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MC suggestions

I have long been a Grado fan.  Currently running a Statement Reference v2.  I love it, but.  I auditioned the Ortofon Quintet Black and the Dyna 17d3 and the Benz Glider and while each were excellent in their way, the overall feeling, despite being faster and transparent left me wanting, I was happy enough with my Grado. Id like to take another crack at this now. What I am looking for at this point and I hope you guys can make some suggestions, is a cleaner, and more live sound. This combined with a nice sense of space and width to the soundstage.  Is this asking a lot in my price range which is 2.5k(ish)?  I am of the opinion after spending sometime trying to figure this out, that an el34 based tube amp combined with the Grado cart are just too similar in voicing(warm).  I had hope that running a ss phono stage combined with the low output statement would be just the synergy.  It definitely moved the needle in the right direction and I could live happily if I didn't think I could push it a little farther in the detail direction without losing what I love about the Grado sound.  That is primarily it is not brittle, its natural sounding, nice soundstage all around.  Perhaps if I had solid state amplification it would be a synergistic match made in heaven.  Some carts I have been thinking about are VAS, Miyajima, Dyna(I did really like the 10x5 I listened to at one point).  Not to rule out Lyra but would be worried about the thinness I've read about from some users.  Grado fans seem a little few and far between and I wonder if there are previous fans who have moved on.  Maybe I just need to have a couple carts around and their is no one right cart. I have hesitated pursuing a cart change because my system has been tuned to Grado's sound but if I can get close with another company making MC's that wouldn't call for recalibrating my rig that much would be great.  Thanks for reading and sorry to be so long winded.
128x128fourwnds
fourwnds's avatar
fourwnds OP
277 posts
 
@mijostyn thank you. I still haven’t received the cart. Lots of air and detail sounds good to me. Should be a good match to my sys. In theory anyway. Channel balance within .5db is really appealing as well as I’m sensitive to channel imbalances. Should be just as my semester is over and a nice reward to myself. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Fourwnds I wish I could have afforded a cartridge that good at your age. Actually there were no cartridges that good then! Just get the HI FI News test record. It has tracks for both lateral and vertical resonance. For the PC 7 just add weight until you get the resonance down between 8 and 12 Hz. The lower in that range the better. You can add weight with longer screws putting nuts on the screw before you screw them in so the nuts are on top of the head shell (dorky looking) or you can get cartridge weights which are pads the fit under the cartridge(better looking.) You can adjust the weight by sheering off the pads at the corners with heavy scissors. Getting this right has a big payback in bass and tracking ability.
fourwnds's avatar
fourwnds OP
277 posts
 
Well, the cart has been in the system now for a couple a days.  It took its sweet time getting here from Japan.  But definitely worth it.  Given its not insignificant price I was having some serious anxiety about potential buyers remorse.  I really was putting the faith in my dealer to understand my system and where I wanted to go.  I am VERY thrilled to report the Pc7 is a substantial improvement and all I could ask for!  The transparency and immediacy is on par with the London Decca Jubilee, but with a much wider and enveloping soundstage. Lots of air and detail. Most importantly I am connecting with the feeling of the music so much more.  This is happening because of a new recognition of the dynamics I feel did not get completely conveyed prior.  Other myriad subtle but necessary instrumental and production details in the grooves pulling me in as well.  Its not dry or thin even running it at 47k, its both musical and detailed.  It took a little experimentation but I now feel I understand the draw of the MC in audio land that I previously chalked up to hype.  It was super easy to mount.  In fact I haven't even bothered to use my Feikert protractor yet.  I did a rough set up and did a needle drop to see if all was ok and to check to hear about tonality and I haven't stopped listening. I was two records in when it dawned on me I was still at 47k.  I'm not sure what that says about my system(on the warmer side I think) but after more records and listening I feel I'm good right here.  Tracking at 2 grams no distortion and tracks right on through previously congested passages with no collapse of image or delineation of instrumentation.  Bass is my only niggly critique, with a bit of overshoot, but I think its coming along actually.  This seems like it could be just recording dependent right now but I don't know for sure. Or maybe an alignment issue perhaps. Thanks and I hope this helps someone.  My system description is still the same with Anti-Cable 3.1 and ArtAudio IC3se interconnect the only changes I believe in quite awhile.  Oh I did add some Aurios into the rig as well, under turntable platform at moment.  But I think they'll go back under amp eventually.
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