Retipping Services and Installing a Diamond Cantilever

dcc

VIP/Donor
Nov 4, 2012
650
1,270
1,230
Continental Europe -
Since many years, I have had Transfiguration Proteus cartridges in my main analog set up (Brinkmann Balance turntable and SAT tonearm). I also have a Lyra Etna and a Phasemation PP200 mounted on two other turntables.

When my first Transfiguration Proteus had to be retipped, Immutable Music proposed me to swap it against a brand new enhanced version. At the same time a limited number of of Proteus D cartridges with a diamond cantilever was produced but I never had to chance to lay my hands on one. In a rather old post, Gary reported his experience with the Proteus D.

A few weeks after I received my enhanced version of the Proteus, Seiji Yoshioka passed away and Transfiguration closed its doors.

For future retipping services, I knew I could rely on François from Ana Mighty Sound. Some months ago, François hinted me that he was getting diamond cantilevers for a still confidential new cartridge project. I asked François to keep a diamond cantilver for me as my cartridge was due for retipping. It was the opportunity to upgrade it to a « Proteus D » status.


The Proteus was shipped to François in late July. The retip and upgrade were performed in less than 5 weeks. Though the job was not inexpensive, it was still very reasonable considering what I was getting in return as, at the time, a Proteus D was fetching around 10,000$ whereas a standard Proteus was around 6,000$.

François provided me some pictures of the retipping process.

Before:








During:
















After:









The translucent square shank diamond cantilever and the new diamond tip were shining when I opened the box. The suspension was also modified. François advised me that I had to increase the vertical tracking force from the initial 2 to 2.3 grams.

When the needle dropped into the groove, I immediately realised that something special was happening. Though some burn in would be required before the cartridge would reach its full potential, I was getting all the great features of the Proteus but on steroids. As the hours passed, things were getting even better: speed, transparency, precise imaging and a perfect tonal balance like I never experienced before even with my own Lyra Etna and other high end cartridges I had the chance to listen to (top of the range Phasemation, My Sonic Lab, Mutech, Lyra, Jan Allaerts and Koetsu).

According to François, these improvements are due to the extreme rigidity of the diamond cantilever compared to the boron cantilever of the original version.

Anyway, I am good for about 2000 hours of musical bliss and won’t be looking for another cartridge before long.

I am just curious to see what François is going to do with his stash of diamond cantilevers. Don’t ask me as I promised not spilling the beans…
 

Argonaut

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2013
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Very nice result @ddc , I am not sure whether I am viewing an optical illusion , however it appears that your new diamond tip sports a slight forward strake as compared with how the previous tip was set ?
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Sydney
Excellent stuff and great photos
 

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
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Excellent, thanks for sharing!

I am just curious to see what François is going to do with his stash of diamond cantilevers. Don’t ask me as I promised not spilling the beans…
Dartzeel...
 

dcc

VIP/Donor
Nov 4, 2012
650
1,270
1,230
Continental Europe -
Very nice result @ddc , I am not sure whether I am viewing an optical illusion , however it appears that your new diamond tip sports a slight forward strake as compared with how the previous tip was set ?

I measured the cartridge alignment with my protractor before and after the retipping. The tip of the diamond is exactly at the same spot.
 
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Yeti

Well-Known Member
Dec 25, 2020
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France
François retipped my Proteus around a year ago, no diamond cantilevers available at the time but he updated the suspension and I opted to roll the dice on a Gyger S tip. I’ve just got round to mounting it and I’m liking it a lot. I’ve moved house twice since I last used it in standard form so hard to compare but I don’t remember this much scale.
 
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crosswind

Well-Known Member
Jun 6, 2021
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Svartskog, Greater Oslo, Norway
Not a Transfiguration retip, but François and his pat Anamighty did a splendid job retipping my vintage (late 80’s?) Koetsu Black almost a year ago. Completely new coils, modified suspension and a new Ogura PA tip. Excellent follow up during the process with detailed pictures and info.

It just passed 74 hours today. I am really happy I let Ana Mighty do the job.

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