Cat jumped on turntable

The re-tip with original cantilever is not possible. None of re-tippers have the square shank cantilever if we are talking about early Carat with 2mm short cantilever None of the re-tippers can make square extension to fit new cantilever. The cartridge most likely is as good as the door stopper. Abandon this idea. Also Average re-tip with descent cantilever/stylus at SoundSmith if $400. The cartridge worth $300-$400. You can get plenty on internet. Also if some re-tippers claim they can glue the stylus to existing cantilever- it is impossible to do correct angle and alignment without computer laser alignment. if you agree on conical stylus- then it is possible, but your Karat will sound like 60s Shure.
If looking for budger cartridge new or used- check viraUSA website

Watch for fast moving Pussy asap!!

Yes sounds like stylus gone at minimum. 
Bad kitty!   I’d raid her catnip fund for the repair cost so she does not do it again. 👌

If it’s any consolation I had cats that devalued my record collection value permanently by sinking their claws into the spines while the records were filed innocently on the bookshelf.  Bad kitty’s!   
Pets.....

Yeah - I've bought albums with clawed covers before (always at a discount, of course). It only annoys me when it the little blighters have scratched off the printing so I can't tell what they are without pulling them.

Frankly, kids and animals have no place in a listening room, but I suppose if you have a modern open floor plan house you are stuck unless you can lock them away when the gear is being used.

I had one couple visit with their young children and the kids headed for the stereo gear. I asked the father for the name of his insurance agent and when I said that if they let the kids at my gear and one of the damaged my cartridge, I need to know who would be paying as it wouldn't be me. He asked how much it was worth and I told him (several thousand) and he immediately rounded up the children and left pretty quickly after that. Amazing how parents today seem to think that whatever their brats do is somehow blameless and no one is accountable.

Dynavector has a re-build service  for Karat as long as it was purchased from an authorized dealer.  Check with a Dynavector dealer. The rebuild includes tip, cantilever and suspension.  

Hope it works out for you.A few years back I had drifted off in the chair after a late evening of house shattering volume and the odd beverage, with the Rega 3 gently making put-put sounds as the needle moved over the end of an LP. One of our kittens then climbed the rack and stepped on the turntable knocking the arm over the side resulting in a massively loud bang bang bang propelling me three foot up in the air and stage 1 heart failure.

Cats - working hard to make digital better than vinyl every day.

Now I understand why the "no pets, no kids, no tobacco" disclaimer is so important!

Yes, Dogs have owners, Cats have staff...

Most enjoyable posts I've read in a while!  Kept me laughing... Sorry its at the authors expense... I heard good things about Soundsmith.
Happy Holidays!

I agree, Steven has repaired 2 of my cartridges.  I'm very grateful.


Steve Leung VAS Inc.
 77 Cliffwood Ave, Suite 3B
 Cliffwood, New Jersey 07721
 www.vasnyinc.com Tele: +1-732-888-3288

Don't feel badly.  This is one of the facts of life with a turntable.
This year I snapped the cantilever right off, when my finger bumped it during fine tuning adjustments to make the sound better.  Ha!  My dealer is a gentle soul who took pity, and came over to install a replacement (repair would have been nearly as expensive as a new one).  It sounds better than the old one, but that turned into an expensive tweak.
Also, never dust under the tonearm because s*** happens and if the dustcloth catches the needle, it's done for.

I would modify the way the turntable is placed, having an enclosure to protect it from a cat who could not understand this mechanics.

@scarlson - 

The problem has nothing to do with your turntable, arm or cartridge.  It's the cat that needs replacement.  I suggest a gold fish or a statue of a dog in the form of "His Master's Voice" that can be placed in front of one of your speakers.  

Yes on no stylus. 

Don't ditch the cat. That's too light of a punishment. Send kitty to permanent cat hell. Get a smart or assertive dog. 

" Get a smart or assertive dog"
Do they make those? 

@s2000cr

+2 for the cat

Agree with missing stylus.  Nothing at the end of the cantilever to hold the groove.

But don't try anymore record testing since the bare cantilever may damage the records.

When you do get a new cartridge of stylus, check your anti-skate setting.  Sounds like it's a bit off if the arm just skates across the record.  

+1 for Cleeds.
Didn't read the rest-too busy, but I would bet my ex-wife that's what it is.

@john_g -

I had Soundsmith replace the cantilever and stylus in an old Lyra Clavis Da Capo with a Boron cant and line contact stylus. Thought I'd see if the cart could get a second life.  I was quite satisfied. The rebuild with the Boron stylus outperformed the original cart by a significant amount in all categories.

Take the cat for a visit to the taxidermist.
I’ve actually seen a stuffed cat at a taxidermist before.
You can still enjoy the cat, & not worry anymore...

Get a Soundsmith cart.
When you need to re-tip, it’s easy

Watch for speeding pussy!!

One of my cats regularly jumps onto my SOTA Sapphire, for one because it gives the best cat-centric view in my stereo room.  Because I always run the TT with the cover closed it's no problem.  Other than a revolution or two of eight track tape style wow and a paranoid moment from yours truly, nothing happens.  I remember going to a hi-fi show way back when where the SOTA guy lifted a SOTA up off the equipment table and swung it around while a record was playing to prove how excellent the device's isolation was.

That cats' a naughty rascal

'Jack in the Box'... :)

Steve Leung is nearly finished repairing one of my Benz cartridges.  Really anticipating listening to this.