Grado Cartridge for my AR table ..

by **A.Wayne** » 20 Sep 2010 05:18

Hello Guys ,

Setting up my trusty AR table /Arm and looking for a recommendation on what Grado cartridge. Budget is 200.00 -250.00 of course feel free to throw in others for recommendation ..

What say you ?

Regards,

by **pivot** » 20 Sep 2010 14:31

Any of the Prestige series should work fine in your stock arm.

I have used Grados in modifided ARs and they have sounded fine. Others, and I am sure they will be speaking up, have found the Grados prone to hum issues in AR decks.

Have you heard Grados and are you in love with the Grado "house sound"?

My personal caveat is I find the current bonded stylus of the Prestige models gives me inner groove distortion I have not been able to rectify. I have yet to try one of the upper scale nude stylus (8MZ, MCZ, TLZ) that fit Prestige carts. Perhaps that would address the IGD issue for me.

For now the IGD has been a deal breaker for me and lower end Grados.

by **A.Wayne** » 20 Sep 2010 17:59

Hello,

Thanks for the response. Yes i do like the Grado sound , had one in my micro seikii and was very please with it , hence my decision to go with grado with this AR table . I did not have gnd issues initially, but did so when the cartridge became older , i moved away from that table , so I'm not sure if it was the table or the grado ..

If not Grado , what then in the price range I'm working with ........? i had looked at Denon , but many negative comments lately.

Regards ,

by **fscl** » 21 Sep 2010 04:42

Hi A Wayne,

I'd certainly support 's recommendation.
Personally I'd say putting an 8MZ on a stock prestige body is the way to go.
I prefer this combo to the Prestige Gold (I have'nt heard the latest 1 spec. though).

These threads may be of interest.

Grado Fun

More Grado Fun

Cheers and welcome aboard,
Dave

Fantastic another upgrade path......

How does this stylus sound in comparison to the stock Blue stylus? on Prestige body.... :-k

Fred

by **A.Wayne** » 21 Sep 2010 05:09

Thanks Marc and Dave ,

Never thought of such an upgrade on my Grado........

Well more food for thought, because i do have an Otrofon OM30 also in need of a stylus. Hmmmm i might just give this a go also .....

Any recommendations, where to shop ?

regards,

by **A.Wayne** » 21 Sep 2010 05:22

Opps that OM30 replacement stylus is as much as a new cartridge ...

by **A.Wayne** » 23 Sep 2010 07:20

Hello Guys..

Does it make sense to replace the stylus for my ortofon om30 or just go for a new grado , it's the same price. The ortofon has not been used in years ............

by **JLaPrad** » 24 Sep 2010 05:54

Hello A.Wayne,

I'm spinning with an 8MZ on my modded AR ES-1. I'm a rock, r&b & jazz guy and the sound stage my combo gives me I would not trade.

I'm biased, 20 + years ago when I picked up my table I started out with the budget Grado ZTE+1 (today's Prestige Back). After a 15 + year hiatus, I got my AR up and spinning about a year ago and I found a good deal on the vintage 8MZ on audiogo, soon I plan to try some different loadings. You can pick up the 8MZ stylus for $100 w/ shipping from http://www.hcmaudio.com. Even though it is not on their stock list Capri sells them just email him capri@hcmaudio.com or call 877-234-3465.

cheers, Jim

by **A.Wayne** » 24 Sep 2010 06:26

the 8MZ will work with any Grado prestige cartridge? sounds 2 good to be true ... :lol:

by **JLaPrad** » 25 Sep 2010 03:13

A modded ES-1? say it ain't so Let me guess, all the "air and movement" of a suspended belt drive, the speed stability of a direct drive, and the slam, sustain and body of a rim drive.........am i close

Right on brother Ba

Thanks again for your assistance!
Yes, slamming stability. This reminds me, I need share my AR mod journey on the AR forum. :wink:

Hey A.Wayne,
What AR table do you have?

If you need some assistance with it there are some folks on VE who can give you some excellent assistance :wink:

Listening to Camel's Mirage at the moment and it as if they are playing in my living room

by **A.Wayne** » 26 Sep 2010 04:20

Hello JL ..... ES 1........ so share the mods

by **A.Wayne** » 29 Sep 2010 01:57

Me again ....

Setting up the table with a spare cartridge ( el cheapo) aligned based on protractor downloaded ( stevenson) experiencing high freq mistracking ....

Any suggestions when using this type of protractor , maybe user error or just poor cartridge ?

regards,

by **A.Wayne** » 29 Sep 2010 22:07

Hello Azden is the cartridge , table and arm is stock AR .....

Cartridge is in temporary, i will be installing my Ortofon om30 shortly , but wanted to test the table out with the azden ( setting up arm ) before doing so and i have not yet made a decision on which Grado to purchase....

regards,

by **JLaPrad** » 30 Sep 2010 07:50

Hey A.Wayne,

As for mods from my stock ES-1. I have replaced

(1) the armboard with a wood (walnut) one,
(2) stock cables with SME cables,
(3) I added an suspension isolation plate and replaced the stock springs and grommets with heavier duty Linn springs (this required me to mass loaded the "T' bar with 1080 grams),
(4) left the bottom cover off the turntable plinth, and
(5) I traded the stock turntable mat in for a Herbie Way Excellent II-2mm Turntable Mat.

shared his technical assistance along the way (except for the mat :wink:

)

cheers, Jim