Tazuser, haven't you noticed that a brand new car runs better after ten thousand miles than when brand new?
A cartridge is a mechanical device, and the suspension system and coil structure benefit from the first 25 to 100 hours of break in, before it sounds its best.
As for the tip, the diamond does wear eventually, but I have seen this in very few cases. When I worked in a high end audio store that had a microscope designed for examination of phono cartridges, you could actually view the results of years of play. Much more common for the cartridge to be brought in with the suspension or dampers shot, or the cantilever broken off long before the diamond was worn.
A cartridge is a mechanical device, and the suspension system and coil structure benefit from the first 25 to 100 hours of break in, before it sounds its best.
As for the tip, the diamond does wear eventually, but I have seen this in very few cases. When I worked in a high end audio store that had a microscope designed for examination of phono cartridges, you could actually view the results of years of play. Much more common for the cartridge to be brought in with the suspension or dampers shot, or the cantilever broken off long before the diamond was worn.