Signs of a worn MC

[RobbieGong]

There are so many to try BUT it becomes awfully expensive and in many cases you are chasing something different rather than better. Ultimately there comes a point where you find one that suits your system set up and suits your ears and I think at this point you must decide to draw a line and sit back and just enjoy the music.

Not saying it isn't fun or interesting to try other cartridges if you have the cash but for me I would rather relax and listen to music rather than worry about there being something better around the corner. It is a bit like cars, try a few that your interested in and then you know which one you want long term to live with....girlfriends can be a bit like that too!

Exactly

Upgrading is part of the journey indeed and part of the fun but to an extent in my experience.

At some point you get to know when something hits the spot and what you like, ie: you love what it does, it brings great pleasure, you can easily live with it enjoying hours of music without fatigue.

Thats when it's maybe time to stop messing, spending daft sums chasing that 'bigger thing' (that comes with no guarantees of actually being better than what you've got) and just enjoy the music .

[Barry]

Wise words Robbie,

One should always know when to stop - but some of us still like to 'tinker and dabble'.

Barry (a 'cartridge tart')

[RobbieGong]

Wise words Robbie,

One should always know when to stop - but some of us still like to 'tinker and dabble'.

Barry (a 'cartridge tart')

no harm in a little tinkering, I know what you mean.

I think even the non-tinker / dabblers would be very tempted to scratch an itch if funds were suddenly not so much an issue, me included

[Clive197]

Hi Robert, agree with you about non standard retip. Don’t agree with going out and buying a new cartridge. Sending back to Ortofon for half the price of a new one is both cost effective and a no brainier.

[RobbieGong]

Didnt think I'd go down the retip road but after good consideration and weighting things up, the CB is off to Kilian Bakker of Holistic Audio, who used to work for Ortofon and has a greart reputation with this work.

The learned Angus-Phonomac is not one for using or recommending any old thing or anyone without good reason and without genuine expectation of the best result.

Angus had him fit a Fritz Gyger FGS stylus to his Ortofon Vienna and has been extremely pleased with it, quote 'I don’t see me ever using a different stylus profile after my experience with that'

The Fritz Gyger S stylus is the same as Ortofons best profile the Nude Replicant 100, as used on its higher end carts, PW Windfeld, Xpression, A90, A95, Anna and MC Century.

He'll also give the cart a good general overhaul including checking and cleaning the generator of fine dust and any metal particles plus a realignment of the coils for optimal channel balance and phase.

Oh! and for less than half the £1K Ortofon charge for a standard retip / rebuild to normal/current CB spec.

Kilian is effectively providing an upgraded cart.

Cant wait to have it back. Expecting it to sound different, which it will / should as it wont be a Shibata clad Cadenza Black anymore.

My guess is I'll hear something in between the PW and A90 / A95 but not quite as overtly bold, transparent and dynamic as the A95 which would suit me. A little more detailed and dynamic than the excellent Cadenza B would be spot on

Watch this space ....

[Jimbo]

Didnt think I'd go down the retip road but after good consideration and weighting things up, the CB is off to Kilian Bakker of Holistic Audio, who used to work for Ortofon and has a greart reputation with this work.

The learned Angus-Phonomac is not one for using or recommending any old thing or anyone without good reason and without genuine expectation of the best result.

Angus had him fit a Fritz Gyger FGS stylus to his Ortofon Vienna and has been extremely pleased with it, quote 'I don’t see me ever using a different stylus profile after my experience with that'

The Fritz Gyger S stylus is the same as Ortofons best profile the Nude Replicant 100, as used on its higher end carts, PW Windfeld, Xpression, A90, A95, Anna and MC Century.

He'll give the cart a good general overhaul including checking and cleaning the generator of fine dust and any metal particles plus a realignment of the coils for optimal channel balance and phase.

Oh! and for less than half the £1K for an Ortofon rebuild to the normal/current CB spec.

Kilian is effectively providing an upgraded cart.

Cant wait to have it back. Expecting it to sound different, which it will / should as it wont be a Shibata clad Cadenza Black anymore.

My guess is I'll hear something in between the PW and A90 / A95 but not quite as overtly bold, transparent and dynamic as the A95 which would suit me. A little more detailed and dynamic than the excellent Cadenza B would be spot on

Watch this space ....

Excellent decision Rob, I will keep an eye out for a nice write up on the results when it returns. Exciting stuff!

[RobbieGong]

The re-tipped Cadenza Black is back from Holland - yay !!

Package turned up by courier 7pm on Saturday evening.

Great speedy service and excellent comms from Killian Bakker - Hollistic Audio.

He advised that the tip was indeed worn (normal wear)

- Minimal contamination visible in the generator (mostly very fine metal dust, usually the result of micro-flaking of tool-plating).

- The damper seems fine, the tension-wire showed minimal deviation from the manufacturers specs so that needed readjustment.

- The bobine (coil cross) not optimally centered so needed re-alignment too.

All in all a very good catridge with normal wear and contamination. No signs of rust or other oxides.

Restoration with the discussed FG S tip plus the above mentioned realignment work.

I'm very excited but due to other commitments / matters etc set-up and listening wont commence until later in the week.

From what I've heard, read and been told the Fritz Gyger S is one of if not the best stylus profiles - right up there.

Sound should be detailed, dynamic, pure... -

Did I say I'm very excited more to follow.....

[Jimbo]

I am excited for you Rob. I can just imagine getting that cartridge back with a new FG tip it should be in a different league!

[RobbieGong]

I am excited for you Rob. I can just imagine getting that cartridge back with a new FG tip it should be in a different league!

Thanks Jimbo.

As you and I most certainly know, set up will be crucial.

With the Shibatas, experience showed me that tail down was where the sweetspot lived.

The FGS is effectively the Replicant stylus profile which I'm led to believe prefers nearer usual parallel arm set-up approach.

Will have to have my ears extremely finely tuned for this 'new one / sound'

[Pharos]

My position is that although I have not played vinyl for a long time, partly due to a worn stylus, I miss some of it, so I enquired about a re-tip of my Denon DL304, but felt a little sceptical.

A couple of weeks ago I located a new one in Germany for about £470 and am pleased because it went out of production some time ago.

My Linn is standard (Valhalla) with an RB300, if I consider upgrades what are the immediate ones to consider please?