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Which cartridge? Ortofon 2M Black or Grado Sonata -1

Bigerik

Bigerik

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Which cartridge would you guys recommend, a Grado 2M Black or Grado MCZ? Going on a good quality arm of 10-11 grams. No issue on my part with the low output of the MCZ. Nice thing with the MCZ is that the stylus is upgradeable a few steps to match, or better, the 2M Black stylus.

Money is not a consideration in this discussion.
 
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I think you answered your own question with the following statement:
BTW, I am really loving the lush warmth of the MCZ right now.
Never in the two months I had a 2M Black on loan did I hear lush and warm.
 
I think you should get the Sonata and then tell me all about it, because I'm considering it as well :) You go first...
 
JohnVF said:
I think you should get the Sonata and then tell me all about it, because I'm considering it as well :) You go first...
Click to expand...

He has a MCZ, you don't. Would you like to hear a MCZ on your Well Tempered? If so, PM me with an address to send it to and give it a spin for a month. We'll compare notes, and I can give you ideas then of where the Sonata-1 is superior to it.
 
Bigerik said:
Now the other question. Low output or high output sonata?
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First things first I have not heard the Ortofon Black but I have had the Ortofon OM20 for a number of years. I am currently using the Sonata Statement 1 but I have never heard the HO Sonata. I also owned the Grado Red and that is my recent experience with a HO Grado.

Now that I have shared some of my experiences I have to say the Sonata Statement is the best cartridge I have heard in my system. The cartridge does a great job with tracking with a minimum of surface noise. Imaging and soundstaging is very good. Better in fact than some moving coils I have owned but they were also less expensive than the Grado. Benz Gold, AT F7, Sumiko Blue Point were some of the MC's I have owned. Layering of orchestras is very good and for someone like myself who is not musically trained the cartridge leaves no doubt which instruments are playing. Instruments truly sound like themselves.

The Sonata is more musical than the OM20. I always thought the OM20 lacking in instrumental color. Or to pit it another way the OM20 whitened the sound. Oh and female vocalists are incredible. On a Diana Krall record her voice was so natural and then when backing strings came into play the distance from her voice and strings was obvious. As clear and focused as her voice is at the front of the soundstage the strings were equally detailed and defined at the rear of the soundstage. This was the first cartridge in my budget to wow me.

Oh by the way I love the Grado Statement Sonata.
 
Bigerik said:
Now the other question. Low output or high output sonata?
Click to expand...


First things first I have not heard the Ortofon Black but I have had the Ortofon OM20 for a number of years. I am currently using the Sonata Statement 1 but I have never heard the HO Sonata. I also owned the Grado Red and that is my recent experience with a HO Grado.

Now that I have shared some of my experiences I have to say the Sonata Statement is the best cartridge I have heard in my system. The cartridge does a great job with tracking with a minimum of surface noise. Imaging and soundstaging is very good. Better in fact than some moving coils I have owned but they were also less expensive than the Grado. Benz Gold, AT F7, Sumiko Blue Point were some of the MC's I have owned. Layering of orchestras is very good and for someone like myself who is not musically trained the cartridge leaves no doubt which instruments are playing. Instruments truly sound like themselves.

The Sonata is more musical than the OM20. I always thought the OM20 lacking in instrumental color. Or to pit it another way the OM20 whitened the sound. Oh and female vocalists are incredible. On a Diana Krall record her voice was so natural and then when backing strings came into play the distance from her voice and strings was obvious. As clear and focused as her voice is at the front of the soundstage the strings were equally detailed and defined at the rear of the soundstage. This was the first cartridge in my budget to wow me.


Oh by the way I love the Grado Statement Sonata.
 
marcmorin said:
He has a MCZ, you don't. Would you like to hear a MCZ on your Well Tempered? If so, PM me with an address to send it to and give it a spin for a month. We'll compare notes, and I can give you ideas then of where the Sonata-1 is superior to it.
Click to expand...

My god what a wonderful gesture :thmbsp:
 
Stanton681EEES said:
My god what a wonderful gesture :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

"We" had quite a dynamic of exchanging carts on another forum. The Gold, 8MR, 8MZ, MCZ, and Sonata-1 carts reviewed on DaveyW's web site were ones I sent him. Others sent many of the other carts reviewed. It would be nice if we could achieve similar dynamics here......and maybe make it a "sticky" to point others to everytime there is a "what cart would be my best choice" thread comes up. Maybe a criteria list of tables/arms/phono sections?
 
marcmorin said:
You must.......you said it twice :thmbsp:

Mine is the hi-out due to my phono stage being 37db gain. I can only guess at how much faster the low-out is due to the shortness of the coil length.
Click to expand...


My iPhone strikes again. I tried to delete the second post but could not.

My phono preamp has both 40 and 60 db of gain. I would not mind maybe 65 db of gain. Dynamics are good so no problems with sensitivity.
 
I don't really understand. I thought grados w known for their midrange. Can you give me sme advice?


Ben aka MacKat
 
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