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Any Love for the Grace F10 L Moving Coil Cartridge

Just picked up one of these super rare cartridges and wondered if any of our members had ever owned one and if so could offer any feedback on what to expect.

I had convinced myself that I would not buy any more cartridges and had actually being selling some off to pay for a rebuild on one of my most valued cartridges. Unfortunately for me I have a weakness for those very rare vintage cartridges and I simply can't stop myself if one becomes available at the right price.

The model I have coming is the "L" version with hollow Boron cantilever (hollow boron is another weakness of mine). The specs are as follows.

  • Frequency characteristics: 20~30,000Hz±2dB
  • Output voltage: 0.75mV(5cm/sec, 1,000Hz, 45°)
  • Impedance: 23Ω±10%(1,000Hz)
  • Channel balance: within 0.5dB(1,000Hz)
  • Crosstalk: below -25dB(1,000Hz)
  • Stylus tip: 0.2×0.8mil Advanced Luminal Trace
  • Stylus pressure: 1.8gr (±0.5gr)
  • Compliance: 20×10-6cm/dyne
  • Cantilever: Boron composite
Like my other posts, I will report back with my own findings for those who stumble across this thread in the future.

Thanks.
ateal
ateal OP
97 posts
 
I have put about 15 hrs on it so far and it is starting to mellow out, thank god.

Sounding very very good and bass is getting deeper and HF less fatiguing. 

I needed to switch back to my Fidelity Research FRT 4 SUT as it is a little less revealing than the Audio Interface SUT. Maybe once it is broken in I can try the Audio Interface again.

More to come.


chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Anyone familiar with this Grace HS-7 headshell with treated holes (about 15g, aluminum die cast) ? According to model number it was release after their famous Carbon Fiber HS-6 headshell. But the HS-7 is pretty rare and probably made for grace LOMC cartridges.
ateal OP
97 posts
 
30 hrs on it now and things are getting a little smoother in the higher frequencies.

I think this this is going to take 50+ hours to fully break in.

I am still using the FRT-4 SUT. I will switch back to the Audio Interface SUT once things settle down a little bit more.

The one thing that amazes me with this cart is the expansive frequency range. From super deep bass to very fine high frequency resolution, it covers the entire audible frequency range. I have never heard any other cart like it. It digs everything out of the grooves, whether you want it or not.

It’s like everything is in super high definition, which is not always a good thing, but if that’s what you like then this cartridge gives it in spades.

Will update as I put more hours on it. 


edgewear
543 posts
 
@ateal,
I was wondering how you are getting along with the Grace. I have an angle on a NOS Grace F-11L, about which I haven’t been able to find any info. The only spec I could find is that the output level is supposedly 0.75 mV, the same as yours. This suggests there could be some sonic similarities between the two. Look forward to hear your assesment after break in. Thank you!

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
What is confusing me is a very rare MM stylus with number Gace L11 (i can't upload this image), but it is just like my L12, both designed for MM cartridges of course. There was an extremely rare F12 MM, but why the MM stylus called L11 if there was F11 MC cartridge? Around the same time Asakura Two was released, by mistake here it is called MC, but it's MM, both F11 and F12 styli looks exactly like Asakura's Two styli.   

So something went wrong with the numbers in Grace catalog :)
It's really hard to understand the logic behind it. 
L11 stylus is MM, but F11 cartridge is MC

BTW my favorite Grace MC is Asakura's One 

 
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