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The nightmare of the cartridge buyer...

I recently completed a several year quest to acquire a new cartridge. This quest was basically a major PITA and a nightmare!

Why? Well let’s take a look at what will be in store for all cartridge buyers’ in the US...and possibly other countries as well..IF they are seeking a top flite cartridge , like I was.

Firstly, and here’s where a big part of the problem lies: You will typically be unable to audition any cartridge under consideration...certainly not in your own home and more often than not, at your dealers either.

Then we have the fact that these products are closely monitored for who and whom can act as a dealer...which is then severally restricted by territory and distribution. We then add that the pricing is very well controlled...CAN WE SAY PRICE FIXING...which in most states is an illegal practice...but seems to be the rule here.


Let’s begin with my story...and then I am hoping that members will chime in here with their thoughts and probably also their own ’horror stories’....

About three years ago, I decided to acquire a cartridge that would replace my aging but still ok Benz Ruby 2...
I wanted a cartridge that would surpass that Benz in most areas...and one that would be priced at about $3-$5K. A lot of money to be spending on this piece of gear...or so I believed.

At the time, I was considering the following models....Benz LPS MR, Koetsu Urushi and Rosewood Platinum and the Lyra Kleos, Delos, a EMT, the Kiseki Purpleheart, Air Tight ( entry level model at the time..cannot remember what it was called) an Ortofon A90--and a Transfiguration Proteus--lastly one of the ZYX models. After some research, i discovered that the Ortofon’s, the Zyx’s and the Transfigurations wouldn’t work with my set up --due to too low an output by the respective cartridges for my all tube phono stage. So this left the Kiseki, the Koetsu’s, the Lyra’s and the Benz’s...and possibly the Air Tight model.

Circumstances changed and my cartridge buying escapade was put on hold...until a few months back. In the few years since my last foray, I find out that Benz have basically gone out of business ( again!!) and so has Transfiguration. Meanwhile, the Van Den Hul line has come into the US again...this time with a new distributor.
The Zyx line has totally been updated and the Lyra line is now more available than before...at least in theory. The Koetsu are now handled by Music Direct...who have essentially doubled the pricing across the board! Oh, i forgot, the Lyra line has increased by about 25% across the board ( i don’t think inflation can account for this!!)
So where to start auditioning --the answer...nowhere!
Instead I am supposed to rely on various dealers enthusiastic recommendation for these products...except for the fact that one dealer tells me that Koetsu’s are the best thing since mothers milk- and the other tells me that Koetsu’s are horrible with all the faults under the sun...( at least the ones that are in my budget..see above!) Can I hear any of these for myself...either in my system, or at the respective dealers...heck NO! ( and don’t think this type of scenario/ behavior isn’t consistent for other brands as well!--irrespective of whether the dealer(s) carries said brand or not!).

Here I am left with the choice of dropping several thousand dollars on a product that a) has no ability to be heard in my own system..therefore having no clue as to the results that I will get, b) has absolutely no return policy c) can be easily damaged by myself or others in the case of incorrect mounting to the tonearm...and lastly...and this is the one that really annoys me the most: I must shop for these products at a very limited amount of vendors who all are naysaying their competitors and acting extremely unprofessionally in the process. ( Do i really have to talk to the prospective rep for the line in order to determine the compatibility of the cartridge under question with my arm, the reasoning behind the asked price, where the dealer is that should be selling me the piece in question ( so as not to cross territorial lines) and on and on!!)

Then we have this little bonbon...The damn Japanese sourced cartridge(s) is available on several Japanese web sites at a price that is usually 50 -60% of the retail price here in the USA!! And that price in Japan is still at FULL RETAIL! ( Yes, I know it cost a ton of money to ship these things from Japan to here ( since they weigh a ton), LOL).

Where does this leave the US consumer in regards to the acquisition of a top flite cartridge...IMO the answer is between a hard place and a rock..You either pay through the nose and get totally ripped off by the likes of Music Direct and the various small independent reps in the US for these cartridges, or you takes your choice and risk buying from a grey market vendor abroad...but at a fraction of the price! BTW, mysteriously most of the top flite Benz cartridges continue to be very available from a vendor in China who seems to have cornered the market?? What’s up with this??

I can go on and about this journey, as I have just began to scratch the top of the heap in this story, but let’s hear from you guys as to your experiences and thoughts.... Was your top flite  cartridge acquisition an equal nightmare, or was it something else?






128x128daveyf
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
1,174 posts
 
@pingvin, you bring up an excellent point. The type of arm and the table will certainly have a lot to do with the result of changing the cartridge. I haven’t even mentioned the varying parameters that one needs to consider in buying one of these cartridges...
the output level, the compliance of the arm, the ability of the arm to adjust the variables that some cartridges require...ie VTF, VTA,Azimuth SRA etc. and the ability of the cartridge to be fitted into the head shell...( yes, some won’t work on various head shell designs)...and other variables....the phono cabling, the tonearm cabling and so forth. IME, if you get these items wrong, you are going to get a different sound out of the particular cartridge in question....some cartridges more than others.
You state demo with your own table, unfortunately that is where one of the issues lie...almost impossible to do that.

@inna. I like where you are coming from. I would very much like to see the reaction of some of these guys if ( and that’s a big if) they had gone out and a) bought one of these pricey high end cartridges, without auditioning it first...and based on just some review, had it installed in their arm...then listened to it sound like Sh—-t! I bet these same guys would then be screaming to the rafters...bunch of hypocrites.imo.
Oh,instead they are all going to tell me b) that this is what big boys do...and losing thousands of $$’s is no big deal, that’s all part of the game, lol.
What do you think they will do...a or b?
inna
5,245 posts
 
Well, most people follow herd instinct and nourish their narcissism. Interesting combination, isn't it ? So whatever they do will be trivial.
I just wonder what is going to happen when good food becomes 10 times more expensive? If this happens people who at present buy $10k cartridges without auditioning will become hunted, hopefully only for money to buy food not to have them for dinner. But who knows ? Someone might want to hunt me too - yes, I did buy $995 cables once ! Yes, without auditioning. But I am well familiar with the brand and I consulted with those whose opinion I could trust.
orpheus10
5,988 posts
 

I have a curiosity that I hope you will engage me in. I am happier than a hog in slop with my cartridge.(that's the cleanest euphemism I could think of at the moment, you substitute your own)

Since we all consider the cartridge the most single important piece in an analog rig, I'm curious as to why you chose your favorite cartridge, what is your favorite cartridge, and why you think it's so special?

My cartridge is the Grado Master 2. Since I began this hobby in 1970, I've experienced a lot of cartridges; non more expensive than my present cartridge. This cartridge seems to emphasize all of my music, and make it more musical; comparing to colors; the reds are redder, the blues bluer, the yellows are ....; you get my drift; I'm a listener not a critic, or a reviewer.

Could you describe what makes your cartridge so special, and why you chose it.



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rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear @daveyf : I think that you have to re-read carefully my last post to you.

"""  Some of the models sound too warm, some are too bright, some are veiled and non resolving.   """

All those are characteristics in cartridges that makes differences. Forgeret to have in your system a top cartridge/high price to listening it before you buy it, it's futile/useless to continue with that issue.
Like you I'm not happy that I can't do that but we just can't fix it, so why insist on it?.
Go a head, move on . You don't " win " nothing staying sticky with.                                                                                                                     
""" Do they all sound good, as you say, not to my ears ..."""

top cartridges/$$ all sound good accept it or not, there are not bad performance cartridges down there only different characteristics that just does not goes with your pririties but exist  the ones that goes with you: just buy one of these and please don't post that you have to listening first.

Where are all those music>/audio decades you posted of self experiences if you can't decide which cartridge to buy ! ! !  and repeat that I don't like it the way cartridges are marketed but we can't fix it, at least not you or me. So take it or leave it and live happy with what you decided.

Re-read my last post to you.

R.


daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
1,174 posts
 
@rauliruegas    Firstly, I am not as convinced as you, or some others on this thread, that this issue cannot be 'fixed' or at least made a lot better than what the current state is. Secondly, I don't know about you, but I happen to think that 'blindly' buying ANY gear in our hobby is far from ideal, and will ultimately lead to major disappointments; regardless of how much 'experience' you think you have! Thirdly, as I posted before, I don't happen to think that all top flite cartridges sound good...to my ears there are some that i have heard that I wouldn't give you $5- for...never mind the ridiculous price being asked! Right now, there is a lot of chatter about one of these designs that has a major problem with sibilance in the high frequencies, so much so that there are consumers who are beginning to very much regret its purchase ( and no, I won't be disclosing which model it is). It is becoming clear to these folks that this particular design is deeply flawed from a technical perspective. 
Problem is, what do these very same consumers now do with this cartridge, sell it into the used market at a huge discount is the answer.

So, yes we can all take it or leave it and live happy with our choice, or in the instance I pointed out above...live unhappily with our choice. 
I hope the translation of this post to you makes sense.
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