The Marantz 7 is designed for MM carts, and you love the Grado house sound. Seems to me you should just invest in the regular output Grado Reference of your choice instead of looking for an HO MC. If you can trade-in or sell your present LO Statement for what it's worth you might be able to stay at or near top-of-the-line and not go over budget.
help please. i need opinions of high output carts
i've just switched from a rogue 99 to a marantz model 7 preamp. love the marantz, but my low-output grado statement (4.5 mv on mine) needs replacing with higher output. table is a vpi aries (which i also love); amp is david berning designed audionics of oregon ba150; speakers good old kef 105.2's although i switch to bozak rhapsodies when i need to move more air. any suggestions? i've been recommended a benz micro h2, a van der hul mc2, and a dynavector 20xh. sounds to me like the 1st 2 may be in a higher league but i have no way to really know. HELP!