Retipping Article
Rebuilding options: Cantilever, and Stylus shapes
Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges ! (for those click here or scroll down...)
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Aluminum Alloy Cantilever; Nude Hyper- Elliptical Diamond Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
| Our entry level, lowest cost repair; suggested as a possible upgrade for lower performance cartridges. We employ an assembly comprising an ultra-light weight "Nude Hyper Elliptical" diamond for low moving mass, and an aluminum alloy cantilever. This represents what is found in fairly high quality cartridges, and is often better than what is currently supplied as original equipment with low cost new cartridges. Sometimes, this rebuild will allow the use of lower tracking force than previously possible.This assembly may not fit in some cartridge rebuild situations. If so, we will advise an alternate suggestion. |
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Sapphire with laser drilled mounted low Mass Contact line stylus Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
| GREAT OPTION ! This rebuild features a laser drilled Sapphire cantilever with low mass through mounted Contact Line stylus - super performance option at a reasonable cost. The Contact Line Diamond has three times the contact area in the vertical direction of the groove wall compared to an elliptical shaped diamond. This lowers the force per unit area on both the diamond and the record groove, resulting in lower record and diamond wear and improved.high frequency performance - especially at the end of the record. This upgrade can be done to almost any cartridge and stylus assembly and can sometimes allow a reduction in a tracking force. The Sapphire cantilever can be an excellent replacement for most cartridges, and is basically the same material as Ruby. Sapphire has been used as the original cantilever material in some of the finest cartridges made. If you select and desire this level of rebuild, we will automatically proceed with this assembly unless we find a technical reason that it cannot be installed. |
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Ruby Cantilever / Nude Contact Line Diamond Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
| This quality rebuild will realize an upgrade for almost all cartridges and styli assemblies. With exacting care to angular positioning, we install a Ruby Single Crystal cantilever which holds a Nude "Contact Line" diamond, one of the most sophisticated stylus/cantilever assemblies ever made. This combination creates an ultra low mass system, capable of the finest reproduction from your cherished vinyl. The Contact Line Diamond has three times the contact area in the vertical direction of the groove wall compared to an elliptical shaped diamond. This lowers the force per unit area on both the diamond and the record groove, resulting in lower record and diamond wear. This upgrade can be done to almost any cartridge and stylus assembly and can sometimes allow a reduction in a tracking force. The Single Crystal Ruby cantilever can be an excellent replacement for most cartridges, and is original cantilever material in some of the finest cartridges made. If you select and desire this level of rebuild, we will automatically proceed with this assembly unless we find a technical reason that it cannot be installed. |
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Ruby Cantilever / Optimized Contour Nude Contact Line Diamond Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
| For those who demand the best, this is one of our our top-shelf capability upgrades for upgrading almost any cartridge or styli assembly. We install a Ruby Single Crystal cantilever which holds a Nude Optimized Contour Contact Line Diamond. This diamond shape closely resembles the actual cutting stylus that is used to create the master record, resulting in a near perfect tracing of the record groove walls. The Contact Line Diamond has three times the contact area in the vertical direction of the groove wall lowering the force per unit area on both the diamond and the record groove, and resulting in lower record and diamond wear. This combination creates an ultra low mass system, capable of the finest reproduction from your cherished vinyl. This upgrade can be done to almost any cartridge and stylus assembly, and again, often allows reduction of tracking force. If you desire this Optimized Contour contact line diamond level of rebuild, we will automatically proceed with the superior Ruby assembly unless we find a technical reason why it cannot be installed. |
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Boron Cantilever with Nude Contact Line Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
| Our new Boron cantilever and ultra low mass Contact Line stylus is an excellent replacement for those who desire to have the Boron material used. Our new Boron cantilever which holds a Nude "Contact Line" diamond of a low mass design. This combination of Boron cantilever and low mass stylus creates an ultra low mass system, capable of the finest reproduction from your cherished vinyl. The Contact Line Diamond has three times the contact area in the vertical direction of the groove wall compared to an elliptical shaped diamond. This lowers the force per unit area on both the diamond and the record groove, resulting in lower record and diamond wear. This upgrade can be done to almost any cartridge and stylus assembly. The Boron cantilever material is original cantilever material in many designs. If you select and desire this level of rebuild, we will automatically proceed with this assembly unless we find a technical reason that it cannot be installed. |
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If Boron Cantilever is intact, diamond worn: Retip ONLY with Optimized Contour Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
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If Boron Cantilever is intact, diamond worn: Retip ONLY with Contact Line Does not apply to B&O / Soundsmith B&O / Soundsmith Cartridges |
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| Evaluation of cartridge for repair |
| (fixed cost but can be applied to repair) |
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| The costs for rebuilding Soundsmith Cartridge models are as follows: |
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For Soundsmith Cartridges use below chart Use "OTHER" option as rebuild option on the RA form! |
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Soundsmith |
rebuild |
notes |
| Otello | $140 | |
| Carmen | $200 | |
| Boheme | $300 | |
| Zephyr (original) |
$250 | |
| Zephyr II Zephyr III |
$299 | |
| Aida Norman |
$350 | |
| Voice Sotto Voce |
$450 | |
| Paua Nautilus |
$550 | |
| Sussurro Mezzo |
$650 | |
| Hyperion Helios |
$850 | (if out of warranty ie physical damage) |
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Learn more about cartridges then you ever thought you wanted to know. It's actually pretty cool stuff!
"The Soundsmith Carmen's ultra-low-mass MI assembly plays with more agility, is more naturally detailed, and sounds less stressed than any MC I'm aware of. Its treble is not dull or rolled off—it's just the most authentic treble I've experienced from a phonographic transducer." 
