SoundSmith vs. rebuilt cartridge.

4 replies
K(
Offline
kimberley (archived)
Bronze
Posted February 4, 2010 at 11:41 GMT
#1679082

I have a MC4000 cartridge, with an intact cantilever & stylus which sadly functions on one channel only. I have checked & cleaned the contacts & it (briefly) gave stereo, but reverted to one channel after a few seconds. Frustrating!

I have now accepted that I am unlikely to be able to do more for it myself, unless more experienced Moving Micro-Cross repairers can advise me what to try next.

I have read on this forum about SoundSmith cartridges (which may be too 'bright' & the £:$ + import duty is unattractive) & also about rebuilds of existing ones, but my German isn't good enough to understand the precise scope of the rebuilds offered; I see that a 'retipping' service is shown & a 'rebuilding' one, but I'm not sure how much of the cartridge is rebuilt. Does it include the suspension & coils? Would I end up with a beautifully re-tipped one-channel-mono cartridge?

All advice gratefully received.

P.S. Are there sources of turntable & arm belts in the U.K. for the 4000 & 4002?

Adam K

JO
Offline
joeyboygolf
BronzeFounder
Posted February 4, 2010 at 12:58 GMT
#1679083

Axel rejects cartridges with defective coils. He fits new suspension, cantilever and diamond.

The rebuilt MMC4 and MMC2 cartridges that have been done for me sound excellent.

Don't let other peoples opinion cloud your judgement or indeed influence your decision. There is not very much if anything wrong with the Soundsmith cartridges that I have used!

 

K(
Offline
kimberley (archived)
Bronze
Posted February 13, 2010 at 13:59 GMT
#1679084
Thanks. I have a SMMC4 for my later turntables & agree that it is very good, though I prefer the sound of the MMC2... for most records.
I have sent my 2 defunct (or defunkt?) MMC4000's to Germany for Axel Schürholz to diagnose with a view to possible repair. (My German colleague returned from the ski-slopes with a broken arm but was kind enough to 'phone for me & established - although he felt a bit out of his depth with the technical terms himself - that it was worth sending the 'one-channel' cartridge as collapsed suspension can be the cause).
Supplementary question(s): have other tangential-tracking turntable users reached any conclusions as to which are the best styli & cantilevers to request? The MMC4000 originally had an aluminium cantilever & elliptical stylus & higher specification MMC's had more complex stylus profiles & more exotic cantilevers (of my cartridges, my favourite overall is the MMC20CL). However, Herr Schürholz lists only aluminium cantilevers for the MMC3-6000's & spherical, elliptical or Shibata styli & accoding to my (confused) colleague seems to be of the opinion that aluminium is all that is needed: though he also said (I understand) that all the cantilevers & styli listed under Moving Coil retipping could also be used:


MC Systeme / MC Cartridges



mit sphärischer Diamant Nadel und Alu Cantilever € 89,00

mit elliptischer Diamant Nadel und Alu Cantilever € 99,00

mit elliptischer Diamant Nadel und BORON Cantilever ( Ausverkauft )

mit Nude Line Diamant Nadel und Alu Cantilever € 159,00

mit Hyper elliptischer Diamant Nadel HE und Alu Cantilever € 169,00

mit rebuilt Shibata Diamant Nadel und Alu Cantilever € 179,00

mit Nude elliptical Diamant Nadel und BORON Cantilever € 195,00

mit Nude elliptical Diamant Nadel und ALU Cantilever € 189,00

mit Original Nude Shibata Diamant Nadel und CARBON Cantilever € 225,00

mit Original Nude Shibata Diamant Nadel und Alu Cantilever € 265,00

mit Original Nude Shibata Diamant Nadel und BORON Cantilever € 265,00

mit Original GYGER II Diamant Nadel und Alu Cantilever € 265,00



I am also uncertain what a 'rebuilt' Shibata diamond is. Is it a Shibata tip on a metal, or other, shank?

I would welcome any advice, though my feeling is that Nude Line or HE on aluminium is closest to the original... on the other hand, Shibata on Boron would be close to a MMC5000 specification.

Adam (confused) Kimberley, London, UK.
Peter
Offline
Peter
Gold
Posted February 13, 2010 at 15:10 GMT
#1679085

I have a couple of cartridges that Axel has put Shibata styluses on - they are excellent - these are the ones reviewed by Soundproof. He actually has them at present and is reviewing them against a CL that I have sent him as well as a SMMC20CL+. I still prefer the CL but I would probably admit to bias on emotional grounds!! The shibata tipped cartridges are quite frankly wonderful - I wouldn't worry about the cantilever material - I think there are more limiting factors elsewhere in the chain.

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