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Phono-Pre Amps & Cartridges Welcome to the Dark Side! |
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#1
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How Often Do You Change Your Cartridge?
Hi I have my Lyra Helikon cartridges over 10 years. I really couldn’t tell you how many hours on them. The stereo cartridge definitely more than the mono.
They are definitely not abused and look fine. As I’m sure the aging of the cartridge and performance would be gradual so it might not stand out if it’s really time to move on to another. So my question to all is how often do you change your cartridge?
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Paul Speakers: Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversary MK II Front L/R, LCR-35 Center, VR-1 Rear L/R Sub: JL Audio F113 Amps: PS Audio BHK Signature 300 Mono, McIntosh MC207 Pre-Amp PS Audio BHK Signature and Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage/PSU-10 Power Supply Turntable: VPI HR-X 12.7 TONEARM (2) and SDS, Stillpoints LPI Tape Deck Otari 5050B II2 Music Server: Aurender N100H Cartridges: Ortofon Cadenza Black, Lyra Helikon Mono Digital Source: Oppo UDP-205 DAC: Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE SSP: Marantz AV8801 Cables: Wireworld Electra 7 (P) Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7, Shunyata Delta NR (I) Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 (S) Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 (USB) AC Power Regeneration: PS Audio DirectStream P15 Power Plant and Shunyata Denali 6000s V2. Last edited by Audiophilehi; 04-12-2018 at 04:02 PM. |
#2
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If you play 1 hour a day for 10 years - then I would say could be time to send it to the manufacturer for a check up.
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#3
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Thanks BigBlue. Maybe I’ll do just that. I’ve gone months not listening to vinyl but then I would listen for 10-15 hours a week.
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Paul Speakers: Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversary MK II Front L/R, LCR-35 Center, VR-1 Rear L/R Sub: JL Audio F113 Amps: PS Audio BHK Signature 300 Mono, McIntosh MC207 Pre-Amp PS Audio BHK Signature and Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage/PSU-10 Power Supply Turntable: VPI HR-X 12.7 TONEARM (2) and SDS, Stillpoints LPI Tape Deck Otari 5050B II2 Music Server: Aurender N100H Cartridges: Ortofon Cadenza Black, Lyra Helikon Mono Digital Source: Oppo UDP-205 DAC: Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE SSP: Marantz AV8801 Cables: Wireworld Electra 7 (P) Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7, Shunyata Delta NR (I) Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 (S) Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 (USB) AC Power Regeneration: PS Audio DirectStream P15 Power Plant and Shunyata Denali 6000s V2. |
#4
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Get a magnifying glass or if you use a microscope and look at the stylus condition
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#5
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Thanks....definitely going to do this over the weekend. I’ll take some pic’s as well and share.
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Paul Speakers: Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversary MK II Front L/R, LCR-35 Center, VR-1 Rear L/R Sub: JL Audio F113 Amps: PS Audio BHK Signature 300 Mono, McIntosh MC207 Pre-Amp PS Audio BHK Signature and Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage/PSU-10 Power Supply Turntable: VPI HR-X 12.7 TONEARM (2) and SDS, Stillpoints LPI Tape Deck Otari 5050B II2 Music Server: Aurender N100H Cartridges: Ortofon Cadenza Black, Lyra Helikon Mono Digital Source: Oppo UDP-205 DAC: Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE SSP: Marantz AV8801 Cables: Wireworld Electra 7 (P) Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7, Shunyata Delta NR (I) Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 (S) Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 (USB) AC Power Regeneration: PS Audio DirectStream P15 Power Plant and Shunyata Denali 6000s V2. |
#6
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Looking at the stylus under a magnifying glass is very problematic. There are several knowledgeable TT/TA dealers in NYC. Call around and find one that will not only examine the stylus under a proper microscope designed to do so, but show you what he is doing and explain same. If a new stylus is needed, high quality work is available at reasonable prices and time frames from SoundSmith, who is in Peekskill. Peter has done four cartridge retips for me over the years, including a Kleos two years ago, and always been pleased.
To answer how often.............. I usually inspect every few hundred hours. The original stylus on my Ortofon K-b 'chipped' for whatever reason (me, defect, whatever) after about 1500hr and was shaving vinyl 'fur' on a couple of sides before I noticed. Now I pay closer attention when cleaning the stylus between plays.
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Glenn... Canton Reference 9 Clearaudio SM Pro Focal Bathys JLA 10" Dominion Kuzma Stabi S w/MC & MM Magnepan 1,7i McIntosh MA8950 & MR88 Oppo 203 Roon Nucleus Rose Hifi RS150B Shunyata Gemini-4 Sony ST-A6B, TA-F6B, ST-J75 & PS-X75 Sorane SA1.2 & TA-1L Stillpoints LP1v2 WW Pt, Au & Ag Last edited by Formerly YB-2; 04-16-2018 at 08:32 PM. |
#7
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i track my hours by album side as an average of 20 minutes per side. Surprising to me how many album sides it takes to get to significant hours.
On my former cartridges I simply estimated, which was probably low.
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Main System Basis 2200 Signature/Vector 4/Transfiguration Proteus Ortofon Cadenza Black Allnic H3000/CJ ET5/Mcintosh 501's Thiel CS3.6 Thiel CS6 MIT EVO 2 IC Straightwire Maestro II SC Shunyata Denali SV2 Shunyata Sigma XC Wywires Juice PC’s Kubala Sosna PC’s Dedicated 20 amp lines Porter Ports Arcici Ref Suspense Stand Rives acoustically designed room Shore House Basis 1400 Signature/Hadcock 228/Ortofon Jubilee ARC PH 5/Meridian 200/Meridian 263 DAC CJ Premier 14/Classe CA200/Thiel 3.6 Wywires Silver IC/Stereolab Diablo SC/MIT Z cord II |
#8
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I’m still waiting for my USB microscope to be delivered. I want to check the wear on my add on DL-304. It’s been on my TT for about 5 years now.
The darn thing must have caught the slow boat getting to me.
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McIntosh MA8000; McIntosh MC1502; Canton Vento Reference 1 DC; E.A.T. E-Flat; Soundsmith Paua Mk II; Technics SL 1210 MK5; Audio Technica AT-150 MLX; Tascam BR-20; Teac X1000R; Pioneer RT-707; Oppo UDP 205; Denon DCD A-100; HP All-In-One Touchscreen Server; JRiver MC 28; Woo Audio WA6; Shure SRH 1840; SVS SB 1000; Jolida 502BRC; Jolida JD9; VPI 16.5 RCM; Wireworld Oasis 8 Speaker Cables; Audoquest Columbia 72 DBS IC's; Panamax PM-5400 (source components only) |
#9
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I tend to use my cart an average of 5 hours per week and extend its life by frequently cleaning the stylus with Onzow Zerodust along with only playing records that have been cleaned in my RCM. I usually change carts every 5 years. However, Lyra carts have a reputation for lasting much longer than that. My dealer has told me that if I get into carts in the $10k range that I can expect to get 10 years out of them. If I were you, I would take this as a golden opportunity to upgrade to a Lyra Etna SL if your phono stage has enough gain.
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#10
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I have a spare VPI 3D arm with an Ortofon A95, plus another spare cartridge, a Grado Reference 2 as a fall-back in case anything terrible happens to my Cadenza Black on my Aries 3. I am set for life, provided I live that long.
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“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” |
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