dep@allegra.UUCP (Dewayne Perry) (03/23/85)
[] Does anyone have any information on the following cartridge: the Signature M series by Grado - about $200 My hi-fi dealer is giving it raves and thinks I should try it instead of another moving coil cartridge with pre-preamp. Also, what about the new $1600 Kyocera? Any experience? Many thanks - Dewayne
greg@olivee.UUCP (Greg Paley) (03/27/85)
I listened fairly extensively to the Grado Signature 8M last fall when I was buying a new cartridge. I didn't choose it, for reasons I'll describe later, but nonethless found it a an excellent cartridge. I found the sound significantly superior to the Shure V-15/5 in resolution of depth and ambient information, and also superior to my previous favorite fixed-coil cartridge, the Grace F9E, in clarity of detail and reproduction of transients. The one problem that I didn't encounter but was warned about was the lack of proper shielding which, when used with turntables whose arms also lack shielding (the AR turntable with its own arm was cited as an example) can cause hum. The Grado may well be a more accurate cartridge than the one I chose, the Audioquest 404. This is a high-output moving coil. I'll freely admit that probably the aspects I most like about the Audioquest are actually distortions. Specifically, it has the feeling of transparency and spaciousness typical of moving coil cartridges that is probably caused by a high-end rise (generally in the area between 15kHz and 20kHz). I suspect that this is the region in which the sound components generally referred to as "ambience" are found and would explain why those seeking to clearly hear the ambient information on their recordings are drawn to moving coil designs - the information is not merely reproduced but, in fact, exaggerated. Also, I do a great deal of listening to operatic and Lieder recordings. The reproduction of voice seems to be a particular strength of the Audioquest. In fact, this cartridge produces more of a semblance of what I've heard in the opera house from several big, and difficult to reproduce voices (Nilsson, Vickers, Domingo, Sutherland) that exceeds what I've heard from moving coil cartridges that cost considerably more. Again, it may be that the high-end rise strengthens the reproduction of the overtone structure of the voice, enhancing the impression of the "soaring" quality heard in the house, which may be compensating for the visual element. I would think that your tonearm would exert an influence on your ultimate choice. The Grado will mate very well with a wide range of low to medium mass arms. The Audioquest requires more mass. Furthermore, the Audioquest has a very resonant body which may cause problems unless the arm and/or headshell are well damped. I use Audioquest's own "Orsonic" headshell, but using this presumes that the arm can take a "universal" headshell mount (which is becoming more of a rarity as more manufacturers use proprietary headshell designs). Another advantage to the Grado over a number of moving coil models is the fact that the Grado uses a true elliptical stylus design rather than the finer line-contact used for many moving coils. This makes the Grado far easier to set up and also makes it less sensitive to slight deviations from pinpoint accuracy when setting the azimuth, overhang, and VTA. I found it worth the hassles for the sound of the Audioquest, but this is something to consider. Another factor would be the associated equipment, particularly speakers. If your speakers have a tendency to brightness in the high end, the added brightness caused by the high-end rise of a moving coil cartridge might make you uncomfortable. I'm using Vandersteen 2C speakers which tend away from brightness and thereby compensate for the brightness and slight hardness that others have complained of with the Audioquest. - Greg Paley