Grado F3+ upgrade options

[EK517]

Hi all,

My Technics SL-1900 came with two heads: a Grado F3+ and a Nagaoka JT411. Not a lot of info on the latter, but what little is there I could glean was not very favorable.
The Grado sounds better, clearly.

According to lpgear, the 8MZ stylus and Blue would fit the F3+ cartridge.

Is there an advantage for getting an 8MZ cartridge over sticking with the F3+ ?

What do you think?

Cheers,

Erez

 

[bobins08]

Well one advantage is cost, if you can find an 8MZ cartridge it will have a cost.

The 8MZ stylus will play nicely on the F3+.

 

[EK517]

I was wondering if it the same 8MZ stylus would sound better on a 8MZ cartridge than on the F3+ cartridge and if the extra expense makes sense.

I don't think the cartridge has ever been aligned with a protractor. It is probably 40 years old. Is there a risk the wires breaking should i try to move the cartridge back and forth?

 

[marcmorin]

I was wondering if it the same 8MZ stylus would sound better on a 8MZ cartridge than on the F3+ cartridge and if the extra expense makes sense.

I don't think the cartridge has ever been aligned with a protractor. It is probably 40 years old. Is there a risk the wires breaking should i try to move the cartridge back and forth?

the wires are part of the headshell, and can be replaced rather easily. The F, G, and first half production of the M series all shared the same soundstage perspective. the F1, G1,G2, M1, M2 were the top bodies in those series. The 8MZ body shares the same soundstage perspective as the second half M , X, and Z series production. Again, the M1, M2, X1, X2, Z1*, Z2* were the top bodies in those series.
One might hear >>~~> l l <~~<< this much difference between an 8MZ body and a M2 or X2 body(as an example) but that rests solely on the rest of the system to be able to extract that "l l" difference. The vast majority of details a cart can bring forth rests in the stylus assembly

* ( there were low output Z1 and Z2 bodies also, sharing the same coil configuration as the MCX, MCZ bodies)

 

[EK517]

Thanks for the explanation. If I get it right, the cartridge physical design has some impact on the soundstage since it part of the assembly in which the stylus vibrates, and the later cartridge designs, get more refined with each generation.
On my humble system and the basic SL-1900 arm in particular, those subtleties might be hard to bring out... or maybe not so hard, but I think it would make sense to focus on a styuls upgrade in the 8MZ case.
Cheers,

Erez

 

[marcmorin]

Thanks for the explanation. If I get it right, the cartridge physical design has some impact on the soundstage since it part of the assembly in which the stylus vibrates, and the later cartridge designs, get more refined with each generation.
On my humble system and the basic SL-1900 arm in particular, those subtleties might be hard to bring out... or maybe not so hard, but I think it would make sense to focus on a styuls upgrade in the 8MZ case.
Cheers,

Erez

Hi, it has nothing to do with the vibrational modes of the cartridge body, but the configuration of the coils inside, and placement of generating ring in the magnetic gap.

 

[EK517]

Thanks again for the explanations, it makes a lot more sense now (and I did some further reading and learning on the subject).

Question: while it is obvious that the stylus wears, what is the case with the cartridge? Any maintenance required or cleanings of some sort?
I heard once that dust can collect and form a ring inside over time but I wanted to qualify that.

I had the cartridge aligned and there is a huge improvement. I don't think it was ever aligned, my father was not the technical type. I think he just bought the shell with the cartridge on a tour assembled and that's it.

It sounds better, but on complex passages, like a full orchestra tutti, there is some distortion, so I am thinking of replacing, at least the stylus, soon. It has more than 1000 hours on it easily, I wouldn't be surprised of it were over 2000.