[dlaloum]

Any truth to this ?

[galyons]

Any truth to this ?

I don't want to seem an @$$hole, but why would you post this with no source or reference?   There is just too much rumor mongering on the net for a post such as this on AC.   Where did YOU hear it?

Regards,
Geary

[dlaloum]

Apparently a number of suppliers are short on stock and there is some informal word that things have gone very quiet from B-M.

Needledoctor now have all the B-M cartridges that they no longer have in stock (most of them) marked as "please call for pricing and availability".

Came across this mentioned on DaveyW's site forum

It would be a great shame - I still have my Empire branded B-M MC1, and it is many peoples favourite MC cartridge brand....

So having heard this rumour I am hoping someone here will debunk and provide some positive news that all i well with B-M.

This particular forum gets a lot more industry participants than most, so there may be more accurate news to be found...

bye for now

David

[Elizabeth]

This particular rumour has been pretty much TRUE for over a year now.
No dealers can get any new stock from Benz. Except a few of the highest price models,
The story around way last Spring was the main builder is old, and in not so perfect health. He is still making some carts, but only a few of the best ones.
(apparently he is the guy who makes them all, except the cheap ones. and even those have stopped. (Perhaps the main guy oversees the building of them all?
Anyway it does seem Benz is just fading away.
Unless some magic occurs... IE a new master cart builder takes over.. Benz seems to be pretty much out of business. (as far as shipping carts for purchase in the USA.)
What is actually happening is not being published. So YES absolutely no Benz carts have been available for over a year.
Why is somewhat conjecture. but no product is no product. So they are not doing business as usual. And it has been that way for a year or more.
Maybe the old codger is not willing to let anyone take over his company?

I have been paying attention as i own a Benz Glider and would be looking for a new one soon enough.

[dminches]

I don't want to seem an @$$hole, but why would you post this with no source or reference?   There is just too much rumor mongering on the net for a post such as this on AC.   Where did YOU hear it?

Regards,
Geary

The OP asked a pretty simple question.  What's wrong with that?  It has been almost 2 years since the availability of B-M cartridges has been plentiful. 

I have heard that one can order them but the time to deliver is completely unknown and no one will guarantee anything.  I don't know anyone who has purchased a B-M cartridge in ages but that doesn't mean that the company is defunct.

The best source for information would be Musical Surroundings.

[neobop]

You won't find anything at Musical Surrounding's site.   Apparently Benz has withdrawn from the US market.  I was reading about it on Audiogon by Benz owners discussing retipping. 

The company must be going through some serious changes to withdraw from the world's largest market, but they are still in business as far as I can tell. 
Maybe they'll reorganize or refinance, whatever, and get going full speed again.
neo

[galyons]

It is a problem...for high end analog we depend on master craftsmen(women) to hand produce the finest cartridges.  Ernst Benz, AJ van den Hul, Fumihiko Sugano—the son of Koetsu's founder,  Yoshiaki Sugano, even Peter Ledermann, Soundsmith.  They are all getting on in years.  Sugano san passed his craft to his son.  Peter Ledermann teaches retipping and, hopefully, construction, to his staff. 

So these few companies are dependent on the masters for production. What is most scary to me is the Benz Micro is a very large supplier of diamond styli and cantilevers to many of the industry manufacturers.  Benz bought Empire to do the affordable, entry carts, so are you saying that those mass produced carts are also not available?  I went to some of the Benz online retailers.  Needle Doctor and LP let me add to my shopping cart, Elusive disc shows it out of stock.

I have a Ruby 2 and Reference.  The Ruby2 is my current cartridge. The Reference needs a retip.   Good that there is Soundsmith!!

Cheers,
Geary

[Elizabeth]

Sorry to tell you but Soundsmith is retiring. He is doing the carts in his que.. But is not taking any new ones to work on.
So I do not know if his company will find a retipper to take over? or is he is just closing down the retipping altogether.
Soundsmith guy recently posted he is retiring.. (I think over on Audio Asylum)

[bside123]

Sorry to tell you but Soundsmith is retiring. He is doing the carts in his que.. But is not taking any new ones to work on.
So I do not know if his company will find a retipper to take over? or is he is just closing down the retipping altogether.
Soundsmith guy recently posted he is retiring.. (I think over on Audio Asylum)

Here are the links to Peter Ledermann's "retirement statements" on Vinyl Asylum. Not much to go on, but for those of you concerned, you can follow the thread(s).

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=vinyl&n=1053418&highlight=soundsmith+retire&search_url=%2Fcgi%2Fsearch.mpl%3FForumSelect%3DSelected%26searchtext%3Daudio%2Bresearch%2Bsp-9%26b%3DAND%26topic%3D%26topics_only%3DN%26author%3D%26date1%3D%26date2%3D%26slowmessage%3D%26sort%3Dscore%26sortOrder%3DDESC%26forum%3DALL%26

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=vinyl&n=977480&highlight=soundsmith+retire&search_url=%2Fcgi%2Fsearch.mpl%3FForumSelect%3DSelected%26searchtext%3Daudio%2Bresearch%2Bsp-9%26b%3DAND%26topic%3D%26topics_only%3DN%26author%3D%26date1%3D%26date2%3D%26slowmessage%3D%26sort%3Dscore%26sortOrder%3DDESC%26forum%3DALL%26

[Retipper]

There have many blog comments regarding my “retirement” as a result of my ill-defined comments.
 As a result, I need to clarify much, as my comments left much to the imagination.

Firstly, let me say that we have NOT stopped our retipping services, our manufacturing, our classic audio repairs. In fact, we are hiring, training and growing all three divisions of the Soundsmith, in part due to your support. 

With your indulgence, please allow me to illuminate what my current job looks like, as well as what my retirement looks like. 

What my current job looks like:
Rebuilding/Retipping cartridges
Overseeing all of cartridge manufacturing
Overseeing and performing some classic audio repairs
Personally building all high end Soundsmith cartridges
Personally building all Strain Gauge models
Designing all new products
Performing research and Development for all selected new inventions
Attending/prepping for trade shows the world over.

TIME required – 7 days per week, 14 hours per day, 10 hours on Sundays
 = 94 hours per week, every week.

What my Retirement looks like:
Performing Research and Development for all selected new inventions
Rebuilding/Retipping cartridges
Personally building all high end Soundsmith cartridges
Personally building all Strain Gauge models
Designing all new products
Attending/prepping for trade shows the world over.
Continuing to train new personnel for all Soundsmith divisions

TIME required – 6 days per week, 10 hours per day, NO hours on Sundays
 = 60 hours per week, every week.

The Soundsmith has enjoyed some growth over the years due in no small way to YOU, our customers and
The many positive comments you have made about us.

PLEASE KNOW that this growth has enabled me to continue to expand on at least one important thing that I have enjoyed deeply for over 40 years; the opportunity to teach design, manufacturing and repair of audio equipment to a new generation of young audio enthusiasts.

Peter Ledermann/President/Soundsmith

[dlaloum]

  thank you Peter....!!

[jimdgoulding]

Re-tipper has one from me on the bench.  Well, not literally, yet, but it is in house. 

[tonyptony]

Thanks for that clarification Peter. I heard from one of the exhibitors playing vinyl that you were floating around RMAF, tending to all the SS carts being used (and there were a lot ). Sorry I missed you this year.

BTW Jim, Peter has one of my Benzes also waiting for some inspection / rework. How's that for thread irony?

[dangerbird]

Attaboy' Mr Peter! 

[Elizabeth]

Sorry if I added to any confusion. Glad the question was clarified.

[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
Soon Soundsmith will have my Rega Exact to be re-tip.
Look like a fun retirement...

Guy 13

[TomS]

Thanks Peter and good to see you here and going strong. I'm still loving my Hyperion 2