Is it worth getting an 11 year old cartridge re-tipped?

@bazb 

If I were you I would get a factory rebuild - this is the same as a new cartridge.

As far as I am aware the factory rebuild is significantly less than the  full price pot a new one.

With all due respect to the rebuilders the Lyra styli are special order, and a retip cannot match the performance of a factory rebuild.

As an example JCarr has posted on this forum that the Soundsmith retip stylus are signicifantly larger than the original Lyra stylus.

Although others may say the retips sound excellent, remember they are comparing the performance to a worn out cartridge, not factory new.

allenf1963

My cost for a total Soundsmith rebuild and an upgrade to a Boron cantilever & Nude "Contact Line" diamond (a low mass design) was about 22% the cost of buying brand new, for the same cartridge. The pricing depends on the amount of damage and work that needs to be done & choice of cantileve/stylus-diamond. After an evalution - Peter discussed options vs cost before preceeding. 

OP

if I were in your shoes, I would, provided you know who is doing it. If it gets messed up, well there it goes. but if goes well, A Lyra Kleos will always be a Lyra Kleos. if you like its sound signature and synergy, I would keep that going. 

However, if you are looking to find out what is out there, well this is the good time to switch

Good luck

allenf1963

I noted on Peter's webpage = he does have a Koetsu Urushi Gold rebuild listed for sale....he has worked on these. The price is tempting ...

https://sound-smith.com/articles/sale-cartridges

A eval & tune up would be a significantly more cost effective than new. Not sure which version you will be acquiring. A good review comparing four in the Koetsu line.

https://medialux.blog/2019/07/08/4-koetsu-compared-japanese-art-part-ii/

OP - please let us know what path you go down...(if you decide to rebuild, who you use, and how it sounds).

I have a Lyra Kleos SL (only ~ three yrs old) I keep as a backup and still has good life left, but will likely not bother with a factory rebuild when the time comes.  VAS and SS sound like reasonable alternatives.