I don't need signed service. Is it alright if I contact you ? I want to get your product and support you.
Sure, feel free. I may not have anything to send to the US for a while in this case on account of waiting for metal parts to arrive for the Spartan 12, which will be very good indeed, but may face a few delays here and there.
I've read and appreciated the analysis of the well-documented shortcomings of LOMC cartridges here. Is there anything to add to help customers understand the reasons why you are limiting builds of these products?
I have quite strong views about this, so asked Chat GPT to make a more tactful version my original 550-word response while keeping the original points intact.
Censored Version:
Overproduce and your clients choose you. Underproduce and you choose your clients. The LOMC market contains a number of ill-conceived ideas and setups (hence the reason the LO PRO is still very limited, despite the MC PRO being discontinued in mid-2025), and managing sales and support can take a substantial amount of time if care is not taken with whom products are offered. Once an LOMC product reaches the broader audience through word-of-mouth or forum discussions, the attention and queries can become very demanding.
The current market approach for LOMC often involves setting a high price to account for a significant support burden, which can arise from misunderstandings about cartridge setup and expectations. This is not a business model that aligns with how I wish to allocate my time. Many other companies already follow that model.
Going forward, descriptions for LOMC products will remain very concise and technical, possibly without press releases to conventional media outlets. It remains an interesting engineering challenge, where careful design can produce performance well above typical market offerings. However, the segment of users able to fully benefit from this is relatively small. The goal is to produce competitive products for users who have a clear understanding of what they need, who know how to set up their turntable and cartridge properly, who understand the product’s capabilities and limitations, and who do not rely on exaggerated marketing claims.
It is preferable to decline inquiries from those unlikely to benefit from the product at an early stage. This helps maintain focus and efficiency for both parties. Many experienced users will understand the challenge of balancing support and product availability in a niche market.
That said, LOMC cartridges can still perform very well in specific cases. For example, for cartridges without a high-output equivalent, I personally use the AT-OC9XML in my own setup and find it highly satisfactory.
