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VPI Scout with Grado Master - but what next?

I've got an old original VPI Scout with a wood body Grado Master HO MM cartridge on it. I'm using the phono stage in my McIntosh C2200 tube preamp, and pushing the whole thing with a McIntosh MC402 solid state amp. I listen to Jazz mostly.

The Grado Master is about eight years old now, so I'm starting to shop around for a replacement. I had a Grado Sonata in it originally but it was pretty thin and boring sounding and didn't track very well - the Master has been a really wonderful cartridge. However it's a lot better with Jazz than it is with Rock. Rock, even excellent 1/2 speed master recordings, sound forward and lack slam.

So I'd like my Rock to...well rock, but jazz is my main thing, and I'm worried that if I buy a Dynavector or Soundsmith based on recommendations from folks who listen to Rock exclusively, I'll wind up with my Steely Dan bringing down the house, but Leroy Vinnegar sounding like Jack Bruce and a stack of Marshalls. This would be bad. Anyone
lemoco
hifiharv
351 posts
 
Photon, maybe that's why I hear no difference! Wouldn't surprise me that a manufacturer would exagerate the output specs. Wonder if LOMC makers do it as well? Did you actually measure this yourself? What does one play to do so? So there is no confusion to others reading this, I would like to point out that the Master is claimed to be 5.0mv rather than .5mv. .5 would be half a millivolt. To elaborate, I don't remember the claimed output of all of these carts. but I recall some being 2 or 2.5 mv. I have used them all in the same (tube pre)systems and heard no perceived problems related to their output: Shure V15 type V mrle, Sumiko Bluepoint Special, Shure Ultra 500, Grado Master, Grado Reference, Dynavector 10X4 Gold (rare, factory hot rod of the 10X4), Audio technica AT150MLX. These may not vary that much in output now since I was assuming the Grado's were the 5.0 they claim to be.
photon46
1,082 posts
 
Oops, my bad. I forgot the fact that Lemoco was discussing the 5.0mv HO Grado. My Statement Master1 is the .5mv. model. My previous Sonata was a HO 5.0mv. model and I don't remember there being such a disparity between its output and other 5.0 mv cartridges I own. As to how I measured or determined the output of cartridges in my system, it's just a matter of familiarity with a given lp and where I set my volume control. When I'd switch from the Grado to an Ortofon rated the same output, I'd have to always lower the gain setting on my RCM Sensor phono preamp to maintain the same volume settings on my line stage preamp. I tried experimenting with resistance as well to see if that was a factor, but the Grado is relatively insensitive to loading in my experience. Even the Grado factory says not to worry too much if you have use a lower resistance than the 47k. specified.
lemoco OP
7 posts
 
Thanks Photo46,

I was looking at this DIY sandbox platform. I have a pretty small house and I can't deal with anymore wires so I'm looking at passive solutions. Perhaps a wall shelf with the sandbox would help.

http://www.cognitivevent.com/sandbox.html
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,657 posts
 
Eight years?That stylus must be worn to the bone!The life span is about 2000 hours on a stylus,so try to estimate how many hours you have on it.You can damage your records with a worn stylus.
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