Helikon Retip Experience?

I'm pretty sure what Jcarr would recommend. :-)

Well, sometimes I can pay for a factory rebuild, sometimes I'm a little short and need a quick fix. Even "quick" is not applicable anymore as the lines have grown over the past few years. As I have said before, my xv-1s went to the factory this time. ;-) What Jonathan posted was not news to me and I don't think this happens only with cartridges.

Since when was it my responsibility? ;-) I'll bet if you search the forums you will find this information, in general terms if not specific.

Nandric, I reread your first post. "We got some lessons in 'modesty' " What are you referring to?

I'll take a stab at what I think you mean. This is NOT new to ME. YOU have just learn there was more to stylus and/or cantilever replacement than just a dab of super glue. You will find this has been discussed before if you search the archives.

No, I will not tell people not to go to retipper, only that the cartridge will not be the same as a factory job if they chose to do so. Different is not necessarily bad. I was quite happy with my XV-1s that was retipped by that guy in New York. I had made several large purchases at the time and I was short on cash so I was happy to have an alternative. That retip/cantilever served me very well for a couple of years. Was it a stock xv-1s? No, but it still played music beautifully.

I'll try this analogy. Say I have a brand new tire. I'm driving along and get a nail in my new tire, right in the middle of the tread. I can a) buy a new tire at $100, or b) have the tire plugged or patched for $30. Either way I'll get moving again, but b lets me keep some cash for a little while longer.

As you stated in your post that you refer to, YOU assumed. We have a saying in english that is meant to be a joke. "Assume only makes an ass out of u and me." I hope you take this in the humorous spirit it is intended, I am not poking a stick at you. The meaning is that assumptions usually get us into trouble.

I am not a cartridge designer, nor do I repair them, nor do I know the intricate details. All I really need or care to know is that if you send your cart to the factory it will come back as the designer intended it to. If you go somewhere else it will probably be a little different. So If you wish to believe that I'm being less than truthful there is nothing more I can do.

I didn't know Koetsu made a $1500 cartridge, but that line has never appealed to my tastes. I did send my $5000 Dynavector to a retipper once and I know others who have sent even more expensive carts to retippers. It doesn't make them or me bad people. ;-)

I now represent Dynavector and a few other products. I felt I should represent Dynavector in the way in which they intended, and I have the money now, so I sent my XV-1s to the factory so that when I demo Galibier, Durand, and Dynavector they all sound as their respective designers intended.