Beware though, some pressings nowadays can damage cartridges, due to badly controlled groove quality. I've seen them partially melted together which pinches the poor old diamonds that use a rondel and actually rip them off... Have you checked that a tiny bit of vinyl isn't stuck on/around the tip?

chartz wrote:

Beware though, some pressings nowadays can damage cartridges, due to badly controlled groove quality. I've seen them partially melted together which pinches the poor old diamonds that use a rondel and actually rip them off... Have you checked that a tiny bit of vinyl isn't stuck on/around the tip?

Jacques, you're scaring me!  I've not run into this, though the bulk of my purchases are used/vintage.  I'd say I've bought about 30 LPs pressed in the past year and they've all been fine.

MediaBobNY wrote:

SoundSmith doesn't repair MMC-4's; only 1's and 2's.   link can rebuild them for 99 euros (~$130) each.  More cost efficient to do this than buy an SMMC-4 at $200 or SMMC-3 at $300.

One of these days I've got to try Axel.  Maybe I'll take a BG3404 down and send him my MMC20EN.

Rich wrote:

chartz wrote:

Beware though, some pressings nowadays can damage cartridges, due to badly controlled groove quality. I've seen them partially melted together which pinches the poor old diamonds that use a rondel and actually rip them off... Have you checked that a tiny bit of vinyl isn't stuck on/around the tip?

Jacques, you're scaring me!  I've not run into this, though the bulk of my purchases are used/vintage.  I'd say I've bought about 30 LPs pressed in the past year and they've all been fine.

I received 2, new 180 Gr LPs from Amazon, each had a small point OD 1 mm, where the grooves was like melted together, it was clearly visible, like gray/white colored points, Amazon changed the LPs without any cost for me.

Going back to El Salvador in 5 hours 😡

Thank you Peter, Rich, Bob!

As the budget is quite limited at the moment, I'm going to enjoy listening to the SMMC4 I have for the time being, but I'll definitely be shipping the two MMC4's off to Axel eventually for a rebuild, and may request he do the suggested upgrade for one of them to MMC2 specs!  It sounds exciting - and I'd love to see if I could hear a difference or not.

As for the sound, Peter, I will say I enjoyed the more laid back tone of the B&O MMC4, but the added detail / sharpness the SMMC4 provides is indeed very slight.  I generally only find additional brightness on my most familiar albums if I'm truly just sitting and listening, though it does make surface noise a little more prevalent on my crappier, worn LP's.  It's really not something that bothers me in the least, and I can foresee enjoying the SMMC4 until I run it into the ground too! :)

Thank you all for your help.  Much appreciated!

Mike

mexking wrote:

I received 2, new 180 Gr LPs from Amazon, each had a small point OD 1 mm, where the grooves was like melted together, it was clearly visible, like gray/white colored points

AFAIK Soundsmith says it is not economically feasible to repair/retip the MMC4 or MMC3.  They will do some MMC2s or MMC1s, depending on condition.  Your best bet is to save up for a new SMMC-4 ($199) or better still, the SMMC-3 ($299).

Opus33 wrote:

AFAIK Soundsmith says it is not economically feasible to repair/retip the MMC4 or MMC3.  They will do some MMC2s or MMC1s, depending on condition.  

What's the difference if the cartridge is retip'ed and has its suspension repaired anyways?
The only difference in the whole MMC1-5 range is from the cantilever outwards.

Martin