Info on Grado MF3

[jdre]

I hope Grado has them, I wonder if they are still provided with the Prestige series. I may use mine on a future turntable I have yet to get.

 

[boreas]

I hope Grado has them, I wonder if they are still provided with the Prestige series. I may use mine on a future turntable I have yet to get.

Sadly, they don't. I got a reply this morning. All it said was, "Hi John. regrettably that hardware has not been available for some time."

I think I'm going to end up having to use a modified universal adapter. I'll just cut off everything except the socket for the cartridge. It won't look pretty but at least it'll work.

Actually, I'm wondering now whether using the entire universal adapter might approximate the decoupler.

John

 

[jdre]

Can it mount without the decoupler, my cartridge looks like it would. Hooking up the wires with the socket from a P mount adapter wouldn't weigh much more than the pin adapters.

 

[boreas]

Can it mount without the decoupler, my cartridge looks like it would. Hooking up the wires with the socket from a P mount adapter wouldn't weigh much more than the pin adapters.

Absolutely but it would be firmly "coupled" with the headshell which is something Grado apparently didn't like. The decoupler reduces the contact between cartridge and headshell to three points, one at each bolt and one at the nose of the cartridge.

One thing, though. The decoupler would probably be a problem for a turntable without adjustable VTA. The Grado is a fairly tall cartridge and the decoupler would make it just that much taller.

John

 

[jdre]

It is kind of bulky. I wonder if just putting some thin tiny washers between the headshell and cart would work.

 

[DaveyW]

My question is whether or not I should clean the old stuff out and renew it or is the old stuff still good, assuming there's enough of it left.

Thanks,
John

Hi John,
I would strongly advise against this.
The compound drys out in time around the coil fly wires that run from the front of the coils (next to the stylus assembly) to the pins.
It is very, very easy to snap a coil wire while removing compound even from the stylus pocket. I've unfortunately trashed a perfectly good body doing this.
I'd look at using something new as Brocluno suggested.
Maybe Marc might come back with a preferred alternative.

Good luck
Dave

 

[DaveyW]

Here's a couple of pics that might better explain the issue

Here's the body I broke, you can see the black compund around the front of the coils.

Here's a further pic after I'd carefully removed the compound to show the culprit of the broken wire

You should be able to see a dried lump of compound around the coil wire.
While attempting to carefully remove the compound in the stylus pocket, this lump was dislodged and snap!

Cheers
Dave

 

[boreas]

You should be able to see a dried lump of compound around the coil wire.
While attempting to carefully remove the compound in the stylus pocket, this lump was dislodged and snap!

Cheers
Dave

OOF! Sorry you had that experience! I'd better leave well enough alone.

Thanks!

John

 

[marcmorin]

OOF! Sorry you had that experience! I'd better leave well enough alone.

Thanks!

John

If you are going to change out the stylus, as Dave pointed out, leave the black stuff alone. There is "damping" material that can be added to the stylus to firmly hold it in the stylus pocket without fooling around with the compound in there now.

Marc

 

[eric1037]

I stumbled across this thread while looking for info on my grado mf3 cartridge. Here is the tech data and link to the owner's manual.

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/grado/m-series.shtml

http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridg...chi=&stid=&masslo=&masshi=&notes=&prlo=&prhi=

 

[GP49]

The MF3E+ was the "sweet spot" in the Grado lineup.

Go higher and the dealer cost and retail prices escalated rapidly with virtually no improvement in performance...and in the M1+ and M2+, the more extended high end came along with a too-hot upper midrange/low treble.

Lower in the line wouldn't save you much money if the dealer was maintaining a reasonable markup over cost; the MF3E+ didn't cost the dealer much more than the lower models, even though the price marked on the packaging was much higher, to allow price-gouging.

(I used to run the repair department in a Grado dealer)

 

[sberger]

If the table motor is un-shielded, it will pick up EMI and you'll hear the 60hz come through as a small amount of hum. The "fussy nature" of Grado carts, I can walk you through any and all of it to get you the best performance.
On stylus replacement.......the 8MZ stylus will fit that body.....it sells for $100.00 from grado labs.....it is light years ahead of the Blue stylus. For less money than the Gold stylus, it is well beyond the Gold in performance.

http://daveyw.edsstuff.org/index.htm

This is a great site to hear various combinations of Grado carts and styli, as well as other MM/MI/MC carts.

Marc

Since I couldn't use my F1+ cart for the 8MZ because I don't have the right loading capability to get it down below 47K for a proper listen, I went out to my newly cleaned garage and started digging around old boxes of old carts that I have(long story). Lo and behold, found a plastic baggie of old Grado carts including the M3(along with a MT+, M1+, and another F1+). Yes! Loads at a "normal" 47K and the 8MZ as Marc said fits perfectly. Installed it on my new AR XA and it sounds absolutely wonderful. Wouldn't have even thought of digging through old boxes had Mr. Morin not been so incessant with his nagging at how great the 8MZ is, especially on the XA. I'm glad he was

 

[seminole54]

Glad you finally got it sorted out, enjoy.

 

[sberger]

Glad you finally got it sorted out, enjoy.

Thanks. I am too.

 

[marcmorin]

Of the M bodies you have, check the coils for R. some of them maybe in the 800 ohm, some maybe in the 485 ohm. the 485 ohm bodies won't require loading down. the 800 bodies will. If the M1 is 485, that's the best body you have. Depending on equipment down stream, will determine how much you would notice. Glad you finally were able to mount the 8MZ.....it rocks don't it?:thmbsp:

Oh, and I feel old enough as it is......drop the "Mr."

 

[sberger]

Geez Marc can't you let a guy have some fun without getting all scientific on him

And yeah, I'll knock off the Mr. Just having some fun with you(I'm no spring chicken at 57 either...)

So...did some testing and it turns out the M3+ was in the 800 ohm region, so tried the other carts I found and one, which is the same tan body, so I'm guessing a "M" cart, but with no id on the front, although it does say "Grado" on the top, measured at about 500 ohm, give or take, which I assume is close enough. So I put that in and since it's too late to try it tonight I'll have to report back in the morning.

In all seriousness I appreciate the help and learning experience.

 

[sberger]

Well the unknown Grado experiment failed. Volume very low. Plus, when I examined the 8MZ this morning the cantilever was skewed. Have no idea why other than Mr. Clumsy(that would be my alter ego) did something to it last night unbeknownst to me. Straightened it out but it's a dead duck.

And now for some good news...So before I saw that the 8MZ was dead when back out to the garage to see if any other Grado's existed, and found a ZF3. My heart started to pound wildly as I knew that most of the Z series had a resistance of 475 ohms. Even had it's stylus intact with stylus guard! Took it into the house, installed it on the headshell and of course the 8MZ failed. Put the stock stylus in and listening now it sounds very very nice. Went ahead and ordered another 8MZ because why stop now? Hopefully by the middle of this coming week I'll be up and running again. Marc Morin...Everytime I hear his name now "The Pusher" by Steppenwolf starts going off in my head.

 

[marcmorin]

Marc Morin...Everytime I hear his name now "The Pusher" by Steppenwolf starts going off in my head.

Hoyt Axton :yes:

Sorry to hear about the stylus........that's a bummer:sigh:

 

[sberger]

Hoyt Axton...of course. But I grew up with Easy Rider so you'll pardon my more modern reference.

Stuff happens and then we go away for a long time. In the immortal words of Tony Soprano, whadya gonna do? I have more carts, more stylus', a good wife and kid, and my health. Life could be worse, ya know? Slapped the M91ED back on this morning after coffee with a bit of Cannonball Adderley, and it's 1970 again and I'm feeling fine.

Have a nice weekend.