Stylus Retipping Service (phono cartridge) - specialist from Russia, Moscow

I prepared some stuff for distribution and going to visit Hi-Fi Audio exhibition this week to promote myself

 

A lot of updates in the end of page 4, don't miss it !

 

This is an amazing transformation, from a big, fat aluminum cantilever with elliptical stylus, to an extremely low-mass boron cantilever with MicroLine stylus. I just received it back from Roman, and looking forward to hearing the difference. Of course, I will report back to all of you on this forum the results of this experiment: does the sound of a cartridge mostly depend on its internal workings, or does the cantilever/stylus make a big difference? It sure looks a lot lighter and faster now.

VERY fast and reliable shipping, back from Roman, via EMS Express Mail.

 

Hello everybody, here is something new...

Sumiko - BlackBird
Stylus - JICO SAS



Ortofon - MC 30 Super II
Stylus - MC 30 Super II

 

Review please....

 

Sorry, I have not mounted the cartridge yet. I am re-wireing one of my two Zeta tonearms, so I can mount Roman's rebuilt 103M AND my NOS 103M cartridge on identical arms for a REAL comparison.

Right now I can only tell you, (1) that the cantilever is mounted perfectly straight and looks like a perfect job, and (2) Roman used EMS Express Mail from Russia to me, so shipping was extremely fast and extremely secure.

To really make this comparison interesting (when I can do it), the NOS cart has its original Boron cantilever, and Roman's new cantilever is also Boron. So, this variable is equivalent between the two. The problem originally was that the cart I sent to Roman had just gone through a rebuild in Japan, using an inexpensive Aluminum cantilever and conical stylus. The result was VASTLY inferior to the original; it really sounded slow and boring. Thus my need to rip that aluminum cantilever out, and send it to Roman for an equivalent (to stock) rebuild.

I will let everyone know what I hear, probably next week.

 

Today I received very detailed Macro photographs of my friend's 103M cartridge that was rebuilt by Van-den-Hul in Europe ($800 and a 10-month wait, by the way). Then, I was able to take equally clear Macro pictures of my OEM 103M and the 103M that Roman rebuilt for me.

Now, I understand that many of you will not care about the numerical results of my careful analysis of the photos, but they are astonishing, and indicate the quality of Roman's work. Keep in mind that my 103M had a totally non-original cantilever/stylus on it, placed by an unknown Japanese Ebay-er. And my friend's 103M had no cantilever on it AT ALL when he sent it to Van-den-Hul.

Upon VERY careful angle and length measurements, from the high-resolution Macro pictures, all three cartridges have EXACTLY the same cantilever angle and cantilever length as the OEM cartridge. EXACTLY!

The 3 cantilevers, all are Boron, look completely different in material color and diameter. And the styli look totally different, too. But the precision in length and SRA are PERFECT.

Congratulations, Roman. This precision is very high praise for your work !!! Of course, listening is the final and most important test.

But, actually, even if the OEM and the Roman-rebuilt do sound different, that could be due to whatever the Japanese guy did wrong, who I know did NOT provide a good job to me. The cartridge sounded TERRIBLE after HE got through with it.

So, no matter what I hear when I do the comparison, I am already sure that Roman's work is excellent, and I am ready to send him more cartridges.

 

Ok, for the scientists and mathematicians in the audience, I can specify the uncertainty (or should I say "precision") of my measurements.

For the angle measurements, uncertainty is about 0.5 degrees.
The length measurements have an uncertainty that is infinitesimally small.

 

Hello Warren!
Let us know please about listening test of your re-tipped cartridge!

 

Here is my new work.
It can be considered as cartridge upgrade, because of high quality cantilever made of beryllium and with "Line Contact" diamond shape.
Actually this Audio-Technica "Line Contact" diamond shape is a shape of "Shibata", at least on %95

Denon DL-103
Stylus - ATN-155LC

 

Ortofon - MC 20
Stylus - unknown

 

Sorry everybody. I still have not focused on listening to the cartridge. It has not been installed yet, and I have not re-wired my Zeta tonearm for it yet. Have any of you followed my thread, "May I show-off my new website, TheAudioHome.com"? Well, there has been just TOO MUCH going on at The Audio Home, regarding complete transformations of Room 1 (top-end equipment demo room) and Room 3 (budget AN system demo room). I will continue to focus on these transformations, tweeking and perfecting, at least until January.

Again, looking at the cartridge under a microscope, carefully measuring cantilever length and angle (including SRA) to my NOS stock 103M, and an identical 103M rebuilt by Van den Hul, revealed that Roman's rebuild work is 100% correct.

It is already fully obvious that I recommend Roman's work.

 

Hi Roman,

Perfect work!

Please can you tell me where do you purchase the adapters tubes? Or do you cut out them yourself from old cantilevers?

 

Hello! Thanks a lot!
You are right, I'm just using some old or needless cantilevers to make adapters. I cut and polished them to get necessary length and weight loss.

 

Thanks a lot Warren!

 

I believe I will install the cartridge this weekend, that Roman rebuilt for me. If so, I will have a review to write, about what I hear.

 

I mounted the cartridge that Roman rebuilt for me and listened yesterday. I can tell you, with no hesitation, that this is a REALLY A WONDERFUL sounding cartridge.

I already knew that Roman did a perfect job, from my detailed macro photography, comparing the cantilever length and angle of this rebuilt Denon 103M to my NOS Denon 103M. They look and measure identical. Now the sound, which is just perfect in every way.

 

Personally speaking, I just can't get my head round getting a cartridge retipped. I have used cartridges in and around $1,000 for a good few years, but I never considered a retip. Just a thing I have about it, let's say my Dynavector 17D3 was retipped I just wouldn't feel it was the exact same cartridge I bought as new and would I get the same sound that made me buy the cartridge in the first place. Convince me!

JG

 

Will you sell me your worn out cartridges?

 

JG

 

Send him a cart (and what ever else he needs) some cash and find out.

I don't need convincing based on what I've seen and read on this thread.

 

Ready for a little bit of convincing information?

The only thing that wears out on a cartridge is the tip of the stylus. The only thing that commonly gets broken, due to user error, is the cantilever. Replace these and the cartridge is not only as good as new, but better than new (because the coils and suspension are "broken-in"). And a really nice cartridge with a standard aluminum cantilever can be upgraded by using a lighter and stiffer cantilever material.

If cost is no object, and you just gotta have new, then that is your choice. But, then again, a Dynavector 17D is not "cost no object", so apparently saving money is not really a factor that creates your discomfort.

Now, specifically regarding a 17D, I wouldn't consider retipping one of those either, so I agree with you in this case.

Regarding the cartridge that Roman rebuilt for me, it is now better than new, because the stylus tip and cantilver is of higher quality than the original. Then, in between the original and the Roman-rebuilt, some Japanese guy re-tipped with an inferior aluminum/conical, which REALLY made the crtrdige sound bad. Never-the-less, the cartridge is now definatley better sounding than it EVER has been. And it is truly "WOW" now. Comparative sound, new now, would cost at least $3000, in my opinion.