@chakster Your preference for vintage cartridges is interesting. Personally, I have absolutely zero interest in them regardless of the price, or the reputation.
Here’s one reason why, I have a very good a’phile friend who about a year ago decided he wanted to mount several so called ’ top condition’ vintage cartridges on his removable headshell arm and listen to see how..and if, he preferred the old models to his near new Lyra Atlas.
After some experimentation with the vintage ( and in some cases NOS ) models he felt that there were some differences between his Atlas and the SPU’s etc., but not enough to warrant keeping the older models...
So, he re-mounted his Atlas, and to his horror, the valuable and clean vinyl that he had used to demo the vintage models was now extremely noisy with the Atlas...as essentially he had ruined his LP’s!! Not my idea of fun, but if you think this is a cool result, be my guest. |
tangramca:
If I was trying out a $5K cart, I would happily pay a hundred bucks (2% of the potential purchase price) to have it installed by an approved tech. I don't know where you live, but I live in L.A. A "local" customer could be 100 miles away from my shop. If I sent someone to install a cartridge in a customer's home that's 3+ hours away in traffic, both ways. If the tech spends an hour with the customer that's 7 hours of time. Plus gas, insurance, $15/hr minimum wage (for a high school kid), disability, unemployment, etc. For $100???
I would sell direct, using a distributor in each major geography to handle logistics.
If you are using a distributor, how can your sales channel also be direct? And what distributor is going to take on a line if they can't distribute through their dealer network? Unless you are talking Amazon... |
@daveyf my personal experience, but i only compared my best vintage MM/MI/MC carts from the 70s/80s to the $5k modern LOMC i must admit, i am not crazy to buy $15k cartridges. But i’ve bought $3-5k modern High-End LOMC carts myself (all brand new), never asked for a free audition, so this is my personal experience in my home system. I think you will cry, sorry The only problem is that exceptional vintage MM and MC are very rare and not easy to find in NOS condition nowadays. My techniques are different than yours. I can only buy cartridges and after a years of trying many of them i can say that i don’t need even $5k carts, i think i already explained in this post earlier. Diamond cantilevers - no problem Hollow pipe Boron Cantilevers - no problem The lowest effective moving tip mass - no problem The best stylus profile ever - no problem True Moving Coil ( Air Core) - no problem ...And many more unique features not available today anymore. (all pictures made by me) This is all invented in the 70s and improved in the 80s to the maximum level in my opinion. All these and many more for under $1.5k in NOS condition. Do we need a $15k cartridge? No i don’t. Do i need to deal with distributor? No i don’t. Koetsu ? No thanks. Fidelity-Research FR-7fz all the way Good luck with your search. |
@chakster , I’ll play along, what makes you think that the old vintage cartridge has it all over the typical $15k current cartridge? |
It would nice to walk in a store that can demo some of the most expensive modern cartridges in their system, require an audition, and bring some of the best vintage cartridges with us. Listen to a $15k modern cartridge on removable headshell, then mount some of the best rare vintage gems for less than $1.5k... And then to see a dealers face when $15k cartridge will be creamed by those vintage gems designed 30 years ago. |
Have a Fidelity Research MC202, in fact have two of them. There are two out there for sale. About $500-700. Makes the instruments sound real. Low output so a quiet Phono Stage is necessary. My ownership bias is so strong I'm thinking about a third, just in case. |
davey and tangramca, You guys may agree that lending expensive cartridges for demo is, what? A good idea? It would be a good idea if we all were not so human. You agree that most or many dealers would not know how to demo a cartridge properly. What do you think is the skill level of many/most audiophiles when it comes to mounting and aligning a cartridge? So, at best, the potential buyer's judgement would be affected by his own skill at mounting and aligning. However, I am sure that if you are deemed to be a major purchaser, the very few remaining dealers who cater to such persons would visit your home, do the set up themselves, and then wait around for your opinion, preferably if you were also a possible buyer for other very expensive gear to complement the cartridge. Most of us are not in that category.
What you propose is not crazy or even novel; back in the day when we actually had high end dealerships in most major or even mid-major cities, it was common to be able to audition cartridges in the store. But theft was a major problem. Browsers would remove the headshell from the tonearm en bloc and walk off with both the cartridge and the headshell. And back then, an "expensive" cartridge would have cost the dealer only hundreds of dollars, as compared to the current situation with pricing. The theft of a few Koetsu Urushi's would dampen the dealer's enthusiasm for demonstrations, in a hurry. Alternatively, cartridges were damaged by ham-handed customers passing by.
I don't argue that the current state of affairs for persons who want to buy an expensive cartridge is ideal, but it has evolved over decades to be what it is now. The best we can do is read reviews, listen to others' systems, and take the leap. (Or deal with Robin Wyatt, per Chakster. He is a great guy with an impeccable reputation, and Miyajima are excellent cartridges.) |
tangrramca,
There is always a possibility that there is a new model out there that someone can put into operation that would be successful. That model might include an opportunity for customers to try out cartridges in their own system. But, I have not seen anything in this thread that appears viable at all. If a manufacturer sells directly to a customer, there is no one to help with service. I don't see how a small manufacturer can employ a distributor/agent to provide service and make any money. If such middleman collects from the customer, once again that is a substantial additional cost--cost of holding an inventory of demo cartridges, labor cost for mounting the demo cartridge, etc.
If one pays a substantial amount of money for the privilege of a home trial, of course that would work; paying money is a model for a transaction that always works. |
@wcfeil. Obviously 180 degrees |
@larryi you bet or you know? Two quite different things. Look, maybe there is room for some middle ground both on the part of the manufacturer and the dealer. Honestly, if I was an artisinal cartridge maker, as many high end makers are, I would sell direct, using a distributor in each major geography to handle logistics. After all, as you said, this is a small, exclusive market with (typically) sophisticated, informed buyers. And let us not forget, the cost of shipping a very expensive cartridge is tiny, compared to, say, large speakers. By enabling the sophisticated buyer to try out cartridges through a distibutor, cutting out the dealer, there would remain ample margin for the manufacturer, don’t you think? |
>>If the results are 180% away from what you expected<<
Interesting math and concept. |
@daveyf
I know what I am talking about and have no further comment about all of the whining on this thread. |
So, you think there is so much margin that this can be easily accommodated, and because this is not offered, dealers are rolling in dough? It is then a strange market anomaly that there are fewer and fewer dealerships when there is so much rip-off money to be had.
There seems to be so much market opportunity for manufacturers that are not really being undertaken if all of this is true. Cartridge manufacturing is a truly small affair, a lot of the cartridges we are talking about are built by just one or two people. It sounds like what is being proposed is a vast distributor network with many demonstration/loan cartridges that will have to be built that are not intended for sale, trained tech people, etc. None of this sounds particularly realistic. As for paying for installation, most dealers already offer that, most will even make a housecall to do that, but, they have to charge quite a bit for that.
If there were so much as an extra nickel that could be extracted by doing anything being proposed here, I would bet that someone would be offering this service. |
Loaning things really only works with long time, repeat customers. The dealer knows the customer. The customer knows the dealer. Any other situation is folly for a dealer. As for manufacturers... They seem to be doing just fine as things stand. Why would one suddenly change? Plus the market is too small for loaning to make sense. Maybe in Tokyo?
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@larryi, I am interested in what works best for us, the customers, and less what works best for the dealers. As long as we as customers accept the status quo, there will be no change. To be clear, I think the manufacturers need to shoulder much of the financial risk, not the dealers. For one thing, what is the manufacturer cost on a $5K cart? I would hazard less than half that.
If I were, say Koetsu, I would provide dealers in major centers such as NY, LA, and Chicago with demos of their pricier cartridges. But, the customer would need to pay the FULL PRICE of the cart as a security deposit. I highly doubt a guy would shell out $15K so he could have a shootout he could blog about. If I was trying out a $5K cart, I would happily pay a hundred bucks (2% of the potential purchase price) to have it installed by an approved tech. Sure, this isn’t going to work for all people, only those in the major centers, but I bet that captures a good chunk of the potential buyers.
If a manufacturer isn’t willing to provide this service I question how much it REALLY cares about customer satisfaction. |
@larryi You don’t think that these dealers and reps have enough margin to offer what Tangramca has suggested? Really! |
@jperry What are you talking about? I guess if you think all cartridges sound great in all circumstances, then sure. Have you heard about something called cartridge compliance...? among numerous other requirements than can give varying results if something is incorrect....i guess not in your experience, right? |
"If the results are 180% away from what you expected, you would have an unpleasant surprise, no?? "
... and a reminder to get your hearing checked as well as get another hobby. |
I give manufacturers and dealers a bit more credit for knowing what works best. It it made sense to bolster their business by offering home trials, I am certain that some of them would do that and get ahead of the competition. The fact that almost none of them do so, says something about the practice.
There would be substantial cost from loss, damaged stolen, etc. A lot of "customers" would take advantage of trials with no serious intention of making a purchase. I do know a number of dealers who do loan out gear, but, with something that is as easily damaged as a cartridge or speaker, there are fewer dealers that do this. I can get a loaner Koetsu, if I so desired, but, that comes from years of fair dealing with the particular dealer. There are simply too many out there that would take unfair advantage of dealer loans for this to be a widespread practice. I know two dealers in my area who loaned out some very expensive amplifiers to someone who then staged a "shootout" for their amusement (and to post their opinions in a blog); there was no real intention for purchase of any of the gear (this was discovered by one dealer who then confirmed what happened with the other dealer).
Of course, dealers can accept the fact that not all loans would be to someone seriously considering a purchase, and they can even accept some damage/loss, but, this would have to be factored into the price of the product. If a dealer did increase the price to offer auditions, I bet that a lot of perspective buyers would then buy on line from cheaper dealers who did not incur such additional cost. |
@tangramca.
Again, +1000
i totally agree with you on all points. |
@larryi so what makes you think that the rep, like the one for Miyajima, who is ok with this policy...of return, is good;and yet it’s also ok for others not to be. Thereby, foisting the risk back onto the consumer. The Miyajima dealer is IMO, offering a true service to their customer..the others..well not so much.
Sorry, but the analogy of the restaurant makes no sense to me. Plus, there are numerous restauarants who in fact do offer a taste of the food that they serve, prior to order.
While, I agree that listening to a specific cartridge in the dealers system would be a good start, it really isn’t anything more than a data point in regards to what the cartridge might sound like in your own system. You are doing nothing more than assuming what you started about Koetsu’s SQ would apply, if one was inserted into your own system and room. I state this since you admit that you haven’t actually listened to one of these cartridges in your own system. That assumption may prove to be correct, but you will never know until you have taken that action.
If the results are 180% away from what you expected, you would have an unpleasant surprise, no?? |
Actually regarding output, I have found that I tend to enjoy cartridges with lower outputs. If there is a model with both generally the one with the lower output is more well regarded. This is because there are less turns on the coil so you get a more pure sound.
You do need a good phono stage however.
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I still think high end cartridge manufacturers should be prepared to provide demo carts in their main markets. Huge leap of faith purchasing a $5K cartridge without hearing it in your system first. Let’s face it: a $5K cartridge is a luxury good. There should be a level of customer service commensurate with it being a luxury good. Unfortunately there will always be people who would take advantage of this service, typically spoiling it for those who do not. IMHO, the cartridge is only second to the speakers (setting aside room) in influencing the sound of an analog system. It is a very important purchase that is very difficult to make in a properly informed way with the current accepted poor level of service the industry provides to its customers. |
Just to be clear, I’m not just referring to the Koetsu line, but to most other top flite cartridges as well. Same issues apply to them all, IME.
@schubert... interesting point you make. |
It is quite impractical for most dealers to offer a cartridge on a loaner basis, except, perhaps if the owner brings in the table for the cartridge to be mounted; there is just too much risk of damage with the average customer trying to mount and adjust a high end cartridge. My local dealer actually does loan out cartridges to his regular customers, but, that has to be something unusual. He has loaned out $6,000 + cartridges that are store demonstration cartridges (of course, a totally new cartridge would be out of the question). Lewm's analogy certainly DOES NOT fall down; if anything, it is FAR more unreasonable to expect a trial of something as dear as a top cartridge than an entree that is at a fraction of the cost. It is just unfortunately the case that one has to take a bit of a risk of not being happy with the sound when buying expensive cartridges.
I have a cartridge with a .30 Mv output specification. It is dead quiet with my phonostage which is a tube unit with a built in SUT. I haven't tried a cartridge with an extremely low output, but, I have friends who had trouble with noise with such cartridges so I am not that inclined to go with anything that has an even lower output. The setups I've heard with Koetsu's have never had problems with noise.
There are two basic Koetsu sonic signatures--the warmer, more "woody" sound of the Urushi and Rosewood type of cartridge, and the faster, slightly leaner sound of the stone bodied cartridge. I've heard both types in the same system (though not my own system). I think both lines sound quite good. Of course it is possible that neither cartridge might perfectly suit any given listener, but, I don't know of too many people who totally hate both types of Koetsu cartridges.
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I agree that some dealers have no idea about the products they are selling, especially if you start asking technical questions. I’ve been in this situation before.
But if you think you can’t audition Koetsu carts and won’t take a risk of buying a brand new Koetsu from Japan (for a much better price) then what do you want ? Do you really think this is the best cartridge in the world? Then why don’t you just buy it? Soundheight is the dealer in Japan and they do ship internationally. I've bought some carts from them, nice customer service.
As i said there is a dealer in USA who offered their customers an amazing Miyajima cartridges on trial (some dealers are exceptionally good), which means a buyer can return Miyajima for full refund after trying it in his own system. The best offer i can only dream about, because i am not in the USA.
You want all the dealers do the same ? I’m sure it will never happen. |
@chakster I think you are very optimistic if you think that there are ANY dealers in the US who can demo all of the Koetsu line. Nevermind other top flite cartridges. ( or for that matter just one decent example of the line!)Most of these guys cannot even set up a cartridge , so to think they are demoing Koetsu’s isn’t happening.
Unfortunately, one of the other pet peeves that I have with this industry right now...is the ludicrous aspect of the minuscule output that most of these cartridges put out. The Mijayima line is a perfect example of this issue, their cartridges feature flea output, requiring a SUT, or placing great strain on the upstream phono stage, particularly if it is a tube phono stage, like mine.
Like i stated above, I don’t need advice on this issue, because there are a number of variables involved..and unlike many high end cartridge consumers, I am aware of them.
I hate to tell the folks here how much Total ‘BS’ was given to me by the numerous dealers and manufacturers reps that I spoke to over the last few months.
You ask if I think I am special...far from it, which apparently results in all of these same folks trying to convince me of their ‘BS’...did that tactic succeed with you? |
@daveyf Then why don’t you try wonderful japanese Miyajima cross ring cartridges offered on trial from Robyn Wyatt in USA ? Personally i don’t know of any other company who can give a customer such amazing opportunity. I hardly imagine a dealer who will give anyone a brand new Koetsu just for audition to end up with used Koetsu and lose money on it, just because a customer didn’t like the sound and returned it. Once a cartridge has been opened, mounted and used the price drop is at least 30% off. Do you think you’re special for the dealer just because you can buy (or return) one expensive cartridge ? Normally audition can be done at the listening room at the dealers place only. I believe any dealer can mount a cartridge for demonstration at his place, but this is one cartridge for all. P.S. I think @lewm is right. No one will oped a sealed boottle of $1000-5000 wine just to let you try a glass and refuse a deal. Why do you think you can do so with a brand new, sealed cartridge? I can’t imagine that you can get a bottle of $100-500 wine, to drink 30% of it and return it for full refund just because you don’t like it. |
Indeed we are a sucker market, I know this from having bought a luxury German vehicle. |
All I know is German firms often refer to US as "sucker" market .
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@lewm last time I looked, one isn’t asked to spend thousands of dollars at a restaurant. Therefore, your analogy falls down.
Does it make sense for a dealer to lend very expensive cartridges for audition. Yes and No. The dealer who ended up with my business did exactly that...he let me try the cartridge with a short turn around and a full return policy if I didn’t like it. Essentially this sealed the deal for me..and allowed him to make the sale.
Does it make sense to do this...it doesn’t if people are going to take advantage of that option, it sure does if the dealer can sell the returned cartridge as a demo unit or is willing to take the risk, knowing how serious the customer is,...some will, most won’t.
Personally, I think something like what tangramca’s suggestion makes good sense. Otherwise, someone has to take the risk, and why should it always be the consumer? |
"SERENDIPITY"; that's my word for the day. It's when you fall down a hill, break your arm, but discover a pot of gold where you fell.
I started with a Grado Platinum, traded up to a Grado Sonata, and immediately broke the stylus, on the brand new cartridge. Left with the option of no cartridge, start that crazy search, or trade up to the Grado Master 2; the choice was a "no brainer"; the broke Sonata was in the mail with a note requesting the Master 2.
Years ago, I heard a Koetsu cause Carmen McRae to appear live in the room; since then I have desired a Koetsu, but the Grado Master 2, is the limit of my budget.
Recently I've discovered I might be where I want to be and don't know it. I have to put on some of Carmen's records, and jog my memory as best I can.
I just left my listening room where I jogged my memory, comparing the Koetsu to my Grado. (don't specifically remember which model Koetsu, but not the most expensive)
First and foremost, you have to consider that the Koetsu was in a "high end salon", and it don't get no better than that; I watched those guys take hours to make minor adjustments.
Carmen was just as present in my listening room as in that high end salon; the difference was that the salon was more "holographic", Carmen was projected farther out into the room.
As I stated, that was in a high end salon, with a lot more than a Koetsu cartridge involved.
Since the major difference could be attributed to the high end salon, and even then, my listening room is a satisfactory second; the direct comparison of Carmen's vocals, are equally present in both cases.
The bottom line for me, is that after reading the posts on this thread, I am no longer lusting for a Koetsu.
(below is a post from another thread)
Well, I have actually owned both, in fact, I own both now, but the Black needs a retipping.
I have the previous version of the Statement (the 2.5k one not the 3k one) and I will say that it actually sounds in the same realm as the Koetsu house sound, it is closer to that house sound than lower Grados. The Koetsu, being an MC, has a lovely midrange but its highs are sometimes etched out, not as natural as they should be (higher models of Koetsus improve this as well as providing more extension).
The Grado has a sublime midrange and a top end that is never harsh, but is extended. The bass is generous and tight, never out of proportion with the other frequencies.
I don't have much experience with carts, but from what I have heard the Grado is the best. It is also the most expensive I've had in my setup, 1k more than the Black.
Price isn't everything but if I were to have 1600 and I could buy the Statement or the Black, I would go Statement.
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If I owned a restaurant, I would say please don’t come to my restaurant. I cannot guarantee you will like the food. After you chew on it, I cannot take it back.
Do you really think it makes sense for a US audio dealer to lend out very expensive cartridges for customers to try in their home systems? how do you think that would work out for the dealer? I cannot feel sorry for you. I especially cannot feel sorry for your friend who bought a Benz cartridge from China, for god’s sake. China!
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@gibsonian
Yes, it's a wonderful experience, LOL.
Here's another wonderful cartridge story...and one that the US dealers can use for their case. A friend decided to buy a Benz LPS MR from the guy in China ( Good price). He gets it delivered ( yes, that's a good sign) and mounts it on his expensive rig. Shortly after he notices that the cantilever is missing??? So, the cartridge has destroyed one of his LP's and now is damaged. What to do?? No US warranty service or assistance, the factory is not interested ( or no longer in biz...depending on who you speak to) and the dealer in China...isn't an authorized dealer either...so in the bin the cart goes. ( Yes, I suppose Lindemann could rebuild it, but at what expense and so on!) Which is why IMO, buying grey market is such a very dubious option.
As you say, gibsonian, Giddyup! |
You guys got me all pumped up to dump several G on a new cart I've never heard. Giddyup! |
@soundermn. Remember, that the Japanese vendors are selling these cartridges at 30-40% less than here in the US, and they are selling them at RETAIL from their Stores! So, do you still think the US markup is 30-40%?
i know the shipping cost to the US for such a large and heavy item is huge!
oh, and here’s another thing we haven’t even touched upon, the dear US distributor gives discounted pricing to his dealer, depending on the volume sold and ordered....meaning that the smaller dealer has less chance to compete with the bigger dealer....again, imo, at the cost of the consumer! ( and of course the smaller dealer)...hmmm. |
@tangramca. I think what you proposed makes a lot of sense, and would think that any high end cartridge consumer would be pleased about this protocol.
I have acquired the cartridge, so personally I am now done with this very unpleasant process...for the time being, Therefore according to Lewm, my “learning experience” is over for now. Why I had to be subjected to such a nasty “learning experience “ is one of the points of my thread. I also have to believe that this so called “learning experience “ is precisely why so many of my a’phile friends won’t touch a high end cartridge at any price...and instead elect to buy analog, wherein the whole package is sold to them....iow-table, arm and cartridge as one. Certainly not at the upper most echelon of analog, but great enough for them to not endure what I and others do to enhance our analog system....and enough for them to enjoy the experience. Thinking of this, perhaps this is why we are seeing more turntable manufacturers bundling the whole package..respected companies like Linn, Rega, EAT and others..
If so,If the high end cartridge manufacturer sees their biz drop due to this practice, they only have themselves to blame, imho. |
Knowing that the markup is 30 to 40%, perhaps call that dealer with whom you have a relationship, and they may offer you a discount. |
I would add to my above post that if you decide to buy a cartridge after auditioning the demo, the dealer should refund the cost of the tech incurred for the demo. |
Why not drop the term "rip-off" and all its grammatical variants? It makes you sound too much like that other guy who thinks everything in his audio system is a rip-off. (I won't name names, but you know who I mean.) You could say that buying an expensive cartridge is a "crap shoot", instead. But if you buy a cartridge that "works" as advertised and end up not liking it so much, that is not the definition of a rip-off. That is called a learning experience. I own many cartridges that are not so great compared to other cartridges that I now prefer; it's part of the journey. Just don't make the same mistake twice. And above all, lighten up! This is a fun hobby.
By the way, I did buy my Koetsu Urushi from a brick and mortar store in Tokyo. You will not find Koetsu cartridges, above their base level, in stock at any store in Tokyo, at least not in all the many stores that I have visited. I had to order the cartridge and pay for it, in person, in the presence of my son who speaks fluent Japanese, because the sales personnel usually speak zero English. I then had to wait two weeks for the store to order and receive the Urushi, which my son then had to send to me, because the stores will not ship outside Japan. And the total cost (including air fare and presumably a hotel room), if one were to visit Tokyo solely to buy a cartridge, is not a big savings vs buying the Urushi in the US. (And that's not why I visit Tokyo.) I would agree however that the US distributor does apparently take a big bite.
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@tangramca,
That is (literally) the only way to audition an individual component. I get a chuckle when people "audition" individual pieces of equipment at a dealer, a show, or in another member's home. Different people claim to audition different components of a system IN THE SAME SYSTEM. One person is "hearing" the speakers. Another is "hearing" the interconnects. Another is "hearing" the fuses. Yet the magic is due to the careful selection and interaction of all of the above. |
@nrenter,
Dripping sarcasm - I love it!
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tangramca
That is a lot of infrastructure. I wonder at what retail cartridge price that could start and what markup would be needed? |
In reading the thread, I have tried to think of a better way to improve the buying process. I really like the idea of a trip to Japan for “free” to buy a cartridge! But probably not realistic for many.
Putting aside comments on prices, I think reps should be supplied with a demo unit that can be sent out for trial. Manufacturers should provide the demo to the rep free of charge. The potential buyer would need to provide a security deposit equal to the retail price of the cartridge (yes, the entire price). It must be sent to, and installed by, a turntable tech approved by the rep. The tech's fee for this service is paid for by the potential buyer. The tech would attest that the cartridge was received in perfect condition. The approved tech would need to sign off that he had installed AND removed the cartridge and that there was no change in its condition from when installed and removed (photographic evidence of cantilever condition would be useful). If not, you bought the cartridge, even if it was a demo. There would need to be a time limit, say, 30 days, for the demo.
Is the buyer shouldering a lot of the risk? Yes. But to me, this is an acceptable compromise to be able to try the cartridge out in YOUR system. If there is no approved tech in your area, you may be required to drive a considerable distance (two trips) but this comes with the territory of purchasing an incredibly delicate, expensive device.
OP, would you consider such a service? If not, why? |
Compared to your budget I am a bottom feeder but have found several reputable Japanese dealers that sell at discounts of 40-60% and shipping has been very reasonable. I obtained a NAGAOKA MP-500 direct from CDJapan a year ago for $500 shipped. |
daveyf I agree with you, it is a tricky landscape ... But does it also explain the circumstances that I put in my OP? Frankly, I don't think so. Buying a phono cartridge needn't be a multi-year nightmare. It has certainly always been a rather pleasant process for me. As I suggested earlier in this thread, I think you need a dealer better suited to you.
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Anyone knows how it is in other countries ? The UK, Germany, Japan, Canada etc. ?
I heard that some Japanese and German audiophiles can pay insane amounts of money for stuff like cables and cartridges too, but I don't know whether they would do it without auditioning first. |
@solypsa. I agree with you, it is a tricky landscape. Perhaps this goes some way to explain why the market size for high end analog is very small. But does it also explain the circumstances that I put in my OP? |
There are trials and tribulations in acquiring and setting up a good system.
There are trials and tribulations in selling and setting up a good system.
The market size for high end analog is very small.
Cartridges are subject to damage, quality of install, and compatibility with associated equipment.
So yeah it's a tricky landscape. |
Of course. But some audiophiles, not me , can set up the table better than most dealers. This service should not cost too much, say, $200-$300 plus paid travel time to your home and back plus travel expenses. |
