Of the cartridges are returned to us nominally because the owner feels that the stylus or suspension is worn or damaged, frequently the problem is stylus buildup that prevents the stylus from touching the LP groove properly...Bingo! This mirrors my (much smaller) experience exactly. I've "saved" over a dozen supposedly worn out ZYX cartridges sent to me for a quick look just by cleaning the stylus properly. That's all they needed to sound as good as new. If you aren't cleaning your stylus after every side (Jcarr's recommendation to me, many years ago) you aren't hearing all it's capable of.
Rega RP10 VTA shims
I am sure this applies to the RP8 as well. But I have an RP10 and bought two of the 2mm shims to accommodate the VTA of a Kleos cartridge. My dilemma is that the single shim does tighten the bass to where i prefer but the highs and mids drift from what I prefer. With both shims the highs and mids are, in my opinion, exactly what I want, but the bass control starts to slip away. Does any one know of a 3mm shim? I think that would bring everything into line. I will experiment with tracking force, but am reluctant to drift to far from 1.75 which was ideal on my old LP12. I looked at Acoustic Signature but this are drilled for the RP6 which uses a smaller screw. Also I am considering the Groove Tracer counterweight, but I really don't see that as the correct solution for this issue, but rather a tweak once the VTA is corrected. So my question is, anyone have an RP8 or 10 that has come across this issue and have you found a different supplier of shims for the Rega. I have thought about filing my extra 2mm down but realize I cannot maintain a perfectly flat surface.