[ricmon]

Where else besides the Soundsmith can I get my cart repaired.  From what I understand Peter has a long turn around time due to demand.

thanks

[TheChairGuy]

The other usual suspects for cartridge repair are The Cartridge Man / Len Gregory in the UK and Mr. van den Hul in the Netherlands.

Don't know of any but SoundSmith in the US  (but cartridges are so small and cheap to send, proximity is largely a non-issue)

John

[ricmon]

I guess it's going to be the Sounsmith.

thanks John.

[JCC]

I guess it's going to be the Soundsmith.

thanks John.

The wait is fairly long, but the price is right, and quality is outstanding. Depending upon level of retipping, you will probably find that your tracking force is reduced. I am now tracking at 1 gram, which is kind of amazing. Furthermore the low level detail is phenomenal. 

Let us know how it works out.

[ricmon]

I guess it's going to be the Soundsmith.

thanks John.

The wait is fairly long, but the price is right, and quality is outstanding. Depending upon level of retipping, you will probably find that your tracking force is reduced. I am now tracking at 1 gram, which is kind of amazing. Furthermore the low level detail is phenomenal. 

Let us know how it works out.

Actually I have used Peter's service before on my Blackbird.  The cart came back transformed.  Now I have to send it again because due to the open generator design it's very vulnerable to damage.  Doing an attempt to lower my cat onto the LP I missed the lead in groove and the cart sled off the record.  While trying to place the needle on the platter I banged the cart into the side of the record and the cart began to hum........off the SoundSmith again 

[Musky_Don]

Eugene Hi-Fi is the US contact for Van Den Hul cart services.  I had them work on my VDH Frog a while back and was extremely satisfied with the turnaround time and the quality of the work performed (cart sounds same as new).  I also owned a Lyra cart re-biilt by VDH.  I can't speak to how it sounded compared to new since I bought it re-built, but I can say that the life of the cart was as expected when buying new.

http://www.eugenehifi.com/

[chosenhandle]

Eugene Hi-Fi is the US contact for Van Den Hul cart services.  I had them work on my VDH Frog a while back and was extremely satisfied with the turnaround time and the quality of the work performed (cart sounds same as new).  I also owned a Lyra cart re-biilt by VDH.  I can't speak to how it sounded compared to new since I bought it re-built, but I can say that the life of the cart was as expected when buying new.

http://www.eugenehifi.com/

..not to mention that Dale at Eugene Audio is a great guy!

[JCC]

Eugene Hi-Fi is the US contact for Van Den Hul cart services.  I had them work on my VDH Frog a while back and was extremely satisfied with the turnaround time and the quality of the work performed (cart sounds same as new).  I also owned a Lyra cart re-biilt by VDH.  I can't speak to how it sounded compared to new since I bought it re-built, but I can say that the life of the cart was as expected when buying new.

http://www.eugenehifi.com/

I guess that my view is that a rebuild should provide a cartridge that is better than new. The same as new is just not good enough.

Cartridge improvement is offered by Soundsmith and probably some other companies. They can rebuild a cartridge and make significant improvement in cantilever and stylus and performance. The turnaround leaves something to be desired, but the results are tremendous.

[Musky_Don]

"I guess that my view is that a rebuild should provide a cartridge that is better than new. The same as new is just not good enough.

Cartridge improvement is offered by Soundsmith and probably some other companies. They can rebuild a cartridge and make significant improvement in cantilever and stylus and performance. The turnaround leaves something to be desired, but the results are tremendous."

The 'Frog' retails for $2500+.  I bought it new, wore it out and had it re-built by the same person (A.J. Van Den Hul) that originally built the cartridge. Cost inluding shipping?  $293.  My cost for the life of 2 very good carts almost cut in half.  I don't know if A.J. does all the non-VDH re-builds.  That would be a question for Dale at Eugene Hi-Fi (and I do concur - top-rate guy).

I don't have experience with Soundsmith.  I do with VDH.  For a high-end cart, I think it would be next to impossible to get better service than VDH, I suspect it would be difficult to provide the same quality of service as VDH.  For an originally lesser expensive cart, there may be better alternatives.  I can only speak of my experience.

Don   

[TheChairGuy]

Mr. van den Hul does indeed do non-vdH cartridges...I have a Denon DL-160 and an old Sumiko Blue Point cartridge (yeech...even with vdH re-tip) here

A couple years ago it was FAR less costly to have Holland-based vdH do re-tips (due to strength of USD relative to Euro's)...but now for folks in US at least, SoundSmith is competitively priced.

John