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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
 
-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.    


fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,498 posts
 
My Grace can’t touch a new AT.
VM 740 ML is a best buy.
Grace dull on"air", channel balance 1.1
AT balance 0.1
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
What stylus tip do you have on your Grace ?
If it’s not an advanced profile then MicroLine from AT is better, but Grace made cartridges with Shibata type and Line Contact type styli too. Also SoundSmith new styli (maybe you should try) have Contact Line (CL) and Optimized Contact Line (OCL) styli - those are great, you can upgrade your elliptical Grace with any of them.
dover
2,177 posts
 
@simma

Since you like your Grado, why not stay with Grado and go up the range.

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