abused Audio-Technica Micro-Line cartridges are available everywhere at reasonable prices? (Thanks Chakster) I prefer a known commodity, and it’s worked out superbly with my VM540ML cartridges. Heck, I even use a VM540ML stylus on my VM610 mono cartridge. You just can’t go wrong with them. 

@uberwaltz said:

You definitely have some deep rooted trust issues. And your comments about doctored feedback is highly amusing.
But to each their own, I have no problem with anybody who prefers to go the route you advocate but please do not harbour malice to those who DO decide to buy used and save a fortune potentially.

Why is my bad fortune amusing to you? THAT response is defensive and apparently struck a sore point with you. Perhaps you’ve been on the other end of a deal where you have felt unfairly accused of selling damaged or defective merchandise.

As a buyer, have zero tolerance for dishonest sellers who misrepresent their goods, especially on Internet commerce sites like fleabay. I speak from personal experiences, three in recent times where I’ve had to get fleabay and/ or PayPal involved for a refund.

Please tell me that you are not defending sellers who deliberately do not disclose damaged and defective items. If you had the same experiences that I’ve had, you would act so defensively and might even show some compassion.

Lastly, please explain to me how I’m “harbouring malice” to people who decide to buy used things.

@chakster 

I don’t know who was responsible for the 80’s AT cartridges, but maybe their customer service department may be able to help. 

@chakster 

Modern MM is out of fashion in audiophiles world, manufacturers does not care about it much, because the profit is low compared to the MC, let’s face it. This is the reason why MM/MI from the 70’s/80’s are so amazing. 

I disagree. Modern moving magnet cartridge technology benefits from the latest refinements in material, design and manufacturing techniques that didn’t exist in the 80’s, when those processes were relatively inefficient.

Fashion in the audiophile world doesn’t equate to outright performance, much less value, but there are coincidences.

The microline styli found on relatively inexpensive cartridges such as the Audio-Technica VM540ML (mslp $250) and VM740ML (mslp $330) are vastly superior conical and elliptical profiles in all respects. They are similar in performance to the vaunted Shibata profile, but with much better stylus longevity. All this in “unfashionable” moving magnet design, but still able to deliver excellent performance along with good value.

In my eyes, this combination of performance:value is very relevant, dare I say fashionable. 

Some time I’ll have to examine the mounts of my various (low to mid range) cartridges under the microscope. I’ve got several dating back to the early ‘80’s also, so that should be interesting.