Every cartridge diamond stylus becomes worn after a period of play. Around 500 hours for a conical stylus, 300 hours for an Elliptical stylus, 1000 hours for a Microlinear stylus, and 800 hours for a Shibata stylus. Our VM95 Series dual moving magnet cartridges can be used almost forever by replacing the interchangeable stylus. It is no longer necessary to purchase a complete cartridge when your diamond is worn out, you can simply buy the matching replacement stylus, but also enjoy the experience of upgrading your cartridge with a different stylus.