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Pls Recommend Grado Green vs. Red P-Mount for Me?

I have a Technics SLBD-5 (belt-drive) turntable and only use it to play records that will probably never be available on CD, which means a few hours of play per year, is there any reason for me to purchase a $110 Grado Red P-mount instead of just a $60 Grado Green P-Mount?

After a recent incident (my only other recent Audiogon thread, if you're interested) that took 8 months to solve (the cause was a defective Audio-Technica cartridge from a mail order dealer) I am reluctant to purhcase another cartridge online. That leaves me with only one local source of a P-mount cartridge - Grade. (Who else makes quality P-mounts anyway? Ortofon, Audio-Technica and Grado as far as I can see.)

Thanks for your advice.
toxrtp
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,470 posts
 
You really shouldn't be afraid of the quality on=line suppliers. AudioAdvisor, MusicDirect, etc. If you just have an occasional need for vinyl, then anything will do. The P-mount requires an adapter (it may come with the cartridge - youd better inquire) so that it can be mounted in your tone arm.
toxrtp OP
6 posts
 
Tes, Crem1 but which Grado? Worth the extra $50 for the Red? Both are the "upper 10" of their production, but the Red has a more completx, supposedly better stylus.

Stringreen, I didn't mean to disparage online vendors at all. Just that, since I got a defective cartridge online already, I figured I'd avoid having to return another via mail if it was defective. My tone arm only accepts P-mount cartridges, which limits my choices of brands as I indicated.
piedpiper
753 posts
 
Tox,

sounds like you're simply missing a headshell. The Red is a little more transparent and with a smoother top end; worth it IMO, except that you're putting it on a pretty humble table that will not help the cartridge do its job very much.
toxrtp OP
6 posts
 
So, to repeat the question once more, it is worth it, then, to pay extra for a Red P cartridge, vs. a Green P in such a humble TT?
piedpiper
753 posts
 
I'd say you'd hear the difference and it would be worth it. The money it would take to go to the Gold would be better spent on a better table though.
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