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In Reply to: Gotta disagree here, John. IMO, the ruby cantilever/line posted by HenryH on April 29, 2007 at 16:52:02:
However, I really wanted a Soundsmith retip on my DL-103R, but they told me it would cost an additional $100 if I wanted the stylus mounted at the correct SRA for the DL-103R's 15-degree VTA. I'm wondering if you've ever looked at the position of your stylus on the cantilever under a microscope in order to assess SRA. Does it look like the stylus is raked forward about 2-degrees or does it look like it's raked backward.I think I would be inclined to have mine retipped for $250 if I could be sure SRA would be correct. However, after pinning them down on SRA and getting the response that it would actually cost more to do the job correctly, I'm a bit hesitant to go for a Sound Smith retip. Furthermore, they sent me testimonials from other DL-103 users who loved their cartridge retips even with the wrong SRA. I felt they were trying to convince me that SRA didn't make any difference.
Anyway, perhaps you're right. Perhaps the ruby-cantilever / line-contact stylus for $250 is the way to go. I just can't get enthusiastic about it after my email exchanges with Soundsmith.
Follow Ups:
I cannot get excited about SoundSmith retips. For $250 there are some excellent cartridges available. Even for $180 the Denon DL160 is dynamite. Take the $70 left over and get an AT120E/T with its nude stylus as a backup.
Those are two killer deals without question.
your mind. I'm sending my DL-103 in for the $250 retip when I get a few more hours on it. I have no doubt the SS retipped 103 would destroy a DL-160 and I like DL-160s (I've had 3).
Henry
He sounded like he wanted alternatives.
As for me I'll probably do the ruby retip when my 103R is ready. That might take awhile.
I checked out the Soundsmith site and they advertise three options. The third is an optimized contour nude contact line diamond. Is that what I need to get if I want proper SRA?
No, you need to pay them extra to adjust SRA for a 15-degree VTA cartridge because all their cantilever/stylus assemblies are prefabricated with SRA fixed for 20-degree VTA cartridges.
others, have gotten the SS retip on their 103s and are very happy with the result. That's good enough for me.
Henry
Are the not tied together? If you changed the SRA by 5% wouldn't you have to change the VTA by the same percentage to compensate?How much would one have to raise the arm to compensate for a 5% difference in SRA/VTA?
And even if you could, what about the relationship between the cantilever and the motor with the VTA now 5% different that originally intended?
Would a line contact stylus be LESS sensitive to VTA/SRA that a conical?
I understand that a line contact stylus is MORE sensitive to azimuth.
The DL-103R seems to sound great and its VTA is at least 5-degrees different from all modern cartridges.
Henry
it is just that the retip works ... in pratice.
Efficacious is the word.SRA considerations aside but not forgotten. There was a comment lately that increasing the angle of the arm tail up is beneficial. A retip from SS movesthe SRA 5 degrees when keeping the arm/cartlevel so that tweek is encorporated in the work. Or so the thought goes.
Feel free to ignore; just sharing the love.
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