Expert stylus
- Thread starter Carl Nyqvist
- Start date
I've made excellent experiences with Stylus Expert in refurbishing Decca cartridges.
In fact: I've sent a bundle of Deccas to Mr Hodgson and one Decca was totally destroyed. He repaired it. Ok, the first attempt repairing of this Decca was not perfect and some distortion were audible. No problem. I sent it back and after its return there was no difference in sound quality in comparison to the other 4 Deccas.
Highly recommended!
In fact: I've sent a bundle of Deccas to Mr Hodgson and one Decca was totally destroyed. He repaired it. Ok, the first attempt repairing of this Decca was not perfect and some distortion were audible. No problem. I sent it back and after its return there was no difference in sound quality in comparison to the other 4 Deccas.
Highly recommended!
Martyn Miles
pfm Member
I understood Expert had an email address. I was told it was [email protected] No joy with that. Anyone know of a new address ? It is some time since I contacted them ! Thanks MGM.
Engels
pfm Member
krenzler
pfm Member
Nic Robinson
Moderator
Confirmed. I've recently communicated with this ([email protected]) address.
Martyn Miles
pfm Member
Thank you. I obviously had the incorrect email address. MGM.
This sort of thread still puzzles me because it so obviously lacks balance.It is one thing to say that a retipping firm does a good job, which is no doubt the case; it is quite another to assume that it is better than the original cartridge.....or sounds the same, or even similar. I have heard several re tipped Koetsus and they sound distinctly different to the original. This may matter to you, or may not....but you do not get the same cartridge back. They appear not to use the same parts, or same stylus shapes, or even cantilever materials.
If I go to the great expense of buying a top cartridge it is because I want that sound and performance. An 'aftermarket' retip is no doubt cost effective....but it ain't the cartridge you originally paid for. Or, from another perspective, would you put a Ford engine (fine as it is) in a Ferrari because it is cheaper? The market pays a lot less for these retipped cartridges...when sellers are honest about it...because they are not so desirable. You pays your money, and you makes your choice.
If I go to the great expense of buying a top cartridge it is because I want that sound and performance. An 'aftermarket' retip is no doubt cost effective....but it ain't the cartridge you originally paid for. Or, from another perspective, would you put a Ford engine (fine as it is) in a Ferrari because it is cheaper? The market pays a lot less for these retipped cartridges...when sellers are honest about it...because they are not so desirable. You pays your money, and you makes your choice.
koi
pfm Member
Or put it another way
I had my transfiguration re tipped and I am very happy with it,
Or I could have replaced it with a cost of around £2000 as you say "you makes your choice"
I believe ther booked till may maybe it's the economic climate !
Nic Robinson
Moderator
Here you go again (albeit on another thread). ESCo make some of the best styluses available to the market and these are used by a number of top cart manufacturers and end up costing ££££. Your Ferrari/Ford analogy is so far off the mark as to be laughable.
A top end cart with the ESCo treatment will be different (obviously) but no less good. A cheaper cart (e.g. DL-103) will be enhanced beyond the owner's dreams. Mine was.
If you must slag off people who do a re-tipping service, find another target.
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
If you want to get your cartridge re-tipped by the manufacturer or send it in for a refurb where they replace the internals, then do so. There's no reason not to do that, spend your money and enjoy your choice.
But there's no reason to assume that Expert Stylus, as one of the two or three remaining diamond polishing houses in the world, aren't capable of producing better tips that some models used in some carts by some manufacturers. Might it sound different, yes. Might the owner prefer the change from the worn tip they had to a brand new line contact stylus, yes they might. Might they be underwhelmed, yes they might. But at £300 for a retip they will sell it on and hand lost absolutely SFA.
You are assuming people use Expert because they are cheap, I would suggest most people use them because they are the best and because the results are as good as a refurb. And let's be honest, there's more chance of a re-tip sounding closer to the original cart than there is a refurb. One part swapped vs all the parts?
But there's no reason to assume that Expert Stylus, as one of the two or three remaining diamond polishing houses in the world, aren't capable of producing better tips that some models used in some carts by some manufacturers. Might it sound different, yes. Might the owner prefer the change from the worn tip they had to a brand new line contact stylus, yes they might. Might they be underwhelmed, yes they might. But at £300 for a retip they will sell it on and hand lost absolutely SFA.
You are assuming people use Expert because they are cheap, I would suggest most people use them because they are the best and because the results are as good as a refurb. And let's be honest, there's more chance of a re-tip sounding closer to the original cart than there is a refurb. One part swapped vs all the parts?
The emergence of prejudiced posts such as this where an anomymous poster has no experience of the service offered by people who have been trading successfully for many years, has shown an increase in recent years.
It seems to me that there are an increasing number of keyboard warriors, keen to prove that their opinion, biased as it usually is, should have the consideration of the many thereby raising the importance of these characters.
Such drivel deters myself and others from making any potentially hazardous comments on what used to be the most pleasurable forum on the 'net. No longer constructive I fear as the antics of the 'vested interest' brigade, make forums a minefield should one care to make a contribution (Listening Tony.?)
After using them for some 30 years, I can confidently assure the polite men among us that the services of Esco may be unreservedly recommended.
koi
pfm Member
mmaatt
pfm Member
Personally I don't see any problem with Paskinn's post 
Where was he slagging off Esco in that quote?
Of course the best solution may equally be a rebuild by the original manufacturer, that is what I would always do - it depends on the cartridge, to generalize is a waste of time.
mat
Where was he slagging off Esco in that quote? Of course the best solution may equally be a rebuild by the original manufacturer, that is what I would always do - it depends on the cartridge, to generalize is a waste of time.
mat
MikeMA
pfm Member
Personally I don't see any problem with Paskinn's post
mat
I didn't think he was slagging of ESCo either.
If I'd paid over £7,000 for a new Koetsu Jade I dont think I'd send it to a third party for re-tipping, no matter how good they were.
On the other hand I was more than happy to get ESCo to fix my nearly new AT33PTG after I'd knocked the tip off. I have a better sounding cartridge for less than half the price of a new one.
krenzler
pfm Member
No matter how you look at it their Paratrace tip* is indeed very good. It can also be found on the London Decca Reference cartridge (and also on the MusicMaker III I think but am not sure).
ESCo used to do the re-tipping service for Benz and I'm also pretty sure they've done work for Ortofon?
Hi-Fi News article from '94 on ESCo's work (you need to be logged in at VE to see it:
http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=15646
*the only 6 radii tip in production (whatever that means).
ESCo used to do the re-tipping service for Benz and I'm also pretty sure they've done work for Ortofon?
Hi-Fi News article from '94 on ESCo's work (you need to be logged in at VE to see it:
http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=15646
*the only 6 radii tip in production (whatever that means).
Rockhopper
pfm Member
Great article Krenzler,
I have used ESCO a few times starting with standard Denon DL103 then a R version.
These had ruby cantilever and paratrace stylus. The later one mounted in a Midas body and on a SME3012R not only sailed through the complete Hi Fi news test disk but tracked the complete Telarc 1812 ovature without a miss. I recently received Denon DL103FL with white sapphire cantilever and paratrace stylus.
I am so confident in their work that they have serviced and retipped for me an original Sagano San 1980's Koetsu black, Decca SC4E, Shelter mono and a ZYX 4D.
R.
I have used ESCO a few times starting with standard Denon DL103 then a R version.
These had ruby cantilever and paratrace stylus. The later one mounted in a Midas body and on a SME3012R not only sailed through the complete Hi Fi news test disk but tracked the complete Telarc 1812 ovature without a miss. I recently received Denon DL103FL with white sapphire cantilever and paratrace stylus.
I am so confident in their work that they have serviced and retipped for me an original Sagano San 1980's Koetsu black, Decca SC4E, Shelter mono and a ZYX 4D.
R.