Grado Cartridges and Stylus - Questions and Advice.

D'Ecosse said:
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?)
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Welcome!

I’d put an 8MZ on the cartridge you have and be happy. It’ll be a jump up from what you had and be your most economical option as well.
 
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..
Click to expand...

Any initial impressions?
 
I'll add another recommendation to get an 8MZ. My turntable came with a Grado black, and an 8MZ was the first upgrade I made to it, even before the old stylus wore out. Huge improvement!
 
HiFi Guy said:
Any initial impressions?
Click to expand...

I'm only about 10 albums in at this point. My cart journey has been limited (Ortofon Blue>DL-103>UTracker>Master3) but its apparent already, and I guess it's not surprising, that this is the biggest leap I've made. I'm hearing much more instrument separation/soundstage detail.. the highs are more clear. Bass is tight and more detailed. The craziest thing to me so far honestly is just how quiet it is. I thought the UT was quiet, but the Master3 has dead silent, black backgrounds. I'm really impressed with it so far.

I am going to spend some real time with it over the weekend, run it through the paces on the test album and make any adjustments to be sure I have it dialed all the way in. I'll report back over the weekend!
 
I just got my 8MZ today - many thanks to @RichGrado for getting it out so quickly - even with simple First Class USPS mail, it went out on Thursday from NY and had in hand today, Monday, in CA

I had to install new wires to the cartridge so went through a re-alignment in the head before installing the new Stylus, re-validated the anti-skate and balance.
- just playing my first record - already sounds good, and be even more delighted if gets even better as it breaks in.

Thanks to all for the advice.
Possible upgrade down the line might be a Gold Cartridge given all the positive reviews here (although truth be told my dream would be a Grace F9e to match up with my Grace Tone-arm - hope that's not blasphemous in the Grado thread :D )
But for now I'm going to really enjoy what I have.
 
Here's my JVC QL-50 - the QL-50 was originally sold without tone-arm for User application of their choice.
I recovered it in Macassar Ebony Veneer and replaced the original ply-wood tone-arm mounting board with a custom aluminum piece (I even anodized it myself :D)
Has the lovely Grace 707 on there.

20201006_131649.jpg


20201005_161654.jpg
 
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D'Ecosse said:
Here's my JVC QL-50 - the QL-50 was originally sold without tone-arm for User application of their choice.
I recovered it in Macassar Ebony Veneer and replaced the original ply-wood tone-arm mounting board with a custom aluminum piece (I even anodized it myself :D)
Has the lovely Grace 707 on there.

View attachment 69197
Click to expand...
That is beautiful!!!!!
 
3D2CE0D7-A603-45B9-97F4-B463EF2CB019.jpeg
So I’ve had some time with the Master3, and it’s stunning.

Everything about it is just better than the UT.

Instrument separation/clarity is better. The noise floor is better. The top and bottom ends are both more defined/cleaner. Soundstage is bigger.

Overall, a worthwhile purchase without doubt.72D3171C-B9B7-407A-8E78-F517FC091907.jpeg
 
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Slimwhit33 said:
View attachment 69315
So I’ve had some time with the Master3, and it’s stunning.

Everything about it is just better than the UT.

Instrument separation/clarity is better. The noise floor is better. The top and bottom ends are both more defined/cleaner. Soundstage is bigger.

Overall, a worthwhile purchase without doubt.View attachment 69321
Click to expand...
While it isn’t difficult to recommend a Grado, I think a lot before I recommend any $1k cartridge.
I’m glad you are happy.

Everything you said about the Master3 applies to the Gold3- yes I prefer the Gold3 to the UT. The Master3 is still on my radar though.
 
Slimwhit33 said:
View attachment 69315
So I’ve had some time with the Master3, and it’s stunning.

Everything about it is just better than the UT.

Instrument separation/clarity is better. The noise floor is better. The top and bottom ends are both more defined/cleaner. Soundstage is bigger.

Overall, a worthwhile purchase without doubt.View attachment 69321
Click to expand...
Awesome to hear it's everything you wanted out of a cart. It's a tough sell for me at that price point, I'm replacing once a year as it is and that's a tough "annual fee" to swallow, even with re-tipping discounts. Not saying it's not worth it, but I feel I need to find a happy medium when it comes to carts with the amount of use I put on them.

Would love to hear one some day though :)
 
So an update on the Master3/UltraDeck Combo. **Trouble in Paradise**

I've had the M3 for a month now, but I've probably only listened to 20 albums in that time. Had no issues, was loving the sound.

Today I received the Alternate Rumours album. It's the 3rd one I've ordered (first two arrived damaged) so as soon as I got it I gave it a cleaning and put it on.

Lowered the tone arm, turned to sit down.. and skipping. I have literally never had a skip on this table, so I whipped back around and the cart is wobbling like crazy. Lifted the tonearm, tried it again a few songs in and same thing. Flipped it over and tried side II, same thing. Couldn't replicate it on other albums but didn't try more than 10 others last night.

Did a little search and found the references to the Grado dance... so seems like the cart is a bad fit for the UltraDeck from a tonearm perspective.

I re-did the set up completely just to be sure.. everything is spot on. I also tried VTF at 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 and 1.9.. no change.

Kind of a bummer. As I said to HiFiGuy, the digital side of this hobby is much easier! lol

Ultratracker is back on and the Grado will either be returned or sold. UTracker has no issues with the Alternate Rumours album at all.
 
Slimwhit33 said:
So an update on the Master3/UltraDeck Combo. **Trouble in Paradise**

I've had the M3 for a month now, but I've probably only listened to 20 albums in that time. Had no issues, was loving the sound.

Today I received the Alternate Rumours album. It's the 3rd one I've ordered (first two arrived damaged) so as soon as I got it I gave it a cleaning and put it on.

Lowered the tone arm, turned to sit down.. and skipping. I have literally never had a skip on this table, so I whipped back around and the cart is wobbling like crazy. Lifted the tonearm, tried it again a few songs in and same thing. Flipped it over and tried side II, same thing. Couldn't replicate it on other albums but didn't try more than 10 others last night.

Did a little search and found the references to the Grado dance... so seems like the cart is a bad fit for the UltraDeck from a tonearm perspective.

I re-did the set up completely just to be sure.. everything is spot on. I also tried VTF at 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 and 1.9.. no change.

Kind of a bummer. As I said to HiFiGuy, the digital side of this hobby is much easier! lol

Ultratracker is back on and the Grado will either be returned or sold. UTracker has no issues with the Alternate Rumours album at all.
Click to expand...
Any chance the album is warped? I had this happen on an album a while ago with the Opus3. When I looked at it again, the album did have a slight dish warp. Once flattened it was fine, you might also want to see if the spindle hole is off center.
 
AnthonyI said:
Any chance the album is warped? I had this happen on an album a while ago with the Opus3. When I looked at it again, the album did have a slight dish warp. Once flattened it was fine, you might also want to see if the spindle hole is off center.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have one record that’s dished and it doesn’t not want to play ball with that at all!
 
Ah, man - that’s a real bummer @Slimwhit33. It’s actually interesting you had that issue - I have yet to experience it, and in recently doing a bit more research on my table, I learned that the Grado/VPI Green that’s on my Cliffwood was actually designed to have more mass in the cartridge specifically for this reason. I’d always assumed it was a regular Grado Green with a plastic headshell over it, but no, turns out it’s a unique design, which is no longer being made - they’re putting AT VM95E’s on them stock now.

Real sorry to hear you had the issue. True that - there is virtually zero thinking in digital playback!
 
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