I???ve heard of phono cartridges made with all sorts of exotic stuff, but never from a cactus needle ??? the material used for the cantilever in the new Hyperion LT cartridge from Soundsmith. ???We???ve been trying to figure out how to make good cantilevers for about 70 years, but God figured it out 100 million years ago,??? company founder Peter Ledermann explained, noting that cactus needles can survive decades of 130-degree heat. He???s so confident of the material???s durability that he offers a 10-year warranty on the cartridge, including retipping if necessary.