Update on this thread. I went ahead with the rebuild and received it back from Ortofon this morning. Turnaround time was exactly five weeks. I examined it thoroughly under a digital microscope and everything is aligned perfectly. Ortofon did a fantastic job. This is a new cartridge in everything but the housing, with a new serial number on the motor/generator assembly and the box, and the workmanship is first rate. Mounted back on my Tri-planar, it sounds wonderful--perhaps better than the original when new and notably quieter in the groove. I'm extremely pleased. |
Well, that is indeed something to think about.
Ortofon Dealers (not the Manufacturer) will charge you $2000 for an already paid cartridge. But you don't get a work for 2k, the half of it is profit for your Dealer and the Distributor. All they do is to rewrite the address, that needs time.
A professional retipper charges his time only AND - maybe - he is able to improve the cartridge with better parts (Manufacturer rarely use the best parts available, why should they cut their profit and don't forget, A-90 Hype is dead and buried, the new King is Anna ....)
So, it could be (!) possible, that Soundsmith is able to make you a better cartridge - well, as long as the return address is not in Mexico or a Raul whatever..:-) - even when the result would not meet your dreams, you can still send it back to Ortofon.
It is worth to do a call, imo. |
Thanks, Peter. That's good to know. You did a great job on my Shelter 901 and Denon 103D a few years ago.
Bill |
Just for knowledge's sake; I stock the original stylus used with the A90 - when I retip them "only" - you are back at the original starting point. No sonic changes.
Peter Ledermann/Soundsmith |
What Peter does is fantastic, his products sound very good, and he is a good guy.
But I believe if you don't have the original company to rebuild the cartridge you go to him. |
But then you have a Sound Smith A90 not an Ortofon A90 |
I am a big supporter of all things SoundSmith especially after he repaired my Blackbird for free and after hearing his system at AXPONA! That said, I believe one might be better off offing the Ortofon option until that avenue runs out. With a cart like that, maintaining as much of its intrinsic value for as long as possible may be desirable . What a silky smooth incredibly fast sound he got coming out of his speakers this weekend. Go Peter! |
If the cart is working properly and the issue is only the diamond, my question would be whether or not a SoundSmith retip might not be a more cost-effective option? |
Wntrmute2, thanks for the clarification. I initially thought that Ortofon offered a rebuilt A90 for 2,000 euro and I thought to myself, why would anyone buy a brand new A90? This now makes sense. |
Yes, that's right. My A90, which I bought new, has a lot of hours on it now. Ortofon won't be offering the rebuild for ever (according what Louis Dorio told my dealer), so I'm considering it. I'll probably just go ahead because I doubt I'd find a cartridge I prefer for 2,000 euros. |
I appreciate all the endorsements of Ortofon's integrity. That's not really the question, and I'm not sure why it's being interpreted thus. I simply wanted to know if anyone had the rebuild done, and what they thought of it. Pretty simple, really. |
But this is a repair of a cartridge one already purchased I believe. This is not an offer for a rebuilt A90 for $2000.00 euros. |
Dear Wrm57: +++++ " Ortofon warrants that that the quality and specifications of the repaired product will match that of a new product.... " +++++
this is what Ortofon states in his site about its warranty: is it not perfectly clear?
regards and enjoy the music,
R. |
Dear Wrm57: I respect that you want it first hand experiences about but this is what you can read on the repairing subject in the Ortofon website:
+++++ " Ortofon warrants that that the quality and specifications of the repaired product will match that of a new product, ..... " +++++
is it that Ortofon warranty not enough for you?, if the manufacturer/designer direct warranty is not enough: what is it?.
With all my respect I think that the direct Ortofon warranty is a more secure way to follow that any one of us first hand experiences in a different system that the one you own and where we could be different audio priorities that yours. Don't you think?
Regards and enjoy the music,
R. |
just about the price of rebuilt BMW E46 engine. |
I would absolutely trust Ortofon to do the rebuild to perfection. If you are not satisfied they would make it right.
Ortofon was building cartridges before many here at Audiogon were born. I respect them even if some of their product is not my taste. |
I'd like to hear from people who've had it done before I put that kind of money into a rebuild. |
It's actually $2,000 euro's which is about $2,600 us dollars. If you like the A90 why not? |
You get a new A90 for 2200 dollars from Ortofon?... what would be your concern? |
