DS Audio cartridges: Lifespan, retip or replace?

[Mendel]

I am interested in these cartridges and have the opportunity to purchase a DS003 system. I have read a lot of the reviews and ongoing threads, but none of them seem to mention lifespan or what you do with the cartridge when the lifespan is over.
How long do they last (in hours of music played)? Are the cantilever and stylus replaceable like a moving magnet cartridge (doubtful). Do you get a aftermarket “retipper” like Soundsmith to replace the cantilever and/or the stylus? If you do that, is it really still a DS Audio cartridge? Or do you trade it in to DS Audio for a new one like I do with my Lyra’s?
Appreciate any info from users of these cartridges.

 

[fordy964]

they run regular cantilevers and diamonds (model dependant) same as any other cartridge would so aftermarket retippers can retip them or install a new cantilever if it breaks. As to lifespan then it would be similar to other high end carts which depends on tip type and how clean your records are etc... but I would imagine over 1000 hours would be normal.

 

[Balle Clorin]

For a Microline/Microridge/. 1000hr is what AudioTechnica say , Fine line 800, conical 500, and elliptical 300hrs. Jico say half of that for their MM replacement styli.

All styluses for any cartridge comes from on of the same 3 producers, so the hr values from AT is probably the maximum you can expect… Ortofon say about the same…

No replacement stylus for DS audio, but maybe they allow trade in or retip? Could not find that information, you would have to ask directly I think


but you seem to have superior cartridges already? ….so why go into a closed limited system as DS?(expanding a bit recently .,,).


The specs at not really fenomenal,,,and response deviates from the norm , that is why you have different EQ choice in the bass,,, but they sound nice , I have heard them all on the best turntables.

 

[mtemur]

Instead of coils, these cartridges use proprietary beryllium light-reflecting plates, so a third-party retipper may not be ideal if more than just replacing the diamond is needed. Replacing the cantilever or suspension could require realigning coils, which aren’t present in this design. Which may present a problem.

In my opinion, aside from simple diamond replacement, all cartridge retipping should be handled by the manufacturer.

 

[Bwaze]

It really puts the new elliptical stylus DS Audio DS-E3 in a bit of a difficult spot - $1200 / 1200 EUR for bare 300 hour of playtime, that's 4 bucks per hour... And although cartridge manual speaks of stylus replacement, dealer here told me that's more of a more expensive model thing. Like a cartridge with the price of a monthly salary here is a throwaway thing.

 

[wfojas]

Hi,
I wonder why I seemed to see a high number of DS Audio owners stating they had theirs retipped.
I just killed my suspension on a DS 003 cartridge and will send it in, and I had maybe 12 hours on it, though it was used. It may be how the stylus guard is shaped, or how you have to put it on. I have no idea how my stylus broke. Retip with DS Audio is $1500 on a six week turnaround. I wonder if its an inherent weakness.

 

[rajugsw]

I have no clue what you Guys are doing to your DS Audio Cart's. I've been running my DS003 since I finished building the preamp back in July (warts and all) since July of this year with absolutely no wear issues. Armchairs Engineers Need Not Apply !

 

[Serenade]

Recently I was fortunate enough to be in a live workshop session for DS Audio owners with Aki-san. Aki-san is the DS Audio founder. A question was raised to him on re-tipping and rebuild when it came to cartridge end-of-life (beyond 1,000 hours of use). His reply was that very few cartridges came to him in a worn state. Most came to him relatively new because the owners damaged the cartridge in accidents.

My own experience with non-DS is I never hit 1,000 hours before the cartridge failed. Due to the dusty, hot and humid environment where I live. I have had VdH Crimson, Transfiguration Proteus and EMT JSD5 all fail on me for the same reason around the two year plus mark. One coil gets dislodged, presumably from failed adhesive due to the weather. Leading to one channel going missing or distorted. I have also damaged one when the stylus got caught on the back of my hand leading to a snapped off cantilever.

I will see in two years time whether DS Audio shading plate glue is more resilient in my tropical weather and does not get dislodged. So far so good from the early adopters of DS here.

 

[Balle Clorin]

I do not understand how climate can ruin a cartridge .. cartridges are in a living room or what?

 

[dennis h]

I will see in two years time whether DS Audio shading plate glue is more resilient in my tropical weather and does not get dislodged. So far so good from the early adopters of DS here.

Where do you live @Serenade ?

 

[Serenade]

Where do you live @Serenade ?

Hot, humid, salty air Singapore. An island surrounded by sea where we have 90% humidity all the year round and 30+deg C weather. Where over time, tonearm cables wrapped in paper or cloth breakdown and touch, tonearm bearings rust, speaker baskets corrode inside the cabinets and driver foam surrounds break off. Additional to the cartridge woes described earlier.

Add one more woe : LPs very quickly get a layer of stubborn mould if not properly handled and stored.

 

[Balle Clorin]

Ouch.. maybe I should be happy where I live then. - one month above 20C in summer if we are lucky and 6hrs of daylight in winter time. ..

Any humidity above 60% increase bio growth like mould I read somewhere

 

[scericson]

I've been spinning vinyl over 40 years without issue until I bought a DS003. 3 Styli in one year at $3,000 each. Broken, not wear.

 

[thomasx]

How does it happen scericson? I have my DS Audio, a Master3, since one and a half year playing nearly 300 hours without an issue. It tracks perfectly, 80 micron without distortion.

 

[thekong]

I have a W3 sitting idle waiting for my friend to build a phono unit for it! So, I am certainly concern about the longevity of DS cartridges!

I am not accusing any member on rough handling on cartridges, just a general question on whether the DS is more fragile and require more careful handling than the average MC cartridges?

Just as an example, I nearly never cue the cartridge onto the LP by hand, I use the cueing lever! Furthermore, instead of trusting the cueing device to lower the cartridge slowly, I have my finger on the cueing lever at all time guiding the cartridge down slowly!

So, may I ask those members having problems with DS cartridges, what are your cueing habits ?

Thanks!

 

[Serenade]

No problem with DS Audio W3 being more delicate than the average MC for me. In fact, I am more confident cueing DS (with lever) than other makes because the bright red light helps me to aim the starting groove better. Worse for me to cue (my vision is less than perfect even with glasses) were those carts with cantilever sticking forward. Like from Clearaudio and Van den Hul.

Toughest carts in my experience were Ortofon and Dynavector. They survived a few accidents intact that would have killed the VdH.

 

[thekong]

Toughest carts in my experience were Ortofon and Dynavector. They survived a few accidents intact that would have killed the VdH.

I also have all three brands, and yes, the VdH is the most fragile cartridge among those that I have used !

 

[thomasx]

I am cueing like you thekong, with the help of my finger. The lift of my Viv lab tonearm lowers not constant, it depends on the room temperature.
But how Serenade said, with the light its very easy to see the groove. When I'm listening in nearly darkness I even don't need light near the turntable when changing the record and clean the stylus with a soft pinsel. For further cleaning i use blue tack.

 

[Mendel]

Well I never went for the DS audio cartridge. The cost of the cartridge and dedicated phono pre was too high considering I got a Coincident Statement phono stage new 2 years ago. I have run AT, Hana and mainly Lyra MC cartridges and never had a problem with any of them breaking down before at least 1000 hours. I have a Moerch DP 8 tonearm that allows you to add damping fluid into the cueing device to control the decent of the tonearm. Mine takes about 15 seconds to come down on the record so that probably helps stylus life. Gives me time to get to my listening spot before the album starts as well.

 

[Serenade]

I went into DS because it and the matching phono did the best in the strong RF environment where I live. There is a radio/TV transmitter nearby. MM and MC was giving constant buzz, hums and occasional voices. With DS, the background is silent with only an occasional hum that goes away on its own.