broken stylus

[clk230]

DISASTER
just knocked my stylus and bent it
do i get a replacement stylus if i can find one (Reson Reca)
or try a denon 110 or 103

[Nigel]

Depends on,

a) How happy you were before it broke.
b) How flush you are with funds.

[clk230]

happy with the sound ,but dnm reson don't seem to do cartridges anymore and the goldring stylus is about £120 i only paid £95 for the reson n.o.s
so am thinking try the denon then maybe get a stylus at a later stage

anyone tried a denon dl 110?

[fanboi]

Yes, loved it - never heard the reson though.
I recently loaned my DL110 to someone who had previously used a Shure V15VMxR and broke the stylus, he liked it that much that he has bought his own and is awaiting delivery.

Depending on your gear (arm particularly) you may have to do a little tweaking to get the most out of the DL103 (which is also low output - don't know if that would be a problem for you)

I have used and liked immensely, DL110, DL103 & now DL301 II.
great BFB. More info on request, but do not encourage me too much

[serverbaboon]

£95 for a reson reca? when did you buy it? Was it second hand?

I have been advised that you can try a goldring stylus with it, I also think you can get a Reson Reca stylus (check out origin live) but it wont be £95 pound. I think it will be dificult to find a cheaper mm that is as smooth though.

I am in the same situation where my Reca has bitten the dust and I am wondering what to do. Check out some of the other threads as there has been some discussions about alternate Cartridges.

[clk230]

i got the reson reca from ebay brand new in the box buy it now price £95 just happened to be on as it was listed so i snapped it up .
i think i'll get the denon dl-110 and keep the reson until i can get a stylus.
Fanboi any tips on setting up. turntable is ariston rd40,rb250 polished armtube rewired and brass weight into a xlp.
thanks for the help so far

[fanboi]

clk
your RB 250 and the DL110 should be fine, it is the DL103 that needs some extra weight to sound right on the RB250 (around 3 - 6 grams extra seems to be the general recommendation)
I would use the included metal plate with the DL110.
Tweaks, the Funk Achromat has given an audible improvement on two tables I have tried it on, use it with a weight or clamp.
Look on ebay for sellers "buyfromjapan" or "joynetcafe" - they both sell Denon carts direct out of Japan, the fellow in Germany I buy from does not sell to EU.
For comparisons with other cartridges, look on Audiogon, there is a long thread and review from Ed Kobesky on the DL160/110.

[clk230]

well origin live want £195 for a new stylus not paying that for a small tube with a tiny diamond on the end.
so i've ordered a denon dl-160 from hifix for £74
when i get some time i'll try repairing the reson.

[XTRProf]

Since you had done the inevitable , try a mc for a change. Why stick to mm if yours is a mm and your phono stage can take care of mc. I'm sure after trying you wouldn't go back to mm.

Suggestion for value mcs:

1) Denon 103R
2) Benz 20E ( there are HO and LO versions)
3) Sumiko Blue Point Special
4) ATOC9

If you still want to stick with mm or flux carts, try the AT95 and those Grados as well as Goldring.

[rickcr42]

xtrprof said:

Since you had done the inevitable , try a mc for a change. Why stick to mm if yours is a mm and your phono stage can take care of mc. I'm sure after trying you wouldn't go back to mm.

Suggestion for value mcs:

1) Denon 103R
2) Benz 20E ( there are HO and LO versions)
3) Sumiko Blue Point Special
4) ATOC9

If you still want to stick with mm or flux carts, try the AT95 and those Grados as well as Goldring.

Nice all but good luck getting them all to work in the same arm or with the same step up device without some work in tonearm mass and loading the cart output.not even close to "plug and play" though fun if you are into it

[rickcr42]

BTW-only JUST avoided a disaster of biblical proportions last week when while being a dick I was spinning the next LP to go on the deck like a basketball in front of guests when the SOB spun right off my finger and HIT THE FKN RECORD THAT WAS PLAYING !

Thought for sure i wrecked the disc at the minimum (WAR) and at worst destroyed my cart but nope.The "hope you learned your lesson A-hole" of the act in front of company was punishment enough from the Analog Gods so i got off light but with a reminder to act my fkn age not my shoe size ;D

[fanboi]

Thanks for a healthy giggle Mr Rick sir - you do have a way with words.
Agreed re the carts last suggested WRT loading, arm mass etc.
I also note they are all a deal more expensive than the OP wanted to pay.
In the offchance that XTR may be unaware, the DL160 chosen by the OP is HOMC - so halfway there.

clk230 - be interested to hear what you think of the DL160, the tip shape/size and compliance are pretty much the same as the DL301 II low output MC I am presently running, I would expect the sound to be similar.

[clk230]

thanks for all the advice ,i'll let you know how i get on will be running through my xlp phono stage.
will be more carefull in the future(won't treat the sacred vinyl like a basketball).
Rick glad you didn't do any damage

[XTRProf]

rickcr42 said:

xtrprof said:

Since you had done the inevitable , try a mc for a change. Why stick to mm if yours is a mm and your phono stage can take care of mc. I'm sure after trying you wouldn't go back to mm.

Suggestion for value mcs:

1) Denon 103R
2) Benz 20E ( there are HO and LO versions)
3) Sumiko Blue Point Special
4) ATOC9

If you still want to stick with mm or flux carts, try the AT95 and those Grados as well as Goldring.

Nice all but good luck getting them all to work in the same arm or with the same step up device without some work in tonearm mass and loading the cart output.not even close to "plug and play" though fun if you are into it

So far, from what I know and tried, these will all have no problem with a medium mass arm like an Ittok or Rega. The loading is the fun part and that's what hifi is all about with stupidity coming in as well. I have a friend even using a skimpy Naim Aro with a Koetsu Urushi on a LP 12 with Origin dc motor with no problem but good sound.

[PinkFloyd]

well origin live want £195 for a new stylus not paying that for a small tube with a tiny diamond on the end.so i've ordered a denon dl-160 from hifix for £74

Jeez I wouldn't pay 74 pence for a small tube with a tiny diamond on the end of it blimey..... £74??? ouch!!

[lini]

admin said:

Jeez I wouldn't pay 74 pence for a small tube with a tiny diamond on the end of it blimey..... £74??? ouch!!

Well, you also get some plastic, where that diamond on a tube is fixed to via some damping material, and some magnetic material (or even little coils in case of a couple of MCs with replaceable needle inserts...), and you might even find a tiny little screw and some wire. And you usually also get a box around it all.

Ok, more seriously: Granted, the manufacturers sure knew how to raise prices especially in the last couple of years. Then again, quality cartridges and needles never were really cheap, and if you look into the manufacturing of high grade needles (e.g. an ATN-150MLX with a natural high polished, square shank, MicroLine style diamond that's mounted nude into a laser cut, gold plated, extremely thin boron tube cantilever...), you can probably imagine that it's quite an effort in terms of precision work to produce something like that...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

[clk230]

well been using the dl160 now for a while ,great cartridge stevie ray texas flood on as we speak . Highly recommend it.

[Deleted]

I think i would just find myself a nice tree to throw a rope over if i broke the stylus in my Koestsu Red Signiture Cartridge, after reading the cost of replacements in these posts.

[Deleted]

Yeah, I definitely shed more than a few tears if I murdered a Koetsu.

I had my old ATF5 Stilton mysteriously nuetered, kids? Fortunately it was an excuse to buy an ATOC9

[clk230]

koestsu cartridge i think i'd be to scared to use it ,missus is out floyd is on GREAT

[XTRProf]

Aug 23, 2008 22:32:39 GMT @heliharris said:

I think i would just find myself a nice tree to throw a rope over if i broke the stylus in my Koestsu Red Signiture Cartridge, after reading the cost of replacements in these posts.

Wow, u have a Koetsu. I will cry like a kid with my mother trying to comfort me if I ever broke one. Fortunately, my Lyra Helikon is in my drawer and I have downgraded to a Grado Signature MCZ for safety. But the sound also can cry like a kid when compared with the Lyra or Monster Alpha mc or even an AT.

[XTRProf]

Aug 23, 2008 23:12:17 GMT @cjarchez said:

Fortunately it was an excuse to buy an ATOC9

The AT33 will be a better value mc.

[Deleted]

Just done some surfing around and the going rate for a Koetsu rebuild service(as just a stylus and cantilever replacement is not an option) seems to average out across the range at around £600 as this task is carried out by the man him self only, apparently. Theres a nice Oak nearby, will find a nice piece of rope and store it in the loft ready

[Nigel]

Lot of money. I take it Expert Stylus Company couldn't help?

[XTRProf]

Sept 6, 2008 15:02:03 GMT Nigel said:

Lot of money. I take it Expert Stylus Company couldn't help?

Also .......................


Van Den Hul

Garrot Brothers

Soundsmith, the latest to hit the mags publicity although they have been around for some time.


Ya, some people on the net is saying VDH is not so good, is there any truth in that or just commercial back stabbing?