Opinions sought: % contribution to sound by component — specifically cartridges

@ghdprentice Thank you for answering the question! I realize it is a tough one to ask. By that rationale, the cartridge is about 5% of the total. I appreciate the thoughts.

@larsman Thanks!! Seems like your answer is directionally aligned with ghdprentice's.

@dogberry - I get what you're saying. The cartridge can impart a "voice" on a system. I also agree that if one has multiple cartridges of an equivalent level, in an otherwise competent system, one can hear the differences.

This is an answer to a slightly different question than what I was trying to ask.

@lewm — No, that's not really my question, although that is an interesting one.

Isn’t your question really “how can I replace or repair my Lyra cartridge at a cost I can afford “?

I am considering options for the future. One of them is that I may not be able to do anything that is not a step down. I may not be able to afford the exchange, they may not be able to restore it, and a 3rd party retipper may not be able to work with a cartridge whose cantilever is directly bonded to the body in a way that would not drastically alter the sound. 

 

@pindac Thank you for the response.

To address some of the points you raised:

1: Lyra offers an inspection service. They will determine if they can restore a cartridge to 100% of factory performance at a reasonable rate. This is my preferred option, but one doesn't know if it is possible until they inspect it. I very much hope it is!

2: If a Lyra cartridge cannot be restored to full factory performance, one can purchase a new one at a discount from full retail. This is a great offer, though due to price increases and a change in my own situation I may not be able to make it work.

3: I've had multiple cartridges re-tipped before (Soundsmith). The cartridges that came back sounded good, but they never sounded the same as the originals. I also understand that Lyra's cartridges are different in that the cantilever is directly bonded to the body. Please correct me if I am mistaken. 

This means that any rebuild, if it is even possible, would likely completely change the cartridge.

Yes, it might be a "reasonable" price, but it may not retain the spirit of what I heard from that cartridge in the first place.

Has anyone retipped a Lyra? 

Again, I am hopeful that mine can be restored by Lyra and will provide more years of service. From every interaction I've had with Lyra or their representatives/distribution, they have treated me with absolute professionalism.

I wish I could buy another as I loved the sound so much; that's not really my reality going forward.

If I do wind up in a situation where I need a new cartridge, it will likely be a much lower level. 

That's really the spirit of my original question: In a system that is otherwise excellent from tonearm to speakers, how much will I be losing if I had to drop down a couple levels from current top-end LOMCs...

Thanks for taking the time to share your perspective.

That is especially difficult when you have come to love a particular cartridge. What I would like to be able to tell you is that there are often other cartridges that can be just as entrancing, even if different, but that is something you must discover for yourself. Retirement brings some benefits, but affording expensive cartridge upkeep isn't one of them.

@ebalog - In my case, the cart is responsible for WAAAAAY more than '5%' of the sound. Just be replacing a Clearaudio Charisma II MM with a Hana Umami Red MC gave me what I'd consider a 40% improvement in playback quality. Never had something so small had such an effect on my system. 

@ebalog I am not trying to undo your desire to return to Lyra, I was pointing out if funds are difficult to release, there is alternate options, with a typical cost known.

Such a cost might have been more aligned to where you want to go.

Never sounded the same as the Originals, is a very awkward statement for myself to accept as accurate.

The ear receives sound and remembers much, but does it really know enough to be sure the Rain Drops hitting the Tin Roof six months ago were louder or quieter than the Rain Drops hitting the Tin Roof at the time of the current rain fall?

Memorising Sound produced from a particular device is thwart with inaccuracies as the verbal description.

Additionally, read the words of anybody producing Cartridges about each Cartridge produced having a same sonic and that will tickle them for quite some time. A surety is the Parts assembled being the same, very unlikely anything else from function will be identical, unique is fairer as the description.

The Cantilever can be maintained and the Stylus is the only part to be changed, this is known off from a selection of Third Party Services, I do not know a OEM to do this, unless a Cart' Upgrade or different model is selected as the exchange.

I have shared on the Gon, about a experience where Same Brands Models and Same Brands other Models have been Compared to each other. The Cart's had be OEM Standard, Retipped or Fully Overhauled Rebuilds/Redesigns.

The Group at the comparisons made it known they were feeling confident the Stylus has very little influence on the End Sound Produced. It was felt that the overall structure of the Cart' and the method used for the Cart's assembly was the main contributor to the differences in sonics being noticeable.  As an attendee and also done similar on other occasions since, I stand buy the groups assessment as being with an accuracy.   

Do also note their are Cart' owners who received their Cart's back and been once more in Service within 5 Days of taking the Cart' out of Service. Reports from these individuals can be found where they are elated with the New Cart's performance and can't remember the Cart' being as good. 

Who does one use as the more accurate report the 5 Day turnaround or the 180 Day turnaround to once more hear the sent away Cart' back in use ???

I will accept the 5 Day as my point of reference, but that is me, others may want to have a different approach.