Steve_Graham@ub.cc.umich.edu (12/27/90)
I'd read that Grado might have finally gotten their act together as far as tracking is concerned. Sad to say, not so. A friend recently bought a ZCE+1 (I think...it's the "selected" version of the "cheap" grado that everyone keeps handy) and it mistracked quite badly on the first band on each side of the Shure TTR103 test disk that I use for initial set up. Any cartridge worth it's salt (tracking-wise) will make it through the third band on each side of the disk without showing this level of distress. That holds true in virtually every table/arm combo too, as long as the bearings arne't binding or something, so we're not talking about problems with the table here. In actual use it wasn't as bad as I had expected, because unlike most cartridges, it tracks cleanly up to the point where it loses it, then it just suddenly falls apart. But it did mean spitty sibilances on bright vocals, as expected. Increasing the tracking force and fiddling with the antiskate only makes for marginal improvement. Unfortunately Grado does not seem to acknowledge the problem, though if you return particularly bad specimens you can get them replaced. --Steve Graham
drysdale@samsung.com (Scott Drysdale) (12/31/90)
i've been annoying the local stereo outlets lately. i had a grado zf3+ (or
something like that - around $60.00) and i too thought the sibilant sounds
really sucked - cymbals, vocals, some synth sounds). i tried fooling with
tracking force (other alignment was right on as they say to set it up) and
got nowhere also. the grado was returned, and i got an audio technica pt800,
which exhibits some problems with sibilants, but not nearly as bad as the
grado. can you give me any pointers to improving performance, or point me
toward a really good cartridge? i've got a cheapo turntable (p-mount arm,
adjustable tracking force, nothing else) and don't have the bucks right now
to spring for a good turntable and a good cartridge. i'm looking for
something around $100 (the pt800 was $80 - apparently the perfection quantum
is $20 :)
--Scotty
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