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Grado Statement with EAR 834P

Currently I am using a Grado Reference Sonata with an EAR 834P. They work well together very tonal and lush, but just a little slow. I am using a 5751 in V1, a 12AX7 in V2 and a 12AU7 in V3. These tubes sound much better than all 12AX7s, but ther is a little less gain and a little more hum which. This is not a problem with the high output Reference. I am, however, interested in moving up to a Grado Statement Master to pick up some speed, high frequency extension and depth, but whith these tubes I question if there will be enough gain for the lower output in the MM position. As a test, I tried the EAR's MC setting with the Reference and there does not seem to be any change in frequency responce so the impeadence mismatch does not seem to be an issue, but it sounds like it may be overloading. There is a loss in toneality. Has anyone tried a Grado Statement with a transformer stepup.
jimvette8
ml6707's avatar
ml6707
16 posts
 
Hi, One cartridge you should consider is the Shelter 501 Mk2. Very smooth and lush, but also clear and detailed, and very quiet in the groove. The Grados to me are a little bit too much on the soft and smooth side. The Shelter is more balanced IMO. Output is .4 mv. I have one and like it very much. It sells for $850.
jimvette8 OP
10 posts
 
MI6707,

Thanks for the suggestion. I have read that some unipivot arms can have difficulty with low compliance cartridges. Do you know if Shelter 501 MKII would be compatible with a Hadcock 242.
jdolgin
82 posts
 
Jimvette8:
I have been using a low output Grado statement sonata with my EAR 864 preamp. The 864 is an 834P and an EAR linestage in one chassis. The circuitry of the phono stage is identical to the 834P. There is plenty of gain in the moving coil section of the pre to work with the statement.
The noise level is obviously related to the tubes you choose. I'm using NOS 12AX7s in all three positions with very good results. Definitely a compatible combination.
Jim
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