Thank you. I'll look for it on Quobuz and/or Tidal. I'm testing them one against the other to see which one I want to keep.
When to change a cartridge?
I currently own an EMT HD006 cartridge that cost about $1900. That's as much as I've ever paid for a cartridge. Previously I was in thousand-dollar territory. I can't imagine spending $5K for something that's assured to wear out. I play my turntable (VPI Prime Signature 21) every day for at least a few hourse. I guage that I put about a thousand hours a year on my cartridge, which is now at about 1500 hours.
I have read forums in which people talk about putting their cartridge under a microscope every few months. I don't own a microscope and I wouldn't know what to look for if I did. After reading forums in which people talk about cartridges wearing out before the manufacturer's recommended hours, I began to hear my cartridge slowly declining. I thought perhaps the attacks weren't as crisp.
I called my online dealer to discuss replacing mine, telling him that I thought I heard deterioration in the cartridge's sound. He said it doesn't work that way. I will know when my cartridge is ready to be changed. It will not be subtle. Often the suspension collapses.
My reaction was that a dealer wouldn't talk me out of spending about $2K unless that expense was foolish. So, I am still playing my EMT HD006 and not worrying about subtle changes as it wears down. The dealer said it might be fine for up to 3,000 hours.
I'm curious to know what other people do about their cartridges. Wait for the suspension to collapse and the thing sounds terrible, or monitor it more closely and perhaps even change the cartridge before the manufacturer's recommendation?
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whart, 12,000 is a whole heaping lot of records! I can understand why you thinned them out. I have about a tenth that many, and that's a lot. Like most people, I will go back to certain records many times before I play a more obscure record. Some will never get played again. I think I played them all at least once when I first acquired them. The more I think about it, my Moon 280D doesn't really sound "digital" to me, unless you mean by "digital" smoothing off rough edges. For example, I have a vinyl set of Starker playing the Bach Cello Suites and he attacks the strings with an aggressiveness that can be heard on analogue. On digital the vibration of the bow against the strings is not so "there." On certain digital recordings with a very high sampling rate, digital recordings are almost like analogue. And, of course, not every analogue recording is great. Some are tinny and compressed. But with the best of both worlds, a very good digital recording at a high sampling rate and a very good analogue recording are extremely close even with my relatively inexpensive Moon 280D. I think in order to be significantly better than the Moon, a digital front end would have to cost significantly more. I was running my computer into a Chord Qutest DAC, and when I compared it to my Moon 280D, the Qutest sounded much darker and less lively. I loved the Qutest when I first heard it, but I think having all the parts in one integrated box reduces jitter. And I'm guessing a DDC might have helped the Qutest. But I play analogue and digital for different reasons. I write sitting in front of my Sonus Faber speakers. I play records while writing for a number of reasons. To my ear they sound better, but also having to turn them over forces me to get up every 20 to 30 minutes. Sitting too long is not good for my old body. In the afternoons when I am reading or writing things like this post, I play digital. I like exploring new recordings and new artists. I am listening to Dvorak's 7th Symphony which I also have on record, but this version is with Dudamel conducting. In the end, as I think you suggested earlier, what matters most is having and fulfilling the interest in music. It's a very important part of my life. And I've enjoyed listening to recordings from my first Sears Silvertone portable stereo in college, through so many different pieces of gear I can't remember them all. The only constant is that I have continued to expend more $ as I have earned more money and my wife allows. Pretty standard, I'm sure. |
@audio-b-dog - I spent very little money, especially compared to what my vinyl front end involves. Given my considerable pile of records, some quite rare and never issued beyond a first pressing on vinyl, as well as a large catalog of material I accumulated (I think I've mentioned I got rid of over 12,000 records between the move to Texas and a further culling once here), I'm not walking away from records. But the combo I described, which involves playing off a drive through a DDC using the I2s connection has really upped the quality considerably and none of the gear itself was expensive. @inna - I had ARC stuff for decades but didn't need the power. For a while I used an unusual amp, the Audiopax 88, and I did meet with Kevin at one show (I don't do shows much anymore) and at the time I bought the Lamms, I only knew CAT for its preamp. The Lamms were magical and I also had the L2 line stage, a two chassis model with a solid state audio path and tube rectified power supply. When the manufacturer of Veloce came over, I passed on the first version, but loved the second version. Unfortunately, it uses the 6H30 and in its circuit, the old DR Reflector is substantially better than the modern production. My amps are very early and came through a trade from someone who was possibly Vlad's first dealer. I doubt I'll ever get rid of them. And Vytas, who designed the Veloce, is still very much active. He worked as a technical director for OMA for a period but am informed that he has upgrades for the Veloce line stages. I just hate shipping gear. In NY metro, it was much easier b/c we could drive to several of the manufacturers for repair/check up. |
It is not entirely level of investment... although an appropriate level of investment vs ones analog end is important, and so is the brand choice. I owned Sim for many years... and that is not the equipment you want to be putting up against analog. It is just too digital sounding.
I also have a lot of experience with Linn streamers and DACs. There are multiple levels of DAC and need to be paired with appropriate preamp / amp. But careful choices and investment digital streaming can sound as good or better than analog. |
whart, I wish I could warm to digital. Perhaps I have not spent enough $ on it. I recently bought the least expensive Moon (280D) streamer with DAC. I compared it against a $9K Linn and hardly heard any difference. When I put on a record (varying by recordings, of course) it is so much more present than even the best digital. I think the best digital recording I have heard is Patricia Barber's "Clique." It's at least 192 sampling and sounds damn good, but it just doesn't come from an envelope of air the way vinyl does, at least in my system. Again, though, I have put much more money into my analogue front end. One thing I do like about digital is that it is smoother, but music, as I'm sure you know, is not always smooth. You said you played the French horn. Saturday I heard Dudamel conduct Mahler's Fifth. Man, that French horn jumped out at me. From my experience, I can only come close to that kind of sound on vinyl. |
@inna main instrument is piano and I got into playing organ in bands as a teen. I learned French horn, guitar and a couple others. My sight reading is a little rough, but I did a lot of formal study (orchestration, counterpoint, etc.) when a youth. Only after I quit the lessons did I start playing an old Melodion (sort of a foot pump organ that used reeds) in my parents' house, and got into blues improvisation. The instrument sounded like a big deep harmonica. What I do with digital is play files from an SSD, so they can range from redbook standard 44.1 to high level DSD/PCM. I use a DDC (digital interface) that not only isolates the usb input, but also affords an I2S output which is what I use for one of the DACs. It's the best sound I've gotten from digital. I do have a good transport-a C.E.C. TL5, their entry model, but I find the sonics on files running through the above described chain to be very musical. For a long time, I did not like the sound of digital. I only began to appreciate it in seeing and hearing what archival restoration projects yielded. It impressed the hell out of me. It took me a long time to warm to digital. For the modest amount I've invested, the results are unexpectedly impressive to me, a long time analog/tube guy. |
Bill, of course it makes sense. What is your musical instrument ? Your system is so good that, yes, there is absolutely no need to think about upgrades unless perhaps it is relatively minor, just some fine tuning - tube here, cable there. I keep hearing about how good digital has become. For me too analogue is a tradition and history so I will never abandon it. But I listen to cds where the recording was digital, so perhaps I should consider starting streaming instead of it. |
Inna said: "Bill, that’s quite a set up that you have. What would it take to go even higher ?" @inna - I don’t know. I’m not focused on that aspect at this point. I’m actually sitting here enjoying listening. And shocker, the digital front end (inexpensive stuff largely from China) running hi-res through an I2S connection with a DDC sounds really good. So much so that I’d say if I hadn’t the long history with LPs, I don’t know that I’d even bother with the vinyl format if I were starting from scratch today. Of course, I’m not starting now, so that’s a rhetorical observation, but I’d imagine people who work on their digital front ends and put some serious effort into getting them right are probably getting great results, given how little I’ve spent and how little I know on the digital processing front. I have a few other interests I pursue as well, though audio + music + the music biz/copyright law has been almost a lifetime for me, say since I was 16. (I started studying music at age 5 but was made to do so and hated it--it took me til I was a teen to "get it" and start composing though I never tried to make any money making music). It’s not going away, but my perspective about it all is much more relaxed these days. It’s like waking up and discovering you did all this stuff deep into the hobby and now, as an idiot, I can just be blissful. (I don’t think I’m losing my mind, my judgement is good, my health is good, but I’m now 71 and want to enjoy life after working since I was a kid). In some ways, I’m still learning, but my focus is different if that makes sense. Sorry for the ramble. |
The guy at Phono Cartridge Retipping, a retipping place suggested by mofimadness, said that he would retip my EMT which has a "super fine line" stylus with a "medium fine line" stylus. He said, however, that the word "super" is subjective and his "medium" fine line would be better than what EMT calls a "super" fine line cartridge. Any comments? |
@inna - main system, currently running Koetsu Tiger Eye in a Kuzma Airline/Kuzma XL + Minus K and HRS plinth. I have several others not currently in use, including a fresh Jade that Koetsu rebuilt before they shuttered, an Airtight Supreme rebuilt by Peter L using factory cantilever and a couple others that have not yet been retipped. On the vintage system, I use a Denon 103 that has been frankensteined by Steve at VAS- micro ridge stylus, and wood rebody potted with elastomers. Run that one on the Kuzma 4 Pt 9" on the vintage SP-10 table. |
Having an EMT TSD15n, (the predecessor to the HD006) for the last 10 years I’ve been through this process a number of times. Having very clean records and stylus, I’ve found anywhere between 1500/1800 hours is easily achieved without major loss in sound quality. I’ve never let degradation get to the point of audible distortion. With regard’s retip, send it back to EMT. They don’t just put a new diamond on and call it a job, the cart gets a full strip down and rebuild, making sure the suspension and wire tensions are up to EMT spec. You’re essentially getting a new cartridge back. It’s not cheap, but you are ensuring you’re getting the same cartridge and the same sound you bought in the first place, something not guaranteed if you send it elsewhere. |
unreceivedogma, I think air versus analytical instrument placement against a black background is one of the major breaks in the audiophile community. I go to live jazz and classical concerts and air is everything. A sax hovering in air, drums pounding out air. Like you, this is what I like. And I will be sending my cartridge in for analysis and probable retipping. Thanks. |
As others have likely already pointed out, change the needle! No need to get a new cartridge. Needle life varies wildly: from 500 to 3,000 hours. Imho, keeping track of hours only tells you when you are getting to the point where needle inspection is wise. But without a microscope, that means sending it away to someone who has a vested interest in saying OMG this needle is worn. Contrary to what someone else here has said, I keep track of hours, compare it to the backup (I have three quality cartridges) from time to time) and rely on my ears. I find that the detail is the first thing to go, then the soundstage, but that’s me, others may find differently. Once there, it’s time for a replacement. |
BTW, with this new amp change I am beginning to understand the difference between overly "analytical" systems in which the instruments are well separated, but they lack air. With my Hovland Radia, there is a definite separation between instruments both in width and depth, but the instruments sound as it they are enveloped in air, not just coming out of a black background. My new speakers were demoed to me against Vienna Acoustics in the same price range. The Vienna Acoustics were extremely accurate, but they were not "musical" like the Sonus Fabers. Again, that had to do with the air. Some people like a system where instruments come out of a black background. They see that as accuracy. I go to the symphony and hear music live a lot. The instruments do not come from a black background. They are in a kind of musical soup, but when I listen carefully, I can distinguish were the sound of each instrument is coming from. It's not always easy, though. |
whart, yes there are so many variables in improving a system. I inherited my Hovland Radia amp from an audiophile friend of mine who passed away. I was using a McCormack DNA-1 upgraded to the top level by Steve McCormack just a few years before I got the 20-year-old Hovland Radia (the only non-tube amp Hovland ever made). When I first compared the amps switching them out quickly, I liked my McCormack. It seemed more musical, throwing a wall of sound that was wide and deep. I was just about ready to sell the Hovland but something nagged at me. I listened to the amps for a good three weeks, leaving one in for a day or two and then putting the other in my system. Slowly I realized that the Hovland was providing a lot more inner detail and air between the instruments. The McCormack's wall of sound was comforting and pleasing, but as I became used to the Hovland's "sound I liked the air in its soundstage. Once I was able to hear that--in other words, my ear was a limiting factor--there was no question that the Hovland which was much more expensive than the McCormack was a much better amp. If I get a windfall, like a work bonus or an inheritance, I might decide to look into upgrading my system. Otherwise I don't buy equipment until something seems wrong. My ear has developed so that I can hear a lack in my system. I am a big fan of ARC's phono preamp and for years I owned the PH-3. One day it dawned on me that something was missing. I listened to a few solid state preamps that were well reviewed, but I like the ARC sound. I could not afford $9K for a new Ph-9, so I began looking in the used marked and found a PH-7 at a dealer in Canada. (I called every ARC dealer in the U.S. and Ph-7s were impossible to find.) I bought it and I think it's a terrific phono preamp. I guess my point is that upgrading a system is not only a question of money (although it definitely is) but also of how educated one's ear has become. I avoid listening to very expensive equipment I can't afford. The only reason I was able to purchase $18K Sonus Fabers was that I received a large inheritance, so my wife agreed to my splurge. I love the speakers. |
@audio-b-dog - sonic memory is extremely tricky- I have to have the specific components or cable to hand and the ability to swap out to compare. It is a relatively rare thing to be able to tell immediately if a given piece is an improvement (rather than just a change). I’ll give you one example- I was running a very highly regarded line stage, and a dealer I trust brought over another unit. We plugged it in, let it warm up and I could tell immediately that it didn’t have the sonic qualities that made my system sing. Fast forward 6 months or so, the second line stage underwent a substantial revision. Did the same comparison in my system. I wanted to buy the "test mule" of it on the spot! Cables are even trickier. I started comparing them back in the ’80s. The dealer (a different dealer) lent me 4 different sets. I played with them for about a week, and chose the set that sounded the best. It wasn’t the most expensive of the bunch. Cables are also one of the last things I tend to do. There are some synergies, and some known matches with certain components, but a lot has to do with the overall voicing of the system and what you are after. I have very good cables in my main system and have had little need to upgrade- I did upgrade within the same brand the "earliest" cable in that system- from phono stage to line stage (the cable from the tonearm is captive) , but the core system has relied on the same cable since around 2007-8. On my vintage system, I deliberately chose to use less vaunted wire-- I use Canare 4S11 and Analysis Plus--the system emulates what I was running in 1975, when audiophile cable was barely in existence. That system, having had all the components sympathetically restored--some of them owned by me for more than 50 years--sounds to my ears the best it ever has. Much has to do with the glass- I use a lot of NIB NOS tubes, including GEC KT66s. The only thing I can suggest is that you work with someone who will allow you to try the cables and be able to return them without penalty. I have yet to come up with a "holistic" approach to system building beyond the obvious in terms of impedance, power, room size, relationship between speaker and amp, and tonearm and cartridge (compliance). On the main system, if I change a rectifier in the phono stage power supply, the voicing of the system changes, sometimes dramatically. I’ve gone through quite a few to get everything just so. I do hear differences when I compare in my room, with my system, under controlled circumstances. When I did the cables for the current main system, the manufacturer visited to swap out and demonstrate. I did not hear any difference on the power cable to my motor controller for the turntable, so passed on buying the high priced cable for that link in the chain. Other random thoughts- when I was comparing different types of isolation devices for the tube power supply to my phono stage, I tried 1/2 dozen. Some lent more clarity, but at a price- greater stridency. I found a compromise that gave me the best of both worlds. Ditto on the record clamp/weight for the turntable. I have on occasion swapped out the aftermarket device for the factory one and still prefer the aftermarket unit. Last thought (and much of this may be obvious)- the longer you can listen to evaluate, try a variety of different program material. It will be more telling. Some things impress initially but it’s longer haul evaluations that are more informing. You can often isolate what a given component (or wire) is doing, but that does mean you have to be familiar with all the rest-- evaluations in dealer’s show roooms- different system/room make it much harder. Sometimes I have to remind myself- this is supposed to be fun! Best, Bill Hart PS: @viridian's suggestion about making a recording if you have an A-D device is still a good suggestion even with a cartridge/stylus that has miles on it. You should be able to discern the difference, not relying just on sonic memory. |
@audio-b-dog... you might want to give Andy Kim at The Needle Clinic a call. He is REALLY good and really fast. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/andy-kim-needle-clinic |
whart, thank you for your clear write-up. I hate to be the "real-world guy," but looking into VAS for retipping they quote four to eight weeks, with shipping probably more like six to ten weeks. I would not be able to tell if the retipped stylus sounded better after that amount of time, especially since my ear would have gotten used to my Clearaudio Maestro over that waiting time. I'm not at all denying that you are correct. In fact, I believe you are correct. In my mind as an audiophile with a budget, the question would be how much better. For example I use Audioquest cables. Not their most expensive. In the middle of their line. I have no doubt that if I replaced my cables with high-end Nordost my system would sound better. But how much better at what cost? Of course, retipping my stylus would only be about $500, so we're not in Nordost territory. Just an example. Anyway, you and others have convinced me to have my EMT retipped. Thank you for the well thought out explanation. |
The real credit for that work is due to Mike Bodell, who wrote the piece and did all the research. I just served as editor/publisher. I learned a few things in the process. I now keep track of stylus usage with a simple click counter (of course, Mike turned me onto a very well made vintage unit). Clean records go a long way. Incremental degradation is not apparent. I liken it to sneakers (or British "trainers"). You don’t realize they have lost their "bounce" until you put a fresh pair on. (Maybe it’s a dumb analogy). I think Mike mentions a reader who said his stylus was well past the normal conservative threshold and thought it still sounded fine, but then decided to send it out for a retip, and was pleasantly surprised by how much better it sounded after it was refreshed. I keep an eye on the stylus just for basic cleanliness and straightness of the cantilever-using relatively low magnification. I’m not really qualified to examine stylus wear under a microscope, so have used various retipping services, including those of the manufacturer (who will often replace, or rebuilt entirely rather than just replace the diamond and clean up the cartridge innards). I gather that the micro ridge type has a pretty hard limit at around 1,000 hours-- and that it should not be used after that. I had an Airtight Supreme done with that stylus shape, keeping the original cantilever. I had one Koetsu rebuilt by the factory before they went defunct. And have had a few others over the years- trade ups with Lyra, a rebuild by Van den Hul, etc. I thought Mike did a great job in addressing the issue and called for more transparency within the industry about realistic wear/life, rather than quoting the absolute outer limit for a cartridge to function. Kudos to him! |
@viridian - great article, thanks. Guess I will retip 500-700 hours, Soundsmith carts looking economically better. |
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Viridian, I think the salespeople at my online retailer told me that my stylus might even last up to 3,000 hours because of what you've said about its shape. Anyway, now that I know I can send it in and have a new stylus put on for about $400 to $500?, I'll have it retipped. If it gets up toward $1,000, I might reconsider. My online dealer will give me a 20% discount on a trade in. I have a Clearaudio Maestro (1200 hours?) sitting around that I could use in the meantime. It sounded great, too. A bit more bloom than the EMT. I must admit that being an audiophile is not easy because most people look at me as if I'm crazy, spending $2K on cartridges and $18K on speakers. I have a Hovland Radia amp that is 20 years old and I was worried about its deterioration. I was lucky enough to have access to Bob Hovland, the designer and manufacturer. He looked it over and said it was to spec. Less than $500. My wife still thought that was too much because it wasn't broken. But it is one hell of an amp. |
I think Michael Fremer said in one of his articles that groove wear is something of a myth, especially if you clean your records well and have your cartridge properly set up. I'm amazed how good some of my 50+ year old LPs sound even though they were played on some awful record players early in their life and were not cleaned then. I think I got about 1500 hrs. on my Monster Cable Alpha Genesis 1000--I counted each LP side I played on a nearby digital counter; I just don't recall the exact readout before I switched cartridges. I used LAST StyLAST stylus preservative before each play. I heard no obvious deterioration in sound quality, and that cartridge was still tracking better than the Lyra that replaced it. (But when it isn't mistracking, the Lyra sounds great.) |
I am ignorant, so don't listen to me. Question is if you don't hear the difference can you still be damaging your records ? Of course, you damage the records each and every time you play them ! This is not a very sophisticated system. It's a matter of degree. Do you hear more noise? Having said that, I would think that 1500 hours is about time to change the stylus. I would. |
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I can’t say for certain but Soundsmith may be able to retip your cartridge and it’s worth a call or email. That’s if, of course, you think it’s needed. That would be considerably cheaper than a new cartridge. I am not sure I would replace a cartridge after 500 hours but I might repair/replace the stylus. |
Viridian, thank you for the in-depth article on stylus wear. There are a lot of variables involved, but one that is important to me is $ per hour a stylus costs, and also what my ear is hearing. The article mentioned female vocalists and how sibilance can be heard from a worn stylus. I played Joni Mitchell's live album "Miles of Ailes" this morning and my God her voice just hung in the air clear and pure. This is on a super fine line stylus with about 1500 hours on it. Am I damaging records? I can't really hear it. So, does it kind of become a tree falling in the forest thing? I have put an awful lot of money into my system lately, and a very big variable is a grouchy wife. She very much wants to believe the salesperson who told me the change wouldn't be subtle when I needed to replace my stylus. I started this forum to try to understand better when I would need to change my stylus with all variables considered. I have forty-year-old records and older. I have played them on pretty cheap cartridges I never changed. I have only begun to pay attention to that in the last ten years or so. Do I hear wear on my old records. Yes. Do I hear wear on all my old records? No. I really don't hear the wear on some of them. I do get pops and clicks that I hear, but I find that cleaning records in my Degritter gets rid of a lot of them. The grooves are picking up gunk the Degritter cleans out. Back to the money, which is an important variable. If I can't hear change, does it matter? I'll give you an example. When I buy a new cartridge do my newer records sound better? In other words, could I hear the damage on my old cartridge? The last cartridge I changed was a Sumiko Starling which I would have bought again but it's too difficult to mount. The pins are small and the wire leads slip off. It began to sound distorted like it had dust on it at around 2,000 hours. And it could have damaged records, but when I put the new EMT on those records, they didn't sound damaged to me. Judging subjectively, the variables are ridiculous. I have old records that never seem to wear. The newer 180gram records seem to wear quickly. I think the vinyl is softer on those records. They sound worn after maybe even five plays with a new cartridge. I know it sounds stupid or ignorant to put my subjective judgement up against in-depth studies, but from a money-per-hour perspective, I wouldn't want to buy a $2,000 cartridge and have to change the stylus after 500 hours. I'd probably stop playing records. So, I need to take that into consideration. And I'm looking for a kind of middle ground that also sounds reasonable to my pocket book. So, as far as the record wear variable, does it matterr if I can't hear it? Again, I'm thinking in dollars. If I had the money and an audiophile wife, I would happily change my stylus after 500 hours, but that's not my real world. |
P.S. FWIW, this is what I use to keep track of stylus/cartridge play hours: StylusTimer (Stylus Timer) | LP GEAR All you have to do is get into the habit of remembering when to turn it on and off. Even so, a few seconds or minutes missed, here & there, isn't going to be a big deal. |
This is a great post & thread! Another big thank you to viridian for that vinyl press link on stylus wear! I was under the impression that 1000 hours was about right for a Micro-Line diamond stylus like the MoFi Ultra Tracker MM. However, seems like 500 is probably more realistic. Now, I've got something else to worry about! While I don't mind sending the cartridge off to MoFi for re-tipping, I don't trust myself anymore to deal with remounting a new cartridge and dealing with the tracking calibration issue, which I think is Baerwald for my TT. Anyone care to weigh in on just how difficult this would be to do accurately and properly? Years ago, I changed out a bunch of cartridges with my old Phillips TT but that wasn't a very sophisticated TT. It had a detachable head, which made the process relatively easy, and I used a paper template or protractor in those days. Nowadays, there are much more sophisticated tools, which I don't have. Anybody know what I should expect to pay for a real expert with the proper tools to mount/install a new cartridge? Depending upon all the costs involved, I'm wondering if it might not be more cost-effective, in my case, to maybe just buy a new cartridge. |
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inagroove, thanks for the suggestion. My system sounds great. I play all kinds of classical music, string quartets or bombastic pieces like Scheherazade that also has a very musical violin. I have pieces with fat-sounding violins and thin-sounding violins, and they all seem natural. Part of the challenge is I recently purchased new Sonus Faber Olympica Nova 5 speakers which portray a much more lifelike sound than my last speakers. I guess I am worried about a slow diminution that I have just gotten used to. But what I am taking out of this forum is that at least by 2,000 hours I should have the cartridge rebuilt. If I were feeling rich (which I'm not right now) I would have wanted to jump up in pricee to perhaps the low-end Koetsu, but I am very happy with the EMT. I think it's very good for its price range. Well, maybe just plain very good. I've never experimented with cartridges over $2K. |
Assuming your cart is properly set-up, you may want to consider a empirical solution.... I have a few orchestral LPs that I know quite well and use them as references - each has LOTS violins at the end of the side, where the circumference is the smallest. As my stylus wears, the violins gradually sound less 'natural', becoming harsh, muddled, and fragile sounding. For me. this is the easiest and best way to HEAR when my stylus needs to be replaced. (yes, a test record could also work, but I prefer well recorded music). My fine-line styli have lasted much longer than my spherical styli. My records are, generally, very clean. Yes, I have a microscope and am comfortable looking for damage, flat spots, etc., but I would rather listen to my system! Good luck... |
In regards to cleaning a cartridge, I once sent a Grado Reference into Grado because the cantilever had been bent by an errant hand. I am pretty sure Mr. Grado himself fixed the cartridge. One thing he told me was to stop using that gunk to clean my cartridge. (I was using Last cleaner.) He said diamond stylus's are so hard that dust brushes off them without the use of cleaners which build up on the stylus. Opinions? |
