Grado Cartridges and Stylus - Questions and Advice.

AnthonyI said:
Is the cart level? Azimuth?
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Don't know entirely how to adjust those on my tonearm. Azimuth should be fine I think since the tonearm is machined flat on the end so there shouldn't be anything in play there if I'm understanding it correctly. The cart does seem to sit really close to the record but can't recall if it has always been that low or if it that's something new for some reason...

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MikeH said:
Tried to re-align the cart and I think it sounds even worse now somehow haha. Now there is terrible sibilance on the inner tracks. I hate aligning cartridges...I have the Grado gold 3 on a rega moth rb-202 tone arm. I'm lining up the stylus to the center point of the outermost grid and lowering it on the mirror protactor so the stylus meets the circle in the middle of the grid. Then I'm looking from above to make sure the grid isn't showing double in the mirror and making sure the front of the cartridge is parallel to the lines on the grid. Then I lift the arm, rotate the platter a little, move it toward the middle-most grid, repeat. Then I go back to the first one to make sure it's still straight. It seems straight to me but still has bad sibiliance on multiple records. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?? Stylus isn't very old. Tracking is at 1.68 now...
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You are doing it right- almost. When you have the stylus at the point you want it- sight from the front and see if the cantilever is a “continuation” of the line in front of it. You want it to look this way. We aren’t aligning the cartridge body. We are aligning the cantilever (which also aligns the stylus by default).

Aligning the cartridge body doesn’t work: if the cantilever isn’t perfectly centered, your alignment will be off. I have seen this on even expensive ($2k cartridges).

Any chance you have the Rega cardboard protractor? They are easier to use.
 
MikeH said:
Don't know entirely how to adjust those on my tonearm. Azimuth should be fine I think since the tonearm is machined flat on the end so there shouldn't be anything in play there if I'm understanding it correctly. The cart does seem to sit really close to the record but can't recall if it has always been that low or if it that's something new for some reason...

View attachment 66349
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Can I see a pic of the arm tube and cartridge from the side- not an angle? Does your arm have an aftermarket VTA adjustment base?
 
MikeH said:
Don't know entirely how to adjust those on my tonearm. Azimuth should be fine I think since the tonearm is machined flat on the end so there shouldn't be anything in play there if I'm understanding it correctly. The cart does seem to sit really close to the record but can't recall if it has always been that low or if it that's something new for some reason...

View attachment 66349
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HiFi Guy said:
Can I see a pic of the arm tube and cartridge from the side- not an angle? Does your arm have an aftermarket VTA adjustment base?
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I was going to say, the arm looks like it's sitting lower at the back end.
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
Been in a tinkering mood as of late, so I decided to bump up my VTF from 1.6 to 1.65 as @HiFi Guy has often suggested. Took a few tries, man that is a minuscule adjustment! Haha. But sure enough, sound is more cohesive, more impact particularly in the low end, for lack of a better term, it kicks ass!
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You know what's funny, thinking those "small" adjustments wouldn't make a difference. Take a minute to really absorb how small the contact point of a stylus in a groove is, then think about what the smallest adjustment does to that contact ;)
 
Slimwhit33 said:
Going through the mounting process tonight (TWWS) Looking forward to it. Just going to take my sweet old time.
Any tips/tricks I should be aware of? View attachment 67125View attachment 67126
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Be careful getting the stylus guard off. It’s on there pretty tight.

The face of the cartridge needs to be 90 degrees to the playing surface.

It takes a bit longer to align because the cantilever is tucked up underneath. With the Geodisc, I viewed from the front and the side.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Be careful getting the stylus guard off. It’s on there pretty tight.

The face of the cartridge needs to be 90 degrees to the playing surface.

It takes a bit longer to align because the cantilever is tucked up underneath. With the Geodisc, I viewed from the front and the side.
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It’s quite the stylus guard. Honestly haven’t figured how to get it off yet.
 
Slimwhit33 said:
It’s quite the stylus guard. Honestly haven’t figured how to get it off yet.
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Use your fingers on the open ends to prize the guard away from the body.

Also, l don’t use a stylus guard at all. Leave the cueing lever up and the weight on the spindle. Even it the arm gets an accidental hit, the headshell will strike the weight.
 
Slimwhit33 said:
It’s quite the stylus guard. Honestly haven’t figured how to get it off yet.
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HiFi Guy said:
Use your fingers on the open ends to prize the guard away from the body.

Also, l don’t use a stylus guard at all. Leave the cueing lever up and the weight on the spindle. Even it the arm gets an accidental hit, the headshell will strike the weight.
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That’s exactly what I do! TBH, I have to order another one for the UTracker now because I can’t find it.
 
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Up and running.. Just gotta say, thing is massive. Lol.

Installation was pretty easy. Thanks Grado for the much easier mounting option! Thanks for the info on the guard removal HiFiGuy! It was on there good!

Had to adjust the VTA to raise the arm. Running VTF currently at 1.70. Azimuth still looks dead on so no adjustment made.

More to come..
 
Slimwhit33 said:
View attachment 67153
Up and running.. Just gotta say, thing is massive. Lol.

Installation was pretty easy. Thanks Grado for the much easier mounting option! Thanks for the info on the guard removal HiFiGuy! It was on there good!

Had to adjust the VTA to raise the arm. Running VTF currently at 1.70. Azimuth still looks dead on so no adjustment made.

More to come..
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Put on some Billie Holiday now and you'll never be the same.
 
Inaugural post!!
Conflicted right now as to what to do:
I have a Grace 707 Tone-Arm with ZC+ cartridge and it requires replacement stylus now (small accident! :mad: )
Had 'decent' performance to my ear which requires re-calibrating after a long hiatus from vinyl!
The dilemma is whether to get an 8MZ and be content with that in the ZC+, or hold off until my budget can stretch that extra $110 and get the Gold3 (with all the fabulous reviews on this thread it is really turning my head!)
I have read good reviews of the improved performance offered by the 8MZ on a ZC+ and also on other, perhaps comparable current Grado cartridges (perhaps @RichGrado can affirm - think it is maybe comparable with today's 'Green' - also than you for your participation on this forum, it is REALLY appreciated!)
Decision would be easier if I could opt for the 8MZ now if it was possible to subsequently later purchase the Gold without Stylus (but it doesn't look like that is a purchase option) - that would be the ideal way to go for me. But with the currently available purchase options that would take my outlay to $410 if I go that route - too rich for me to go that way unfortunately.
So my choices are
8MZ - $150 (and done for foreseeable future)
or
'Entry level' Stylus now & Wait for Gold3 - total outlay $320.

*If anyone has stylus from which they have upgraded, please let me know if you would make it available at reasonable cost which could make my decision to wait for additional disposable funds to purchase the Gold3.

Incidentally this won't be an option for me - getting 8MZ AND then a Gold3 later - however I am curious as to whether there is going to be readily discernible difference between Gold3 Stylus and 8MZ in the Gold3 cartridge
In other words - for those who have a Gold 3 would you replace the stylus with same, or an 8MZ? (maybe still to early to tell on that one?)
 
D'Ecosse said:
I am curious as to whether there is going to be readily discernible difference between Gold3 Stylus and 8MZ in the Gold3 cartridge
In other words - for those who have a Gold 3 would you replace the stylus with same, or an 8MZ? (maybe still to early to tell on that one?)
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First, welcome!

I unfortunately don’t have an answer to your exact question, but I’m currently running Green 2 with an 8mz, and it’s indeed a pretty huge difference from the Green stylus. The top end really comes to life and the low end tightens up significantly with the stylus upgrade. I recently made the switch, so it won’t be for a while, but I’m curious to try a Gold 3 stylus next. I’m thinking it may smooth out some highs that can be a little pokey or spitty with the 8mz, but hoping it doesn’t lose too much of that great detail. We’ll see.

Everyone here raves about their Gold 3 cartridge, so I suspect that’ll be highly recommended!
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
First, welcome!

I unfortunately don’t have an answer to your exact question, but I’m currently running Green 2 with an 8mz, and it’s indeed a pretty huge difference from the Green stylus. The top end really comes to life and the low end tightens up significantly with the stylus upgrade. I recently made the switch, so it won’t be for a while, but I’m curious to try a Gold 3 stylus next. I’m thinking it may smooth out some highs that can be a little pokey or spitty with the 8mz, but hoping it doesn’t lose too much of that great detail. We’ll see.

Everyone here raves about their Gold 3 cartridge, so I suspect that’ll be highly recommended!
Click to expand...

I’m getting ready to buy an 8MZ in the near future if you want to try my Gold3 stylus.
 
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