Grado... how many of you run em ?

[Jaxjax]

I would have just done a poll but I can't get it to work.
How many of ya run Grado carts.?
I do & tried a few modern carts before it on my Feickert /Jelco 950 arm
Even a Hana MC & hear the appeal of MC but... then I tried a Sonata 3 & it's been on ever since & almost time to get another. That was the sound I was wanting.
Joe

 

[Cougar]

I run a Grado Timbre Reference III cartridge in my system. It's was mounted on the ET-2 arm and I was using a SPL Audio Phonos but now run a EAR 834P Clone modded/upgraded.

The Grado sounds really nice and musical, this is what I was looking for. As of today I'm running a Shelter 901 (Original) was recently retipped after an accident. I'm just running the Shelter it to break in again after a few years of not using but the Shelter sounds really nice too. But once that is done, I will be putting the Grado back in the system again. The Grado came out due to a mishap and sent it to be checked out, it got a clean bill of health. Once the Elliptical Stylus is done, I will have it retipped with a Micro Ridge.

 

[DVDdoug]

I had one back in the analog days. I don't remember which one.

It had "good specs". IIRC the frequency response was rated into the ultrasonic range. It was one of the several cartridges I went-through foolishly looking for improvements when really I knew that the records were the weak-link.

The biggest difference I noticed with different cartridges was frequency response and I should have just been using tone controls/EQ, except on the few good sounding records that didn't need it.

 

[DSJR]

More modern ones are dull as ditchwater and not fully stable with medium to higher mass tonearms. Some analogue inclined people don't seem to like medium-high 'presence' frequencies much it seems, but like the Rega MM's made in their factory, I find them so bland getting worse as you go up the range and the HF peak gets less and less..

I do have here a late 70s F1+ and it measures far better and I also liked the original wooden bodies Reference models back then. It was given a poor review by a UK-based 'guru' mainly because it was test-tracked far too low and didn't sound so secure. Mine is used at 1.6g or so (checked on an external balance) and sounds great to me. these days, it's a bit like their headphones I think, they select the 'best' styli and charge more for them, then select again and charge even more and so on..

Okay, I shouldn't be posting in this thread I suppose, being an AT cartridge fanboy with some Ortofon overtones. I try to avoid the silly-price MC's out there but tend to like some Lyra's it seems The hf rise in some of these doesn't matter so much with a decent diamond keeping the effects of surface noise and so on to a minimum.

 

[DonH56]

I have not tried a Grado (or any cart) in years now. I had a couple way back when. They sounded nice, but did not track well, so I ultimately replaced them with other cartridges.

 

[Martin]

I've had a Grado Sonata wood body moving iron cartridge on my Mørch UP-4 for a number of years. Swapped to a Sonata3 with my latest stylus change about a year ago. Fantastic cartridge.

Martin

 

[Doodski]

I have noticed that Grado users are very loyal to the brand and they really hear stuff they enjoy. Is this fact, they like it bright etc?

 

[Jaxjax]

I'm simply getting another Sonata 3 when mine burns up..good enough for me it seems. I couldn't stand the MC Hana I had ...that HF rise in not cool to me.
I do about 50/50 digital stream & vinyl. I will however give a shout out to Feickert TT's.... Very very good tables. Wish I would have bought an extra Jelco 950 arm before they went under during Covid. I like this arm.

 

[Jaxjax]

I have noticed that Grado users are very loyal to the brand and they really hear stuff they enjoy. Is this fact, they like it bright etc?

Not bright...
at least mine isn't. I talked with Grado a long while on phone before I got mine & told them my likes & dislikes. I also do not have to change EQ setting between digital stream & vinyl play .

 

[Jaxjax]

I've had a Grado Sonata wood body moving iron cartridge on my Mørch UP-4 for a number of years. Swapped to a Sonata3 with my latest stylus change about a year ago. Fantastic cartridge.

Martin

I fully agree with that . The 3 actual exceeded what I wanted when I fired it up. I'm probably getting close to replacement time so I'll call Grado & see what my trade it will knock off new Sonata 3 . They told me but can't remember how much

 

[khensu]

I've had a Grado Sonata wood body moving iron cartridge on my Mørch UP-4 for a number of years. Swapped to a Sonata3 with my latest stylus change about a year ago. Fantastic cartridge.

Martin

I’ve got the same cart on my VPI Aries Scout. I didn’t choose it as I bought the table barely used and it was what the original owner put on. I don’t have much experience with other cartridges as I don’t play vinyl much anymore, but I’ve been very happy with it.
Edit: I’m referring to the Sonata wood body MI, not the Sonata 3.