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In the Forum: Analog Playback
In the Thread: Thank you, Sir! May I have another (MC-3000 II)?
Post Subject: Thank you, Sir! May I have another (MC-3000 II)?Posted by Paul S on: 2/14/2013
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Since I discovered repeatable VTA/SRA, my Ortofon MC-3000 II cartridge (with matching T-3000 SUT) has been about as ignore-able as a hard-tracing cartridge in a hi-res system can be.  Too bad it took me so long to figure out the repeatable VTA/SRA!  It seems like I just got the thing dialed in, and now the left channel is 3 dB down.  Has it really been 8 years since I bought it?!?  What's an OCD basket case (like moi) supposed to do in a case like this?  I had it in mind to check out cartridges while I was Big Amp shopping; of course, that didn't work at all.  So here I am in the position of finally having to find and integrate another cartridge/SUT.

Only, in this case, it's Dumb Luck to the rescue!  It turns out, for only 30% more than I paid for my original, new MC-3000 II, I can have Ortofon DK totally re-build my old (long-discontinued) cartridge, replacing everything except the body, running as-new tests on it, plus re-instating the original warranty.  It's a rather convoluted process, starting from the 'States; I have go through Ortofon USA.  Perhaps they keep normally-returned VAT charges, I don't know; but it appears that the cost to me will be no more than what Europeans pay.

I think I also know where to find a NOS MC-3000 II, for a couple hundred more.  But it would have old rubber, etc., while a refurbished one would have all-new guts, fresh from the factory that still makes many of its own parts, including the rubber bits.

The Ortofon USA rep warns that turnaround will take 6 - 8 weeks (starting from/returning to West Coast, USA).

What the Hell; I'm doing it.  I think I will fit another slip of lead on my WT Ref arm "headshell", before I (re)mount the refurbished cartridge, maybe nudge the tracking up a little...

Maybe the wait will motivate me to buy some CDs...


Paul S

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