Grado Cartridges and Stylus - Questions and Advice.

JohnnyCashFan said:
Grado's are known to be good trackers along with all the other reasons the others mentioned.
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I am still thinking/wondering if it is an issue that the Grado is not picking up the distortion and not a matter of being a better tracker/setup issue. I know Grados are know to curb the highs. Is this an instance where the Grado doesn’t pick something up that is there?In this case I should here bad distortion. Overall the the benefit in this instance, but in others to a lack of detail on that end. Below is the link of a review (Louis Armstrong/Oscar Peterson) that I was trying to find that displays the issues of the mastering/recording that I am not seeing on the Grado:

www.stereophile.com

Revinylization #11: James Booker, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Joan Armatrading

Last month, I received so few vinyl reissues that I had to invite a guest writerjazz critic and political commentator Fred Kaplanto fill in. Fred had managed to grab an early copy of the excellent Analogue Productions 45rpm reissue of Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival. I didn't get mine...
www.stereophile.com www.stereophile.com
 
I love how accessible and genuinely friendly the Grado family are, one of the reasons I love there stuff. I know Rich has gotten pretty busy but I hope he come by again and says hello.

I was just reading about there Hemp phones in Norwegian wood this morning :love:
 
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Chucktshoes said:
Sooooo, I’m coming to the point of cart replacement. I’ve got a Gold 1. The debate is Gold 3 or just an 8MZ? Or should I check out something else? I love the Grado sound and it works really well with my system. What’s the verdict?
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IMO you should get the Gold 3. I think the jump in improvement will be more noticeable than an 8MZ on the Gold 1, and you can always get the 8MZ when the Gold 3 stylus needs a change.
 
Chucktshoes said:
Sooooo, I’m coming to the point of cart replacement. I’ve got a Gold 1. The debate is Gold 3 or just an 8MZ? Or should I check out something else? I love the Grado sound and it works really well with my system. What’s the verdict?
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I'm with @Splunders here.............but I would also give the Opus3 a hard nod ;)

That being said, if user replaceable styli is important you may not want to go the re-tip/exchange route of the Opus3, outside of that I like it better than the Gold3. Either way, you'll be sittin' pretty ;)
 
I was reviewing the specifications sheet for my Gold3, and I think I have it connected to my StudioDeck backwards. The spec sheet is confusing, as the "electrical connections" drawing doesn't explain its perspective clearly.

Looking at my installed cart from the front, I have it installed as follows:
red/white
green/blue

With a little searching in the What's Spinning thread, I found that @HiFi Guy had it flipped when he had a Gold3, like this and in the pic:
white/red
blue/green

Do I need to switch my connections? I assume the L/R channels are reversed.
HiFi Guy said:
The Kinks- One For The Road
Friday Music Reissue

View attachment 54273
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dansomeone said:
I was reviewing the specifications sheet for my Gold3, and I think I have it connected to my StudioDeck backwards. The spec sheet is confusing, as the "electrical connections" drawing doesn't explain its perspective clearly.

Looking at my installed cart from the front, I have it installed as follows:
red/white
green/blue

With a little searching in the What's Spinning thread, I found that @HiFi Guy had it flipped when he had a Gold3, like this and in the pic:
white/red
blue/green

Do I need to switch my connections? I assume the L/R channels are reversed.
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This is from the back, upside down. This is how it should be.
1615169489366.png
 
dansomeone said:
I was reviewing the specifications sheet for my Gold3, and I think I have it connected to my StudioDeck backwards. The spec sheet is confusing, as the "electrical connections" drawing doesn't explain its perspective clearly.

Looking at my installed cart from the front, I have it installed as follows:
red/white
green/blue

With a little searching in the What's Spinning thread, I found that @HiFi Guy had it flipped when he had a Gold3, like this and in the pic:
white/red
blue/green

Do I need to switch my connections? I assume the L/R channels are reversed.
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From the top nearest the headshell, it’s:
Red
White
Green
Blue
 
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.
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I want to report back on this issue as new information has come to light and the Grado cart was not at fault. Within weeks of these posts the TT clearly had an issue and was sent in for service. The tonearm was completely replaced. I sold the Grado on but may grab another one..

Wanted to clarify.
 
I mentioned some time ago here that my "pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit DC" produces a hum with the "Grado Prestige Gold 3", but that I love the sound of the cartridge. However, in time the hum gets more and more annoying.
Now I would have the chance to get a "pro-ject The Classic" for a really good price.
Does anyone here know if The Classic also has the hum with Grado?
Thanks!
 
papaharzi said:
I mentioned some time ago here that my "pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit DC" produces a hum with the "Grado Prestige Gold 3", but that I love the sound of the cartridge. However, in time the hum gets more and more annoying.
Now I would have the chance to get a "pro-ject The Classic" for a really good price.
Does anyone here know if The Classic also has the hum with Grado?
Thanks!
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It will. Electrically, the Esprit DC and the Classic are the same. The cosmetics and plinth setup differ.
 
papaharzi said:
I mentioned some time ago here that my "pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit DC" produces a hum with the "Grado Prestige Gold 3", but that I love the sound of the cartridge. However, in time the hum gets more and more annoying.
Now I would have the chance to get a "pro-ject The Classic" for a really good price.
Does anyone here know if The Classic also has the hum with Grado?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

HiFi Guy said:
It will. Electrically, the Esprit DC and the Classic are the same. The cosmetics and plinth setup differ.
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I still find this strange though because the project debut carbon as a product line is on the Grado no hum list and I had the gold and now opus on an exprit sb (it’s still DC it just has the speed change) with zero hum 🤷🏻
 
Was looking into getting a Grado Gold3 for my upcoming PLX-1000 and then I came across the Opus3. Seems like its definitely worth the extra $15. If I were to go this route, would I be looking to get a high or low output version?

Cheers
 
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