How long should a cartridge last?

Send the old one to Soundsmith and get a new cantilever installed. Cost starts at $150. They have done a couple for me.

I also didn't set my new arm up properly

Lesson learned?

Really, Axiss Audio would have replaced it? Wow...Analog Room should have known about that policy...I might check in an see what they have to say about that. Not sure, but possible I could have played about 2,000 hours on it.

The dealer told me sending to Soundsmith would not result in the cartridge sounding the same...not sure what to make of that. The dealer certainly seemed like a pretty credible guy. Turntable sounds fantastic.

Lesson learned? Unfortunately not, as I'm not sure where I went wrong. I certainly tried to set it up properly...even bought Wally Tools and a Fozgometer. Anyway, I needed help...wanted to pay a reasonable price, but may have ended up paying too much.

Mcmprov,

Brian, (the owner of the Analog Room), would have given you a partial credit for the cartridge if you had purchased it from him originally. I assume you did not, correct? (And he would have set up your cartridge on your turntable as a part of the service in selling you the cartridge.)

I base this on the fact that when he sold me my first cartridge, (Benz Micro Glider 2), about 7 years ago, he installed it on the tonearm, and did all the adjustments (i.e. he set the VTA, VTF, azimth, etc...) In fact, I had purchased my turntable used from a guy in NYC, (a Basis 1400, with a Rega RB 300 tonearm). When he found that out, he insisted that I bring in the entire setup, and he unpacked the boxes, assembled the table, and installed the tonearm, and then mounted the Glider. (All for the list price of the Glider - Not a bad deal, since I was an analog newbie at the time.)

And when the cartridge got damaged a few months later, (Don't ask!), he gave me partial credit, (50% I believe), toward a new cartridge. (And again, he insisted on installing the replacement cartridge.)

Good Luck!!!

The ones I have had done sound fine. Exactly the same as before? Doubtful, two new cartridges of the same model seldom sound exactly the same. But well worth the expense; there is a good chance that they will sound better than before but that is a separate question. I am an unusual dealer in that my orientation is toward the customer spending the LEAST amount of money for the sound he/she wants. Since I don't depend of it for my livelihood I can entertain such an attitude. If you still have the old one I would either advertise it on here as in as is condition for some else to buy and have repaired or do this myself to have on hand as a spare.