Maciek

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $40.00 from Sevenoaks Hifi

Summary:
This is actually a review of the Grado Prestige Black cartridge, the lowest member of this budget series. I am using it with a 25 year old Dual 504 turntable. I listen mainly to classical music, using Tannoy Mercury 2.5 speakers and a Pioneer A300R Precision amplifier. I have to say that the sound of this combination often astounds me. The replay of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin played by Nathan Milstein is staggeringly good; it is almost as though the performer is in the room with you playing his Strad. The artistry and the emotion of the music are rendered with great accuracy. The emotion and tension of the Sibelius Symphonies, played by the L.S.O., conducted by Lorin Maazel are also conveyed with great accuracy. Who needs esoteric, up-market equipment, when such humble items as these deliver such quality ? I have heard more modern pieces of equipment e.g. Pro-ject turntables, Rega Planar 3, but they do not reallly offer any improvements on my humble set up.

Strengths:
The ability to deliver the heart and soul of the music.

Weaknesses:
What weaknesses ?

Similar Products Used:
Modern Pro-ject turntables.

Price Paid:  $80.00 from Sound Exchange, Icn.

Summary:
I too own a Dual CS 515 purchased 18 years ago in Hamilton, Ontario. I know live in PA. This table has gone through many "modifications". This is the 5th cartridge for this table. It was easy to set-up and sounds great. It is a little shy in the bass area but has a decent midrange and no harshness in the upper region. Since the stylus is of the elliptical type, inner groove distortion is always an issue no matter how careful you are with setup (I use my ears). I have been listening to only my cheapo pressings right know (some are Direct Metal Mastered). I am anxious to try out some of my audiophile pressings ASAP.

Strengths:
Easy setup. Good mid's and high's.

Weaknesses:
Elliptical stylus. Weak bass

Similar Products Used:
Shure M97HE Ortophon OM 10 Stanton D70 E Technics ???

Price Paid:  $100.00 from audioadvisor

Summary:
After the purshase of a Grado black for my Thorens TD160, I bought a second one, but the green model for my TD124. Till that no problem, both are good value cartridges. In this way I purshased the red model for a TD125 with SME 3012. What a sad result. Sound is flat, high frequencies thin, attacks...which attacks ?

Strengths:
Price in absolute

Weaknesses:
Price / sound

Similar Products Used:
Goldring 1042, one of the best MM I heard.

Price Paid:  $120.00 from Audio Center- Deerfi

Summary:
Upon initial auditioning I was impressed with this cart. Especially as it gave my mediocre mb quart sl's a real test regarding stereo imaging and separation. However this cart is poorly shielded. Any audiophile with a 20+ year old amplifier (mine is a phase linear 700b) or other vintage components will spend hours repositioning components to eliminate the awful "hum" eminating from the cart. I returned the cart immediately to my local dealer and purchased a Benz micro gold. A much cleaner, detailed, and shielded cart for the money.

Strengths:
Stereo separation and imaging. Grado needs to redesign their lower end carts as they are poorly shielded from oscillation and hum. Never again

Weaknesses:
Poorly shielded: terrible hum and oscillation.

Similar Products Used:
Benz micro gold mm, goldring eroica, orotofon super 90.

Price Paid:  $125.00 from Fairview Hi-Fi

Summary:
I listen to both digital and analogue sources. I am not a vinyl supporter but certain vinyl disks I have in my collection are not likely to find their way onto CD. Because of this fact I decided to resurrect my Dual 515 turntable and had it refurbished. In my vinyl days I always believed in the best cartrage gave the best sound. BOY WAS I WRONG. Despite the Grado Prestige Red''s modest price the sound is phenominal. The first thing I noticed was the superb stero imaging. I am a classical music fanatic and I listen to alot of orchestral music where insrument placement is a must. The grado won hands down with each instrument properly placed and no imaging crossover. The sound was clean with excellent highs and a well rounded lower end.Clean sound with little colouring. On very loud passages (Cannons in the 1812 Overture) there is a slight muddying in the lower range. Tracking is excellent at the recommended 1.5 gram force. NOTE: The Grado Red uses an elipitcal stylus mounted in a brass sleeve. This arrangement makes the stylus very sensitive to dirt on the record. Make sure that the records are cleaned with a good record cleaning system (Diskwasher) or dirt will collect around the stylus point and cause distortion. No reservations for this excellent carteage. If you are looking to replace you cartrage, the Grado Red is a modestly priced product delivering premium priced sound. Think twice before spending more money. Sound System: Dual C515 Turtable Grado Prestige Red Cartrage Harmon/Kardon HK 3370 Receiver Harmon/Kardon FL 8380CD Changer Sennheiser HD 570 Headphones or AKG K 340 Electrostatics

Strengths:
Excellent imaging Neutral sound Smooth uniform sound

Weaknesses:
Loud passages can cause sligh muddying of lower bass Suseptable to dirt on LP''s. LP''s must be cleaned well.

Similar Products Used:
Sure Mark VI Ortofon Moving Coil