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Newb - damaged cartridge?

OK - I feel like a complete newb. I was loading my new MC cartrdige (Ortofon X5-MC), and not 5 minutes afterwards, I had taken off the stylus cover and was about to align it, and the tonearm somehow slips from my hand, and the stylus bumps right into my left hand.

How frustrating! The stylus was bent just a little to the right, and feeling very upset/embarrassed/hoping to just rewrite history, I out of desperation pushed the stylus to the left...didn't see anybody around me so, who knows? hehe

Anyhow, realizing the cartridge was likely toast, I again out of desperation figured I would see if it played at all on an old LP. It does play, and reasonbly well. But it does appear to not be completely perpendicular, slanting a little the the left.

Last night I did notice a little distortion in the left channel I had never heard before. So, have I ruined the cartridge? Anything I can do; re-tip or have to replace it?

Thanks for the advice.
rgkd
9 responses Add your response
loontoon
301 posts
 
There is no recovery, however you may try and adjust the stylus such that is in the correct relationship to the vinyl. It may not be possible due to limited tonearm adjustment.

Ooops,

The good news is the cartridge was not all that expensive.

loontoon
twl
3,251 posts
 
It's toast. Continued use may damage your records.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
This is the kind of thing that makes a user-replaceable stylus attractive. My kids did it to me.
mwilson
430 posts
 
The analog experience is just not important enough to me to use an MC that has to be re-tipped at the factory when this happens - I stick to the best MM my budget allows, and keep a spare stylus assembly handy. To each his own.
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
Yes, it is gone. Talk to the dealer who sold you the cartridge, as they might be able to either retip the cartridge or even offer you a trade-in on a different cartridge. (This happened to my Benz Micro Glider II, due to its exposed cantilever.)

Look upon it as a learning experience. (I did, and will no longer buy cartridges with exposed cantilevers. I bought a Koetsu, which has a fairly well protected stylus and a stylus guard!)

Good Luck.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
And furthermore...if the stylus is user-replaceable it can be removed while you are doing dangerous things like mounting the pickup in an arm.

I did enjoy my Ortofon, but now I have a Shure, and I don't look back.
rgkd OP
3 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. I figured it was history...

I was thinking how nice it would be to simply replace the tip! I am thinking of saving MC until my system is more mature.
quincy
356 posts
 
Please do not feel bad. We all have done the same thing at one time or another. When this happened to me with my Benz Micro Glider, the dealer (Needle Doctor) had a 'OPPS' clause in which I returned the damaged cart. for exchange. This cost me an additional $400.00, but the cart. original new price was $800.....so I went for it! I recommend that you contact the dealer you purchased the cart. from....most decent ones will have some sort of 'OPPS' clause.
Regards,
rgkd OP
3 posts
 
I bought it from that 2Juki guy in Hong Kong. I read a few posts here from others who had the same problem, and never got a response, but I will try that route first.

Thanks again.
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