FWIW, Peter put his best "optimized line-contact diamond" on the stock boron cantilever of my Lyra Helikon. To the best of my recollection the cartridge sounds better than new. It looks quite different from the stock Lyra LC tip. However with this one you do need to take special care with azimuth. |
Dear No_regrets: +++++ " I wonder how this all would change if the cantiliever was changed from boron to ruby, and the stylus from eliptical to line contact? " +++++
well I can't say for sure IMHO no one can say it. What IMHO is for sure is that you will have a " different " cartridge with those mods.
+++++ " In summary, rather than what is better or worse, these stylus profiles were designed with different philosophies and priorities, and different styli may be preferred depending on what the cartridge designer wants to achieve for a specific model. " +++++
this was posted by J.Carr ( Lyra cartridge designer. ) in other thread and his point is very important: cartridge design is executed with the cartridge " parts " that can achieve the cartridge designer targets.
So if we change the stock/original cartridge build " parts " ( cantilever and stylus shape. ) then we are changing its quality performance. Btw, Dgarretson point out that with a line contact stylus shape we need additional care on the set up, if not what we gain is more distortions that normally we can hear it like a more high frequency false shine and brigtness.
Who can asure you that a different cantilever/stylus in that Benz Micro M0.9 cartridge motor works at its best. Undertow can say it? certainly not, only Benz Micro can.
What you posted as the cartridge quality performance tell me that that cartridge is really good overall. If you want to change that then IMHO maybe is better to buy a new and diffrent cartridge but seems to me that you are really satisfied with what you have on that cartridge.
A line contact stylus shape could give/change ( mainly ) the cartridge high frequency range, could this affect the cartridge tonal balance?, sure it can.
Now and along my audio experiences with 200+ different cartridges not always the line contact stylus shape cartridges shows better quality performance many times the cartridges with elipthical stylus are far better performers even in the same model cartridges where exist both stylus shape for the same cartridge.
In a cartridge design and in a cartridge quality performance IMHO the cantilever/stylus shape are important characteristics for the cartridge performance but there are other very important build/parts that contribute to the cartridge signature.
IMHO there are very low know how on the subject by the audio people and that's why you can read opinions/post like this: """ when my cartridge comeback from SS or VdH ( with a non VdH cartridge. ) performs better than ever, better than original """"
the majority of the time that re-tipped cartridge was not better but only different.
I posted that when I really like the cartridge quality performance always send it to fix it to the original designer/manufacturer if still exist.
This give us several advantages not only that the cartridge signature ( that's what I like/enjoy ) prevail but that that original cartridge manufacturer ( in your case Benz Micro. ) fix the cartridge where he do it with all the up-dates that that cartridge had over time and that only the original cartridge manufacturer knows. Many times the cartridge manufacturer makes changes/parts in the original cartridge design and even they don't tell to anybody but when we send our cartridge you can be sure that will return with the up-dates. This for me has an additional cartridge value and only the original cartridge manufacturer can do it.
A non original re-tipper has lower price to fix a cartridge but can't give us what is really important for us: to preserve what we like it and the cartridge up-dates.
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
To each his own. If you have no plans to change cartridges and want to get your cartridge fixed respectfully and for a great price, Soundsmith is an excellent service. You will still hear the characteristics of the cartridge and you just may even like what you hear even more. After all, that is what matters most. How YOU like it. |
Thank you Raul, Undertow, Dgarretson, and Dan_ed for all of your very thoughtful replies. You all have given me much to think about.
Does anyone happen to have either Soundsmith's phone number and/or email address that you could share with me. I just tried to get onto their website and for some reason, my computer isn't letting me. Unfortunately, I am not very computer savy.
Thanks to all for your help and sharing your thoughts with me.
No Regrets |
No_regrets,
Something is blocking the website. There seems to be wide-spread network issues since that McAfee fiasco. Then again, the Chinese Red Army may be playing wargames again. :-)
But, I got into a page from the website and found this at the bottom.
The Soundsmith
8 John Walsh Blvd.
Suite 417
Peekskill, NY 10566 USA
(914) 739-2885
FAX: (914) 739-5204
(800) 942-8009 |
Thank you Dan_ed for your assistance. It is greatly appreciated!
No Regrets |
Sent in a cartridge this past Wednesday and it should arrive I'm Peekskill by Monday. From that point, I was told the turn-around should be ten to twelve weeks. This sounded reasonable to me; I have other cartridges, and I'm willing to wait for craftsmanship. |
For some reason, my computer still won't let me get onto their website. I remeber they had a $250 option and a $350 option, but I can't remember what the differences are between the two.
Does anyone know what the differences are and if it would be worth going for the $350 option?
Thank you for your help and sharing any experiences that you might have. |
Dear No_regrets: I have this email from the boss it self:
Peter@sound-smith.com and this other one:
craig@sound-smith.com
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
They took eight months to retip an Technics MC 310. After waiting all those months I emailed them and requested my cartridge be returned. The very next day I received a phone call telling me it was done. During the time the cartridge was gone I bought an Audio Technica AT-150MLX. I love the thing and it has a user replaceable stylus and I am current thinking about a Ortofon M2 Black which has the same feature. |
Dear Vegasears: Nice to read that you are enjoying the MM/MI analog source alternative. Normally MM/MI cartridges are stylus removable, a good advantage between other things.
Other that the 2m Bkack you can try too the Nagaoka MP-50 and the Ortofon M20E Super that you can find NOS over the net.
regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
Hi Raul,
Thank you for the email addresses. |
It took me six months to get my Lyra Clavis back from them. When I sent it in, the backlog was 12-14 weeks. I wasn't that concerned about the timeframe, but the lack of communication, or updates. I started getting concerned that my cart may have been lost, or some other misfortune. I was never contacted until the cartridge was finished.
However, getting it back and using it for the first time, it was well worth it.
Until there is an alternative, we'll live with it.
Note to Peter: Find someone who can make a few calls/emails a day. Let customers know how their stuff is doing. |
I FedEx-ed my Dynavector 20XL (damaged cantilver, replaced with ruby cantilever) to Soundsmith on 8-11-10. It was signed for on 8-16-10. I got a phone call from Michelle letting me know it was ready on 9-9-10. So 8-16-10 to 9-9-10 is a 3 week and 3 day turnaround time (including weekends and a holiday). |
I had a problem with my Soundsmith MMC2 with a loose cantilever. I sent it to him and had it back in about a month.
He charged me nothing although it was over a year out of warranty.
Never heard anything from them. |
Ive sent in 3. Im very happy with the work and they took about 5 weeks. |
