Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Grado Prestige Series Black Phono Cartridge by thoriated

Model:	Prestige Series Black
Category:	Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price:	$40
Description:	cheap, black
Manufacturer URL:	Grado
Manufacturer URL:	Grado

Review by thoriated_tiger on August 12, 2001 at 17:25:31
IP Address: 216.76.136.132

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for the Prestige Series Black

Amazing what a well-made cartidge that sells for 40 dollars will do.
Like bury my previous yardstick, Shure V15 (Circa 1982.)
First off: No hum in my present turntable (Technics SL-230.) Plastic as it may be, at least it offeres a DC motor, so the Grado's lack of sheilding is no problem.
Tracking: If the record has no defect, it tracks perfectly. 'nuff said.
Sound: Rich, full-bodied, detailed without being cold or analytical. Cymbals sound like cymbals, those that shimmer, shimmer. Those who clang, clang. No confusing a hihat with a crash with a gong here. Voices: Natural, with full prescence. Want to have Lady Rhiannon with you in your room? Just plop down any Fleetwood Mac platter, lower the stylus, grab your preference of poison liquid, and floooat away. Piano: Nice attack, the percussive nature of the beast comes out perfectly. A REAL monster, like a Steinway, will be reproduced with all the reverberations and bass rumble intact. No mistaking a Steinway for a Wurlitzer honky-tonk with this cart. Bass guitars have their characteristic attack, you can hear the pick hit the string. Same with guitars. With a bass fiddle, the sound just floods in. Pipe organ offers the full range of rich tones and harmonics, with detail enough that one can distinguish between schools of builders.
All in all, quite the buy for the price. Perfect for mid-fi decks. Perhaps for entry-level hi-end decks as well.

Product Weakness: None to be found yet.
Product Strengths: Great sound at an inexpensive price, user-replaceable stylus, setup is a snap.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Dynaco ST-70, stock
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Onkyo P-301
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Technics SL-230
Speakers:	Infinty SM-112
Cables/Interconnects:	Monster Interlink, 16-ga solid-strand speaker wire.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, rock, classical.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	4 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	None to be found yet.
Product Strengths:	Great sound at an inexpensive price, user-replaceable stylus, setup is a snap.