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Has anybody heard this cartridge? Is it everything the reviews say it is?
I ask because I have the opportunity to get one at a very good price and I am wondering whether to go for it. Current cart is a Grado Sonata, which I quite like but would like to get more detail and extension at both ends. My music runs the gamut but I especially listen to small-group jazz, Americana and rock.
Thanks in advance!
My system: Townshend Rock MkIII with RB300 arm, silver wiring & upgraded counterweight; Walker Audio turntable speed controller; Heed Quasar phono stage; Don Allen tube linestage; Don Allen 807 SET amp; GR Research Paradox 3 floorstanders; VH-Audio cabling throughout; various power conditioners; etc.
Follow Ups:
The Grado Statement is all that. I have the earlier .5mv Statement, and it is my fave here (AQ 7000fe5 - a Lyra; Sumiko Celebration mk1). Huge stage, with the least amount of Antiskate used (this is THE most sensitive antiskate cart I have used - adding more damps it down, and with the potting and wood body, you want it more open sounding - less damped). Now you can't play with the azimuth on your 300, but if you get a well made statement - use it a little tail up, 1.5g, no antiskate, you'll hear its stuff. Just awesome here. MC high end and bottom, hall info, PRaT, great timbre!, dynamics (all in my Basis Vector). Great cart. Get it - don't regret the oportunity later on!
I will know at least about the Grado Sonata1 shortly (new TT with this cart will be crossing my door next week at some point! *excited*)I did a ton of research into Grado carts - but only heard the Red and Black ones. However ... I know of a few people buying the Grado Gold1 (US$220) and swapping out the stock stylus for an 8mz stylus (US$100) as a way to get near Sonata1 sound for half the price.
Makes me think it ought to be similar to the Statement1 in sound knowing how this sort of thing works, excepting that the stylus is user replaceable in this "frankengrado" combination.
Given that the Gold1 + 8mz is $320 and the Statement1 is $350 ... it is horses for courses in a lot of ways - but I suspect the overall performance is similar or the Gold1 may be "slightly better" to some ... but the stylus *is* user replaceable and a $100 item and you don't have to futz around with re-aligning the cart when the new stylus is popped in ... I'd suspect a Statement1 would be about $280 for a "retip" exchange from Grado.
I'll definitely post up and let you know how the Sonata1 does after it breaks in a bit - to see how close it comes to the positive and negative press. I do understand that it is a "love it or hate it" thing with most - you are giving up a touch of detail for perfect rich accurate tonality to real life. Apparently it does not do the "audiophile feats and stunts" as a result.
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
Edits: 05/30/12
Thank you for your comments, but the Statement 1 is a bit higher up the chain. Grado could do a better job with their nomenclature--lots of confusion out there as to which cart is which.
The reviews claim that the Statement 1 is as good as the top-end moving coils (meaning carts in the area of $5000) in the area of detail and speed, but with better body, tone, and holographic imaging. It's very hard to find anybody who has heard one though.
Got it - must have misread things.
North of $2k you should be able to get everything - and I'd expect the Grado does "it all" with the grado sound.
However ... it IS a moving iron cartridge, so the high end of the treble will be slightly more detailed and open in the MC offerings - though what is there will have greater definition and more detail.
The most expensive cart I had heard was a Lyra Atlas (ON a SME tt and tonearm) ... so I won't be much help directly other than indicating that the Atlas was a very neutral and detailed cartridge and could do it all - large scale, small scale - all the while sounding like it was optimized for the music that it was playing at the time the reproduction was so good (downstream was Mark Levinson and Ravel Salon 2's). If the Grado can play in that league, you will be very happy!
Good luck!
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
Oops! My bad -
Yeah ... that one!
:)
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
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