[TheChairGuy]

http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=vinyl&n=524951&highlight=clearaudio+aurum+wood&r=&session=

While it's no surprise that Linn's MM cartridges are derivative of Audio-Technica's line - it was unkown to me that Clearaudio cartridges, costing up thru $500 and requiring a factory re-tip, are alos apparently sourced from Audio Technica.

Tho the gist of this long trail is that the Clearaudio wood body cartridge is a derivative of the AT95e (which sells for $50 here in US) - it's inductance figure of 350mH would seem to make in more in common with A-T's 150mlx model.  That model routinely sells for less than $300.

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4030704

The Linn is no longer in production...but the Clearaudio clearly is. You are paying $200.00++ for what amounts to a wood body cast with little or no aural benefit for it's addition 

[gooberdude]

One conspiracy after another these days!    i like to believe that folks who shell out crazy $ on cartridges are getting ripped off...  I don't doubt that many mfgr's outsource & re-brand like crazy.   


I just contacted EAR and have a 5"x5" piece of ISODAMP 1002 on the way...its a .015 thickness.
When i called to say I wanted a piece of their thinnest stuff, the nice lady said "we have 10 difft types of thin stuff, what do you need?"     I settled on the thin Isodamp, hope i got the right stuff.  Its made out of vinyl and not Urethane. 

TCG, i'm go out on a thin limb & say that the Marigo dots are nothing at all like Isodamp.   The dots i own are rigid and appear to made from tiny sandwich'd layers of carbon fiber (or some other composite).   I'll let you know in a week or so though.     


Regarding your thorough post today in Vinyl Tweaks...can you fill me in on using double sided tape to hold up a cartridge?   I'm down with trying anything that might remove the screws.    Way back i bought the nice screws from Extreme Phono, they help a lot & are a good product.  Mapleshade always pimps brass screws, but i've never found any the correct size.    a simple piece of tape is intriguing.   I have some 3M HD, heavy duty stuff rated to hold up 5-10lbs.

So little time, so many tweaks.



Oh, i looked into posting pics in the Gallery this weekend...wha?    When i go to the screen for it, its just a grey box and no instructions or anything saying UPLOAD.    I'm gonna work on getting a photo site to post pics remotely this week.   Moving that dangly anti-skate weight has proven to be a killer tweak.


GD

[nathanm]

That reminds me...this is from Needledoctor's website.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Grado is bad or is ripping anyone off, but let's look at this here.  Ten identical photos with a choice of 5.0MV or 0.5MV output and...and...and what?  What the heck is the difference between a $200 wooden cart and a $2500 wooden cart?  I really don't get it.  Choice is great and all, but why FIVE different varities?  I mean, to me as a consumer I'm looking at this and thinking, what the hell's the difference?



And what's with the retip thing?  I send my broken one in and they put a new tip on it, for uh, what I paid for a brand new whole cart?

[accentstryping]

Its the wood silly 

[BobRex]

Going up in the Grado line gives you a better diamond and a lighter cantilever.  Way back when, Listener posted pictures of the differences between the Platinum and the Sonata.  The reporter also listened to both and heard differences.  I believe up to the Reference, they all use the same motor, the Reference is a different animal with a lighter coil (fewer tunes) and less output. 

As far as the body goes, they are all the same - more or less; I think the Reference uses a different wood.

When you "replace the stylus" on these Grados, you get a new cartridge back, just like you used to get with a moving coil.  That's why the markup.  Don't ask what they do with the old ones, I don't know...

[Folsom]

Actually I am told with Grados a re-tip is not bad. I have a Gold because a re-tip is under $100 and they cost $150-200 new.

[Psychicanimal]

  I really don't get it.  Choice is great and all, but why FIVE different varities?  I mean, to me as a consumer I'm looking at this and thinking, what the hell's the difference?

It's just a staircase with many steps Nathan, just that.  Others call it marketing...

[BobRex]

Actually I am told with Grados a re-tip is not bad. I have a Gold because a re-tip is under $100 and they cost $150-200 new.

With the non "woodies" you have a user replaceable stylus.  So you are only paying for the stylus, hence the lower price.  With the "woodies" the stylus assembly is permanently bonded to the cartridge, so no user replaceable parts.  Therefore you get a new cartridge.  That's why the cost difference between re-tipping a Gold versus the more premium carts.

BTW - it was determined years ago that bonding the stylus to the cart body resulted in sonic gains.  You pay a price for use replaceable parts.

[nathanm]

Marketing sure, but usually they make an attempt to explain what is 'better' as you go up the price range, but here it's just the same thing with rapidly increasing price.  Seems to infer that, "Hey it's really expensive, must be better, right?"  At least make the $2500 one LOOK like you're getting more.  (perhaps a gnome standing on the end of the cartridge with a tiny broom to sweep away dust?)   Perhaps it's just the fault of the Needledoctor and not the Grado for an insufficient description.  In any case, I think it's pretty funny. 

[macrojack]

I don't know how it works with the wood bodied cartridges but I was told that the plastic ones are basically the same but they are graded, sorted and sold according to how they spec. The better the specs the higher the designation and price. Of course, if the model number is etched in the body, this could not be true.
I think Grado's site provides more info than Needledoctor.

[BobRex]

Before anybody goes and complains about NeedleDoctor do the following:
1) log onto the site and click on one of the Grado cartridges
2)Read the description
3)click onto one of the retip carts
4)Read the description

That should answer any questions about the differences between the carts, or any questions about the limitations of the vendor site.

Hmmm, I wonder if anybody tried this?

[nathanm]

DOH!   

[TONEPUB]

Actually, the coil assemblies are different as well.  The reason you get a new cart when you
get a re-tip is they rebuild the old ones just like transmissions...

Helps keep the cost more reasonable!

Also, using the same body on each cartridge keeps the cost down too!