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Cartridge retip stylus options/Opinions please

Hi guys,

I have two cartridges that I want to have retipped: Shelter 901 and Monster AG2000. The Shelter comes stock with an elliptical stylus and the Monster with micro ridge. Andy @ Needle Clinic will put a microridge on either for $450 ea. (line contact for $350, elliptical for $250). Soundsmith will put their best stylus (optimized nude contact line) on a sapphire cantilever for $399 ea. Both carts (esp the Monster) is very good in stock form based on my tastes; but, if I had a magic wand, I would say that I would prefer a little more openness and refinement in the highs with somewhat less emphasis on the mid bass from the Shelter; and a little more fullness from the Monster.

Any thoughts on the general quality of work to be expected from each retipper and/or the merits of each choice of stylus would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
frogman

Showing 2 responses by frogman

frogman OP
7,353 posts
 
Thank you both for your thoughts. I think I will be sending them to Andy for retips only.

Chris, another cartridge that I will be sending to Andy for repair is a Vandenhul MC1 that I "nuded", mounted on my ET and used nude (on and off) for years (mounting nuded transducers is a favorite activity ;-) ) Anyway, attracted ferrous particles was never a problem; however, once during mounting the magnets attracted a mounting screw (won't touch that one) that I thought was non-ferrous and it severed one of the thin wires going to the back of one of the cartridge pins. Btw, the improvement in sound from nuding was not subtle.
frogman OP
7,353 posts
 
Very good tip (no pun), Chris. Will do, and thanks!
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