How long do a cartridge and stylus last?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Gardo, Sep 6, 2002.

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  1. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist Thread Starter

    Location:
    Virginia
    Forgive me if this has been asked before, but I've been using my vinyl rig more lately for needle drops, so inquiring minds want to know.

    In my own case, the cartridge and stylus are about 18 years old. They got moderate use for about 7 years, and light to very-light use thereafter. Oh yes, it's a Shure V15 Type V MR.

    I know the elastomeric (sp?) bearings/bushings can wear, and I know styli can wear too (though I once knew a radio engineer who swore a diamond stylus would never wear out), but how long does it take?

    Thanks,
    Gardo
     
  2. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    You have to look at a cart's life in terms of hours of play. Normally, a well-cared for cart should last up to 2,500-3,000 hours.

    Todd
     
    quicksilverbudie likes this.
  3. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I read that 3-5 years was a good yardstick, depending on how much your cart is used.
     
  4. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist Thread Starter

    Location:
    Virginia
    Just out of curiosity, I went to the Shure site. A goldmine of information. Turns out that a cartridge body can last up to 50 years (!). The stylus, they say, lasts 500-800 hours of play. At the upper end of that recommendation, and figuring I've used the TT an average of 2 hours/week over the past 18 years (sorry--CD is my primary playback), that means, well, it's time for a new stylus!

    Gardo
     
  5. Stax Fan

    Stax Fan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    Gardo,

    Whoa...a diamond stylus will definitely wear! You'll see and hear all kinds of estimations as to the typical life of a stylus. Of course, stretching quality performance from your stylus is positively correlated to proper maintenance (i.e. alignment and cleaning...clean the stylus for every side of an LP). However, don't forget it's equally important to keep your LPs clean! There are differences in the purity of diamond tips, and this will be reflected in the life of a given stylus. Synthetic diamonds, like those used in Shure cartridges, will last 1,000 hours at most. Natural diamonds can last as long as 3,000 hours. Go with Shure's recommendation. As for cartridge life, I think 50 years is pretty optimistic. For moving coil cartridges, the elastomer suspension will dry and become brittle far sooner than that...more like 6 or 8 years depending upon your climate (temperature, humidity, etc). For moving magnet cartridges, this is less of an issue. When you change the stylus in a moving magnet cartridge, the suspension is also changed. Thus, a moving magnet cartridge will last longer than a moving coil cartridge. Some argue that the magnets of a moving magnet cartridge lose their zip over time. Beats me...I never had one that long.
     
  6. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist Thread Starter

    Location:
    Virginia
    Since the Shure V15VMR is moving magnet, Shure's 50-yr. estimate is credible, so I'll be getting a replacement stylus this time. I am tempted by the new cartridge, though, especially since the V15VxMR (replaces my cartridge, which is discontinued) can be had from J&R Music World for 229.00. Maybe next time?

    Thanks for the "tips" (sorry, couldn't resist).

    Gardo
     
    Heckto35 likes this.
  7. Stax Fan

    Stax Fan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    Gardo,

    Didn't mean to imply YOUR cartridge needed to be replaced...it's not THAT old. Glad to hear your transferring vinyl...nice option to have!
     
  8. Rob1956

    Rob1956 New Member

    I have had the same Ortophon cartridge since 1978. I have changed the stylus 6 times in that period. I continue to hear the same level of quality that I heard back in 1978. I will probably be changing to an Ortophon red in 2016 because I think it's time. But I really think the question of cartridges wearing out after about 3000 hours is really suspect.
     
  9. Tedster

    Tedster Forum Resident

    All it takes is to drop or "throw" the cartridge across an album and the needle may well be junk and permanently damage every record played with it.
     
    Tim 2 likes this.
  10. PIEP

    PIEP Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Firenze, Italy
    For a Stanton 681 EE and a Shure m95 ED from 1980 never changed a stylus and they work great;
    about a new one: after 1 year I had to change, since cantilever was broken for a too fast pickup drop ...
     
  11. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    1000 hs with scrupulously clean records.

    How does that damage a stylus ? The record can get scratched, granted, but the needle ?! Please explain:)
     
  12. Tedster

    Tedster Forum Resident

    Easy. It bends the cantilever.
     
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  13. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    1,000 hours? Surely more I would think.
     
    MountainOfNeedles likes this.
  14. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL


    Not as per Shure. I wouldn't risk my precious wax past the 1000 hs. mark, not for the price of a replacement (I prefer Jico myself). I mean I'm sure even the smallest of collections are worth so much more, unless it's some really exotic cart you're using, in which case the diamond used can last up to 3500 hs.
     
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  15. Davidmk5

    Davidmk5 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Marlboro , ma. usa
    I have been swapping mine out every 2 years , but honestly may start doing once a year due to using it more & more .
    You can tell when it starts to lose it's sound .... when you put on a new one you'll be shocked at how much better it indeed sounds .
     
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  16. Donniej

    Donniej Senior Member

    Wow, people have been doing "needle drops" since 2002!
     
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  17. Thorensman

    Thorensman Forum Resident

    A stylus of high quality is good for a thousand hours
    .
     
  18. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    What frequencies are the first to go in your experience ?
     
    Heckto35 likes this.
  19. Thorensman

    Thorensman Forum Resident

    A high quality stylus can last up to a thousand hours. Some can last longer, there are many variables.
    Dirty records can lower this figure. Too high a tracking weight can reduce its life.
    I would say that in regard to preserving your valuable record collection, change stylus every 2. To 3 years. 2 years being optimum . This is based on on 2 hours every day, therefor 720 hours a year.
    Please bear in mind that after using a v15 a lot of my records have been shown to be badly worn as a result of using expensive mc,s TOO Long.
    One cannot always hear damage being done, and your v15 if 18 years old , will be damaging your records, records which cannot always be replaced.
     
  20. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    Considering that the original post was made in the year 2002, I believe Gardo's V15 is now 31 years old!
     
  21. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    Gardo's V-15, if still in use may hold the world's record for the longest running V-15.
     
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  22. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    Wow, wide range of thought on the life of a stylus. Some say three times as long as others! I've have studied various methodologies and tracked opinions from manufacturers and experts to create a formula which I think can help one accurately determine the life of a stylus. I follow this rule: "If the record sound fuzzy, the stylus be funky!"
     
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  23. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    Sounds a bit on the overly conservatve side. My experience tells me with many carts over the years that all is good for about 2-3k hours. Wear happens in cifferent ways and due to different conditions. Heck, it takes about 100 hours for a cart to settle in. But I do hear you that peace of mind is what matters most to prevent damaging records.
     
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  24. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    Agree 100%
     
  25. Trashman

    Trashman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I can easily see the cartridge lasting 2000-3000 hours (if not more), but the stylus is the key limiting component, probably good for no more than 800-1000 hours. We need to be sure to make the distinction between the two when throwing out numbers.
     
    TLMusic likes this.
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