How did you get knives past airport security? Presumably in checked baggage I guess. Decades ago, when I bought a Zerostat in the UK, security at the airport gave me a hard time until I convinced them it was not a gun.
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I did a little internet searching on the question of where most cartridges are manufactured. Ortofon is listed as the largest producer of cartridges, and so far as I can find out, all their cartridges are made in Denmark. I had previously assumed that at least some of their top of the line cartridges are made in Japan, based on the fact that you can buy them in Japan for bargain prices. Since also Rega are listed as a top 3 or top 5 maker of cartridges, and since they are made in the UK, I have to say that my generalization was probably incorrect. Suffice to say you can buy Ortofon, and even Grado cartridges, in Tokyo at good prices. Also, all sources say that Ogura and Namiki are the nearly sole sources of styli and possibly cantilevers. Therefore, if you look at it that way, at least parts of most cartridges come from Japan. Then there is Hana, Koetsu, Lyra and other cartridges made for various brands by Scantech, Audio Technica, Etsuro, MSL, Nagaoka, Miyajima, and many others made in Japan.
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Herman, why are you so agitated? Maybe I’m wrong. So what? The statement is totally inconsequential. No need for conniptions. It would be hard to prove or disprove because many brands outsource their cartridges. If you want so badly to be right in saying I’m wrong, I give. You’re right.
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And yet, the vast majority of all cartridges are made in Japan or elsewhere in Asia, and I wouldn't be so sure that Clearaudio cartridges are all made in Germany.
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100V is no problem at all. You just use a 120V to 100V step down transformer. Those are cheap on eBay. I’ve got 2 turntables running off 100 V here in my listening room. Step down costs ~$50 each. I’ll keep in mind the other BIC for next visit. Thanks for that and Dynamic Audio too.
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dave, I went into the BIC that is near Yodibashi in Akihabara. I made a quick tour of every floor, but the emphasis is on "quick"; I might have missed something, but I saw no evidence that they were selling the TOTL gear of any well known manufacturer. Which is to say they might have been selling Luxman products, but not the TOTL ones. Whereas, you can walk into Yodi and buy a TOTL Luxman preamplifier right off the shelf. I was specifically looking for a Viv Float tonearm; Yodi sells Viv, but they were out of stock and did not expect any product for two months. I never visited any other BIC store, and I certainly yield to your personal experience if yours differs from mine. Good to know Dynamic Audio still exists. Ten years ago, I bought a Koetsu Urushi from Sound110; they seem to be kaput as of May. They were alive and well prior to the pandemic. I am fearful that the Japanese high end businesses are having a bit of a struggle, just as many of our brick and mortar stores had 10-20 years ago, before going under.
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BIC Camera is strictly for kids who want cheap, digital, and portable, based on my tour of the store in May. But maybe I missed something. Anyway, as a serious audiophile, I wouldn’t waste my time there.
rushfan et al, Lyra cartridges are not sold up front in any store I’ve ever been in over the course of 15 years since our son took up residence in Tokyo. Maybe if you know the right person (and can speak Japanese) you might purchase Lyra there.
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But the vast majority of all cartridges are made in Japan or elsewhere in Asia. In fact, Grado is the only exception I can think of, even assuming Grado cartridges are made in USA, which may not be the case. Along the lines of what you say, best-groove, I notice repeatedly that Japanese re-issues of LPs originally pressed in the USA or Europe are far cheaper in Disc Union than are the original pressings. This is no bad thing as Japanese pressings are typically superb in quality. Also, I buy "pre-owned" LPs in Disc Union, without trepidation, because the Japanese appear to take meticulous care of their LPs. DU uses a rating system of A, B, C, etc. for used LPs. Any LP rated "A" can be bought sight unseen; it will be like new mint. "B" rated LPs are usually just as good but may have a blemish on the jacket.
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There you go; Yodibashi sells Nagaoka, too. In fact, I bought an MP500 there in May for about 60% of US price. Don't know why I forgot Nagaoka in my post above. The bargain price is mostly because of the very favorable exchange rate, yen to dollar, that still prevails, not because of a greedy importer.
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The single best store for choosing among many many different cartridges that are all "in stock" and ready for immediate sale is Yodibashi Camera, which is located in the Akihabara section of Tokyo. Brands include Audio Technica, Grado, Ortofon, Shelter, Ikeda, and now my mind is going blank but there are more. Go to the 4th or 5th floor of the enormous building, as big as Macy's in NYC, and you will see a myriad of cartridges, as well as all other imaginable audio accessories and basic equipment. There are even 2-3 different listening rooms where you can mix and match components you might want to hear. Akihabara is a major train stop for many different lines; you almost cannot miss it. And Yodi is right outside one of the main gates of the massive train station. For LPs, I would go to Disc Union, which is near the Ochanomizu train station, one stop away from Akihabara on one of the train lines. (Maps in English are all over the place in train stations.) Across the street from DU is a boutique audio salon, Audio Union, part of the same business, if you want to look at gear in a very quiet setting. Yodibashi is a bit unique in that they will discount the Japanese tax beforehand, if you present your passport, whereas if you do business elsewhere, you have to pay the tax and then get a refund at customs (or so I am told).
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