Re-tipped cartridges

Nearly no cartridge has top Parts which can't be improved. The question
here is, does your Re-tipper of choice use them?
On the other side, when you really like the sound of your cartridge and
you want exactly that again, only the manufacturer can do it.
A retip isn't a big problem, with a better diamond you normally get better
results than before, a complete re-built is something different. Only the
designer knows the specs from the rubber, the kind of voicing ... finally it
is your own decision.
I had a FR-Mk3F cartridge with the cheapest modification from
Soundsmith and it was really, really good. Later I sent it to a Master in
Japan with the order to do the maximum what can be done (he knows
these FR very well), expensive, but I needed days to believe what was
going in in the analog reproduction with that tiny little thing. A Killer
(and I don't use that description normally) cartridge now.
Another example to think about, Lyra Helikon for example, this is a very
good cartridge generally, when I remember right, J. Carr wrote some time
ago, when he ( or Lyra) gets back a Lyra cartridge and the owner has
some special ideas, they have an open ear for that. I never tried it, but JC
is in the Forum, so getting in touch isn't a big problem.
I think, every Manufacturer has his own Policy, at the end, everyone can
choose the way he prefers.

I wonder if Sound Smith can warm up a Lyra Clavis da Capo without losing its ability to dig out details, soundstage and imaging. Keep the refinement but warm it up...

A retip is actually the substitution of the existing cantilever/stylus combo with some other combo. The manufacturer produce them as a complete unit. They are than put in the tube behind the cantilever and glued.
This seems to be more easy to do then to glue the stylus
alone in the existing cantilever. In the aluminum cantilever the stylus can be 'pressure fitted' which means that the use of glue can be avoided and a better connection
between the cantilever and the stylus achieved. By the so called 'exotic cantilevers' (boron, ruby or sapphire,etc) the stylus can be only fitted with glue. As Syntax already pointed out the quality of the styli is very important.
That is to say not only the stylus shape but even more important the quality of the diamond and its manufacturing (polishing,etc.).
Raul has the most experience with retipping so I hope he will contribute to this thread.

Nandric,

As I understand it based on my experience with Soundsmith, a retip is the replacement of the stylus alone. When the cantilever is replaced (due to a damaged cantilever or to upgrade the sound), this is usually referred to as a rebuild.