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Tweaking the new Grado Timbre Sonata 3

I have about 10 hours on my new Grado Sonata 3.

relevant system:

VPI Prime > Sonata 3> ARC PH3se (phono pre) > Herron 1A (preamp) > ARC Classic 60 (amp) > Thiel CS 2.4’s (speakers)

My old cart was a Nagaoka MP 500.  While good, the Grado is better overall. But the highs are a bit more extended than the Nagaoka, which seems to be a bit excessive, but just a bit, almost, but not quite sibilant.  
Alignment was done with my trusty AS Smartractor, though difficult to use on the Grado due to the long wood body overhang on the Grado. 

Raising and lowering VTA has little effect. 
My question, before I get too worried about this prior to complete break in, is will the highs “soften” up once broke in. Is that typical with Grados? Or, is it I gots what I got. 
last_lemming
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,266 posts
 
Last lemming the resisters work exactly the same for any type of cartridge. Solder in a 13K resistor and that will get you just over 10K.
You can always remove the resistor if you do not like the results. You can get the resistor from Digitek. A 1% metal film resistor will do. 
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Grado MI cartridges are not sensitive to capacitance (associated normally with different phono cables / or if there is a capacitance switches on the phono stage), but load resistors is another story and the manufacturer gave you a range from 10k to 47k for this particular model, this is cartridge loading. The cartridge is MI, so what you see is different loading for MI, not for MC cartridges. 

  


mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,266 posts
 
Chakster, the resistors solder in exactly the same. The PH 3 SE has only only one set of inputs and one set of outputs. It has a gain of 58 dB which is adequate for MCs over 0.4 mV and MM cartridges under 4 mV.
The resistors solder in on large posts at the bottom rear of the main circuit board. You can't miss the posts last_lemming. There are 4 of them two for the left channel and two for the right. You just solder in one resistor post to post on each channel. A 15 minute job. You can solder and unsolder till the cows come home and you won't hurt anything as long as you are using nothing bigger than a 25 watt soldering iron.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,266 posts
 
LL, which one did you get? High output or low output? With either If I guess right the lower load will bring the bass forward which should give you the balance you are looking for especially with the low output version.

Mike
frogman
7,390 posts
 
I understand your impatience. We all want instant gratification. Streengreen is exactly right; be patient. In my experience, 10 hours is not nearly enough; even for Grados which are not nearly as finicky as some other cartridges. I think you will be confusing matters, and yourself, by trying all sorts of tweaks before letting the cartridge settle. What you describe as the “problem” is exactly in line with what I have experienced with some new cartridges. Don’t do anything yet, other that ballpark adjustments of VTA. Good luck.
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