Yeah and 100 to 47,000 is a significantly bigger difference to stay running the 400 ohm Hana at 800. I don’t know enough about the maths to comment but it seemed like something that should be flagged!
Grado Cartridges and Stylus - Questions and Advice.
- Thread starter RenegadeMonster
- Start date
Yeah and 100 to 47,000 is a significantly bigger difference to stay running the 400 ohm Hana at 800. I don’t know enough about the maths to comment but it seemed like something that should be flagged!
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
No I agree, that was a good catch.
folsom_lives
Well-Known Member
Alright. So I think the consensus is that a high-output model would at least be a better fit than the low-output. Obviously a better preamp would be my best route (but $$$). Thinking a Sutherland product because of the high praise and more options for loading.
So here's my strategy...
Take a leap of faith on an Opus3 or Platinum. Keep the ART9 for when the Grado gets old. And hopefully by then the phono funds will have caught up.
Thoughts? Bearing in mind I have about $400 from the records sales as fun money...
So here's my strategy...
Take a leap of faith on an Opus3 or Platinum. Keep the ART9 for when the Grado gets old. And hopefully by then the phono funds will have caught up.
Thoughts? Bearing in mind I have about $400 from the records sales as fun money...
I don’t think that’s a bad call, it’s likely where I’d land in your shoes.
Angsty
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a good path. The high-output Grado is definitely a better bet with the Vincent. A Sutherland is great option when funds allow and will be a better match for the ART9.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
I think the plan is sound, the only thing I would interject if a new phono is on the horizon, go with the Opus HO for now and save the money. You'll get more out of a Platinum LO with a new stage
But either is a good way to go about it.
folsom_lives
Well-Known Member
In that case, I think I should probably try and sell the old Grado Black that will be collecting dust. I still have the Gold on the Uturn and I don't have immediate plans to sell that since I am a sentimental SOB and it was my first real TT.
dansomeone
Well-Known Member
Did you get your six pack of beer before it's back to work?
I drank 3 of them Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. I’m on the dry again tonight because I can’t deal with being in the office as it is, hungover it would be hell!
folsom_lives
Well-Known Member
Well the credit card had $268 and change in rewards, so for about the cost of a cup of coffee I have an Opus3 inbound.
I really loved that cartridge when I was running it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too, all the best qualities of the gold + 8mz, but more.
folsom_lives
Well-Known Member
This is what I'm hoping for. I loved the sound of the Gold and was missing the Grado sound with the new setup. This seemed like a great way to play around with the next level up while still having a killer cart as a future step up (the ART9 that is).
dansomeone
Well-Known Member
Gah, was too busy this weekend to install my new Opus3. With all this talk, it's happening tonight after I put the boy to bed.
JohnnyCashFan
Well-Known Member
Sometimes it's about equipment synergy, more than spending. Sutherland's for ie are probably great matches for the higher end Grado's and many others, but there are many others. I bet the Grado family would agree. I use a restored vintage Mc from 1967!
The day my Opus gets tired it will likely get traded up to a Platinum.
@folsom_lives you definitely want the high output version.
folsom_lives
Well-Known Member
Sage advice. I think I was a bit disappointed with my StudioDeck and ART9 combo for that very reason. My phono was/is holding things back and I didn't get the sonic improvement the dollars told me I would get. Not saying the combo doesn't sound great with the right equipment, but it just didn't sound right with MY equipment.Sometimes it's about equipment synergy, more than spending. Sutherland's for ie are probably great matches for the higher end Grado's and many others, but there are many others. I bet the Grado family would agree. I use a restored vintage Mc from 1967!
The day my Opus gets tired it will likely get traded up to a Platinum.
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
Interesting.. Thanks to you both for sharing and I'll give it a shot!
Here’s why you want a high output in your position.
The Vincent has 2 choices- MM or MC.
In MM mode, it doesn’t have enough gain for the 1 mV output of the low output Grados. But the loading is perfect at 47k ohms.
In MC mode it actually has more gain than you need at 60 dB. 48-52 dB would be the sweet spot for most systems. But the loading is all wrong at only 100 ohms. Run the Grado at 100 ohms and the sound will be very muffled with no highs at all. None. 100 ohms works well with many (but not all) Moving Coil cartridges, but is a definite mismatch with a Moving Iron.
You need a phono stage that allows sufficient gain while also allowing 47k ohm loading. Many phono stages will not accommodate this requirement. Most of the Sutherlands will, which is how I landed on Sutherland. While I’ve owned and enjoyed a low output Grado, I’ve found it’s more important to me to have a user replaceable stylus, which is why I still use the Gold3. If I ever get a wild hair, the Sutherlands are flexible enough to be used with any Moving Coil as well.
folsom_lives
Well-Known Member
So are you saying even the high output Opus3 is still going to have issues with the PHO8?
apholden
Active Member
The high output Opus should be fine. Set tho Pho3 to MM for that.