2. analog
  3. 169685-112482

Where to go from Grado Gold?

Hej

I need advice choosing a new MM cartridge. Yes, MM, not MC. My Grado Gold 2 has served me for aboiut two years, since I took up vinyl again, but now I want to get more from my records. I really like Grado Gold 2 but I feel that I want more of...everything. What is important to me is that the cartridge is good at tracking and sibilance and distorted sound is the worst I can think of. What I've heard from Ortofon is not the type of sound I'm looking for. I think Ortofon sounds cold and analytic. Someone described the sound as CD like and I agree with that. So, any ideas what cartridges I should check out? Budget up to $600. Tonearm Pro-Ject 9cc.
simna
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
With your budget you could try vintage MM cartridges that you can find NOS (unused). Grace is one of them, especially when new styli available from SoundSmith as an option (if you can’t find an original stylus or when you need replacement).

Another option is new Garrott Brothers P77i cartridge with advanced stylus profile. AU$ 690 = $500 USD



* p.s. you will find images in my virtual system
hoytis
85 posts
 
That's a pretty light tonearm, and would be a perfect match for an Audio Technica VM750SH cart...dual MM with Shibata stylus. I have one on my Akito tonearm (roughly same mass as yours) and it's killer.
knotscott's avatar
knotscott
799 posts
 
Nagaoka MP200, MP300, or with some luck and a stretch, the MP500 is incredible.  Wonderfully musical, dynamic carts with amazing midrange presence, separation, and soundstage.  
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,768 posts
 
The Grace F9 w noted Sounsmith stylus as needed, or a Soundsmith or a Grado - move up the line ;-)
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
-Nagaoka is a low compliance MP cartridge, its compliance is too low for MM, better for higher mass tonearms.  

-Audio-Technica are mid compliance MM cartridges just like Garrott, will work nicely on almost any modern tonearms.

-Original Grace is a high compliance MM cartridge (SoundSmith stylus has slightly lower compliance than original Grace).

P.S. I got 3 Grado cartridges, including signature Grado XTZ (it was $750 in the '80s). Inexpensive vintage Stanton 881s and Pickering XTZ/4000 with genuine Stereohedron styli are better than Grado in my opinion.    


More to discover