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Does a cartridge that has been in storage for an extended period need play time…

to mechanically (re)break in? Can I expect the character/sound of a Grado Reference Sonata I moving iron cartridge to change over time if its been previously used but then stored for a long period of time?

I just installed one in this situation on my tonearm and its seems a little flat in the high end and lacking detail. I just installed it for fun and its the only MI cartridge I have experience with listening too. I’m definitely putting my Dynavector 10X4 MK II back on the arm if the sound doesn’t improve in the next dozen hours or so.

Thanks for any input.

128x128dmac67
lewm
13,100 posts
 

Some other advice not related to your question: the input impedance of your phono stage should ideally be 10X or more greater than the cartridge’s internal impedance.

dmac67's avatar
dmac67 OP
73 posts
 

Thanks, lewm.  I appreciate that info.

dmac67's avatar
dmac67 OP
73 posts
 

The more use I’ve given the Sonata 1 over the past two days, the better its sounded but I still felt it was missing top end air.

I swapped my older Allnic H1200 phono preamp (new tubes and fully checked out in October) for the Ray Samuels Nighthawk i have been tinkering with (fully adjustable) and BOOM the Allnic brought the high end air and sparkle back. I’ve been using the Nighthawk since the Allnic started exhibiting tube noise including with the Dynavector lomc cartridge referenced above. Apparently the MM input of the Nighthawk is of much lower quality than the H1200.

My daughter gets the Nighthawk in her stocking tomorrow morning to use with her Spinbase and NOS integra 1057F table.

I’m a happy camper again.

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,912 posts
 

the wood body Grado in the right system can be magic :-).. especially the midrange 

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