Anybody out there re-cantilever their cartridge with a Soundsmith Contact Line diamond ?

I tried retipping a Grado Reference Reference 1 and it was not even close to what it sounded like new.  I probably will not ever try it again and only buy carts I can afford to replace as a result.  I have an AirTight PC-7 with a broken off stylus just sitting around and when I get the bread I'll send it back.  But thankfully no one bought my back up, a Grado Statement Reference v2, which I am loving and sounds better than I remembered.

Fourwnds.

I think you just made Chakster,s day!

Dear  @fourwnds  : the Reference one stylus shape is a special elipthical Grado design, so  you can expect that its sound could be the same.
In the other side it depends who made the re-tipping and with which kind of cantilever and stylus. It's a little weird what you said and probably the re-tipper made not a good job because if it's true that the re-tipped cartridge does not sounds as the originaal normally sounds pretty good but different when your ears are accustom to what you listen through in the past.

Anyway, that Air Tigth cartridge is a different matters and for it the best is to go directly with Air Tigth.

My advise is that with top LOMC cartridges we have to go direct with the manufacturer and not a re-tipper.

R.

Just reinstalled my ZYX Universe back into my system. Cart was rebuilt by Soundsmith with his Boron cantilevered Contact Line diamond 6 months ago and after 400 hours I pulled it to run my stock Dynavector DRT XV1s. Darn have I missed this cart, gorgeous from top to bottom and easily outperforming the Dynavector which is no slouch. I have probably 500 hours life left on the DRT XV1s at such time I will send it to Soundsmith for their Boron cantilevered rebuild and will laugh all the way to the music bank. I am keeping my eyes peeled for a used ZYX Universe 2 to have the same rebuild on as it wears down. Enjoy the music

About 10 years ago (or more?) I had SS put a ruby shaft on an old Ortofon MC-30. What I got back far exceeded my expectations... for about 6 months.  The MC-30 broke internally, and could not be fixed (affordably).  It was risky upgrading a 15 yr old cartridge, I guess.  Later I bought a SS Zephyr mkII cart (boron shaft).  It was "very nice".  Too nice in fact.... To me, it was boring.  I went back to a less old MC-30-SuperII and rediscovered the MC magic I was looking for.  I've just recently got a Cadenza Blue (ruby shaft) and I really love it.   Overall my experiences with SS were very positive, but their MI cartridge was just too polite sounding "for me",