Sorry in advance for the long post but I wanted to provide some
background.
I have a Fidelity Research FR1 MK3F which I bought used but
had some life left in it. It was absolutely wonderful, so smooth and detailed,
the tone of everything was just right. This joy lasted a few months until the
cantilever gave up on me. To be fair I did know that it had been bent and
straightened before I bought it but then I bent and straightened it one extra
time so I guess the aluminum cantilever got stressed to the point of fracture.
I was always going to have it retipped I just wasn't sure which cantilever or
diamond I wanted. In the end I opted to replicate as close as possible to the
original materials and profile, that is aluminum cantilever with nude line
contact stylus.
While it was away getting retipped I fitted my LOMC Audio Technica AT 32e II
and forgot the sound signature of the Fidelity Research.
When I got it back a few weeks ago I had a chance to fit it
and my very very first impression with a Nancy Wilson album was that it sounded
markedly better than the Audio Technica. Whilst it sounded better than the
Audio Technica, I am not sure if it has retained the same sonic signature. Also
it may be that the new suspension needs time to “run in”, I’m just not sure.
Therefore my question is, HOW much does a retip change the sonic signature IF you are keeping the materials
and stylus profile the same.
I have previously experienced changes when using exotic
cantilevers like ruby, sapphire, beryllium etc and / or change the diamond
profile to Gyger or microline. For example I retipped my aluminum/conical Denon
103 with a Soundsmith ruby cantilever line contact and the sonic signature definitely
changed.
Therefore I am looking for feedback from anyone who has had a
retip with the same materials, did the sonic signature change?
Also it would be great to get input from any cartridge
experts who understand the science and can give their opinion on whether there should
be a sonic change after a same material retip.
Many thanks in advance for any input provided.