Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

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SteveTheShadow
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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by SteveTheShadow »

Yep, that’s the thing with Grados. They are highly sensitive to fine adjustments of bias, tracking weight and alignment. This is probably down to the undamped cantilever suspension. Get them right and there are few cartridges that can equal them. Get one wrong and you’ll wonder what drugs the Grado fanboys are on and can you have some?
They can sound awful in the wrong circumstances.
However, I love them.
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Fretless (Wed Aug 04, 2021 10:18 am)
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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by Fretless »

Spotted the problem. The arm was touching the arm-raise bar at a certain point and that caused it to stick.

Bent the bar down a bit. Now it won't raise from the end of the side.

Time to ponder.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
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DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by Fretless »

SteveTheShadow wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 9:51 am Yep, that’s the thing with Grados. They are highly sensitive to fine adjustments of bias, tracking weight and alignment. This is probably down to the undamped cantilever suspension. Get them right and there are few cartridges that can equal them. Get one wrong and you’ll wonder what drugs the Grado fanboys are on and can you have some?
They can sound awful in the wrong circumstances.
However, I love them.
Thanks for the moral support, Steve.

When the Grado's are right they sing like angels! :angelic-green:

It's a learning process .... :doh:

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
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Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by Fretless »

antonio66 wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:54 am Can I have first dibs on the Denafrips when you come to sell it :lol:
Er ..... :think:


No. :mrgreen:


Knowing the cyclical nature of my obsessive focus, I'll be back on the digits by the end of the year.
And the Denafrips Ares II has undergone a price-rise (just heard that from Vinshine).
There will be other DAC's heading out the door before that one.
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antonio66 (Thu Aug 05, 2021 12:03 am)

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by Vinyl-ant »

Fretless wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 10:00 am Spotted the problem. The arm was touching the arm-raise bar at a certain point and that caused it to stick.

Bent the bar down a bit. Now it won't raise from the end of the side.

Time to ponder.
There should be a setscrew on the side of the outrigger that holds the arm lifter in place, this can be losened off to allow you to position the lifter at the correct height.
Id bend the bar back where it was then lower the lifter slightly. The cart is probably slightly shorter top to bottom than the earlier one, causing the arm to ride slightly lower over the lifter than it did before. so the vta will have changed slightly too.
Just a little setup tweak will sort it
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Fretless (Wed Aug 04, 2021 1:42 pm) • antonio66 (Thu Aug 05, 2021 12:09 am)
Analogue: oracle delphi sme 309, jbe series 3 cx unipivot dv20x2l, roksan xerxes tabriz vm750, jvc ql-y5f rigb at440, jvc ql-y3f vm750, lenco 75, technics sl150

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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by Fretless »

The arm-lift on the LE1 seems to be a weakness. On the web there are several to be seen with the bar broken off.

On a more positive note, I have just fitted the MCZ stylus. Immediately hearing a fuller, fatter bass (Mick Karn on 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids') and overall more grip, authority and solidity to the soundstage.

Stunning. :dance:

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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Re: Grado Prestige Green - first impressions

Unread post by Fretless »

Further thoughts on the Grado's seeing as I have been intensely busy with them for the last 2 months (only 2 months? Feels like years.).

Grado Prestige Green 3: this is a superb budget cartridge which proved an excellent match in both the Project Debut and Syrinx arm. An excellent performer and thoroughly enjoyable.

8MZ stylus in Prestige Green body: takes the sound towards High-End territory with greatly increased imaging and detail.

8MZ stylus in MCZ Signature body: again a marked step up in soundstage and overall musicality. Here was a noticeable drop in output and the 8MZ sounded detailed but 'polite'.

MCZ Signature cartridge: audibly a better match with the MCZ stylus than the 8MZ. Sparkling dynamics and detail. A marvelous sense of involvement and immersion in the music.



Now I'll have to save my pennies for one of the 'woodies', I suppose.

The only way is up! :banana-rock:

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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