I enjoyed my Grace F-9e a bunch. An enjoyable stopover in my audiophile journey.
Grace F-9E
After reading a lot of rave reviews of the Grace F-9 cartridge, I've decided to get me one. Those are quite rare, since they were made back in the 1970s (and were discontinued in 1989). I managed to purchase a used one, but upon receiving it, realized that it did not come with the original stylus. It came with a cheap bog spherical stylus. Nevertheless, the cart performed really well and easily surpassed both my Denon DL-103 re-tipped with micro ridge stylus on boron cantilever, and my Empire EDR9 carts.
Needless to say, I was mighty intrigued -- how is it possible that a moving magnet cartridge with $10.00 spherical stylus sounds so much better than a moving coil cartridge with micro ridge stylus on boron cantilever?
So, I started looking for the stylus replacement for my Grace F-9. I couldn't find a suitable one, however I lucked out and found another used Grace F-9 cartridge, but that one was fitted with the F-14E stylus. I ordered it, and when I got it and installed it, I was startled by the way it sounds.
This cartridge completely transformed the sound of my stereo. I've never heard anything like the sound that Grace F-9 with F-14E stylus produces. It is shockingly alive. Full of energy, the instruments and voices leap out of speakers. The dynamics are otherworldly. Often times startling.
This cartridge excels both in vivacious and engrossing sound, as well as in delicate and intricate presentation. Plus it throws an amazing soundstage.
What is the secret sauce that makes this cartridge stand out?
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- 16 posts total
@crazybookman Soundsmith makes a replacement stylus for the F-9 FYI |
FWIW, Soundsmith make a complete replacement stylus and cantilever assembly for the Grace Ruby cartridge, which was naught but an F9E with a sapphire or ruby cantilever. Best of all, the SS product comes with one of their line contact styli, which should (and does) surpass the performance of the OEM elliptical. This is my opinion, but I can back it up by the fact I own two Grace Ruby cartridges, one OEM and one with the SS replacement stylus. Both are superb but the SS version is best with better treble extension and a cleaner midrange. And yes, this cartridge will blow away many MC cartridges that are adored here. The F14 is good too, based on the testimony of the now absent Chakster. I have not heard an F14 |
I picked up a NOS NIB F9e a few years ago and quickly replaced the stylus with the Soundsmith TOL, which I found superior to the decades-old, if unused, original. To my ears it needed to load at 100k for best results. Grace apparently thought the same; the included spec sheet had all measurements at 100k. I really liked it. To my surprise, a year or so later I found NOS NIB F14 body on eBay from a Japanese seller. No stylus; they actually sold them this way. Using the same SS stylus, I preferred it to the F9, which I quickly sold. The F14 is more coherent, tonally realistic, and balanced top to bottom to my ears. There’s a winning rightness about it that holds its own against my much pricier MCs. The main differences from the F9, from what I’ve been able to glean, are a lower internal impedance—fewer windings or something—and improved wire. Loading at 47k is perfect. Still, the F9 is a terrific cart, and a great reminder of how good vintage MMs could be. |
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