Used Cartridge - Is it worth keeping?

[cousindave]

So I occasionally buy used turntables, just about all of them are in need of a headshell and a cartridge.

I recently got a Denon DP-23F and it came with a Grado FZ3.

The cartridge & stylus were dirty/dusty and the needle of the stylus appears to be bent and lose (its obviously in need of replacement)

Amazon & The Needle Doctor both sell the stylus for $55.00

I have not tested this cartridge because I don't want to use the stylus on any of my LPs

Is this cartridge worth keeping and getting a new stylus for?

I have other cartridges, so its not like I need it.

 

[TLS Guy]

So I occasionally buy used turntables, just about all of them are in need of a headshell and a cartridge.

I recently got a Denon DP-23F and it came with a Grado FZ3.

The cartridge & stylus were dirty/dusty and the needle of the stylus appears to be bent and lose (its obviously in need of replacement)

Amazon & The Needle Doctor both sell the stylus for $55.00

I have not tested this cartridge because I don't want to use the stylus on any of my LPs

Is this cartridge worth keeping and getting a new stylus for?

I have other cartridges, so its not like I need it.

Grado cartridges are highly regarded.

Your cartridge is equivalent to the Grado Blue price $110.

A new stylus for your cartridge is $55. The same as for a bottom end Audio Technica.

So what do you think?

Why don't you stop and use your head instead of posing the same question on every forum you can find?

Anymore of this and you're a troll.

 

[cousindave]

Grado cartridges are highly regarded.

Your cartridge is equivalent to the Grado Blue price $110.

A new stylus for your cartridge is $55. The same as for a bottom end Audio Technica.

So what do you think?

Why don't you stop and use your head instead of posing the same question on every forum you can find?

Anymore of this and you're a troll.

You're obviously missing the point of the question, but you're more interested in being a typical high end audio elitist snob and running others out of the hobby (no wonder the industry is dying) than you are answering a simple question, from someone who could learn from your experiences.

I can obviously buy a new Stylus for the Grado FZ3 at a cost of $55 to see if the cartridge is still good - I don't know any other way to test a cartridge. I could also use that $55 and buy a new Shure M97xE, an Audio Technia AT95E (I already own 1 of each of those as well as others) or I could use the $55 to partially pay for a new Grado Blue.

If the Grado FZ3 is inoperable I'll be out the cost of the stylus since I can't return a used stylus. I could then spend the $110 to buy a new Grado cartridge and have the extra stylus, but then I'm out over $150 (I would have a new cartridge and extra stylus, but it might be a few years before I would need that extra stylus)

 

[TLS Guy]

You're obviously missing the point of the question, but you're more interested in being a typical high end audio elitist snob and running others out of the hobby (no wonder the industry is dying) than you are answering a simple question, from someone who could learn from your experiences.

I can obviously buy a new Stylus for the Grado FZ3 at a cost of $55 to see if the cartridge is still good - I don't know any other way to test a cartridge. I could also use that $55 and buy a new Shure M97xE, an Audio Technia AT95E (I already own 1 of each of those as well as others) or I could use the $55 to partially pay for a new Grado Blue.

If the Grado FZ3 is inoperable I'll be out the cost of the stylus since I can't return a used stylus. I could then spend the $110 to buy a new Grado cartridge and have the extra stylus, but then I'm out over $150 (I would have a new cartridge and extra stylus, but it might be a few years before I would need that extra stylus)

Why didn't you tittle your post: - How to I tell if my cartridge body is operable?"

Everything that moves is in the replacement stylus assembly. Like all MM cartridges the coils are fixed and in the body. Grado, by the way, have a complete illustration of how their cartridges work on their site.

So all you have to do is test the two coils in your cartridge for continuity. If there is continuity then your cartridge is fine and you can buy a replacement.

Since you seem to be a turntable collector, you need to spend some time finding out how they work.

 

[3db]

So all you have to do is test the two coils in your cartridge for continuity. If there is continuity then your cartridge is fine and you can buy a replacement.

Would it be easier on the cartridge if a digital ohmmeter is used? I'm worried about overloading the coil of the cartridge with an analog ohmmeter unless its of a high quality.

 

[TLS Guy]

Would it be easier on the cartridge if a digital ohmmeter is used? I'm worried about overloading the coil of the cartridge with an analog ohmmeter unless its of a high quality.

He could always put a 1 kHz resistor in series with the meter, if he has a cheap one.