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Wood body Grado cartridges ?

I worked up through most Grado cartridges since the mid '90's the last grado was this one.
Here is the sum-up of it by The Absolute Sound review;
"Here’s the bottom line: Grado’s Reference Platinum isn’t a “state-of-the-art” cartridge (it could use more openness, detail, and high-frequency “air”), but it exhibits more top-tier performance attributes and delivers greater musical enjoyment per dollar than any other $300 cartridge I’ve heard"


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Then I had a clearaudio Virtuoso for a couple of years ( very good but not better, I have been searching for that live sound I used to hear in a small Jazz club in North England a long time ago)

However, about 10 months ago I bought a Thorens 1600 turntable with a Charisma MC-M moving coil. Cost over US$2000 for the cartridge.
But my search is over. This cartridge is vastly superior to the very good Grado Reference. I have achieved the sound I was looking for.
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@vinowino - nice cartridge, that Charisma MC-M!
Not really fair to compare though, a Grado Reference Platinum to it. That RP used to Grado’s cheapest woodie cartridge.
Reference Platinum has an aluminum cantilever and bonded elliptical tip, while the Charisma sports a sapphire cantilever and tiny line contact. Put those parts on the Grado and it may also sound like a $2K cartridge.. :)
About the only similarities between the two are a wood body and both come in a wood box.
 
MisterDK said:
@vinowino - nice cartridge, that Charisma MC-M!
Not really fair to compare though, a Grado Reference Platinum to it. That RP used to Grado’s cheapest woodie cartridge.
Reference Platinum has an aluminum cantilever and bonded elliptical tip, while the Charisma sports a sapphire cantilever and tiny line contact. Put those parts on the Grado and it may also sound like a $2K cartridge.. :)
About the only similarities between the two are a wood body and both come in a wood box.
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In my experience this is absolutely true. A tapered aluminum cantilever with a GygerII diamond Joseph Long put on a G2+ is breathing down the neck of a Soundsmith Voice that I have. Really, the only difference that I hear is a slight advantage to the SS in clarity, and a deeper soundstage with the G2. They both are similar in tonality.
 
lsipes1965 said:
In my experience this is absolutely true. A tapered aluminum cantilever with a GygerII diamond Joseph Long put on a G2+ is breathing down the neck of a Soundsmith Voice that I have. Really, the only difference that I hear is a slight advantage to the SS in clarity, and a deeper soundstage with the G2. They both are similar in tonality.
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I have never understood why Sapphire and ruby cantilevers continued when boron was available again. Sapphire and ruby are heavier and less stiff than boron, actually they are even heavier than simple aluminium cantilevers so they are not great at all as a cantilever material which needs to be stiff and light.
Chris
 
cafe latte said:
I have never understood why Sapphire and ruby cantilevers continued when boron was available again. Sapphire and ruby are heavier and less stiff than boron, actually they are even heavier than simple aluminium cantilevers so they are not great at all as a cantilever material which needs to be stiff and light.
Chris
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Perception maybe? Ooooh, Sapphire! Ruby! Sounds sexy right?
 
cafe latte said:
I have never understood why Sapphire and ruby cantilevers continued when boron was available again. Sapphire and ruby are heavier and less stiff than boron, actually they are even heavier than simple aluminium cantilevers so they are not great at all as a cantilever material which needs to be stiff and light.
Chris
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I'm not sure even a boron rod is lighter than a good aluminum pipe, though it might be stiffer? At least some old Ortofon MC which was available in both boron and aluminum cantilevered versions seemed to quote 0.05mg heavier effective tip mass for the boron rod version but maybe there were other differences also.
 
muovimies said:
I'm not sure even a boron rod is lighter than a good aluminum pipe, though it might be stiffer? At least some old Ortofon MC which was available in both boron and aluminum cantilevered versions seemed to quote 0.05mg heavier effective tip mass for the boron rod version but maybe there were other differences also.
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Aluminium has a higher density than boron so it is heavier. Even though aluminium cantilevers are a tube unless the tube is very thin indeed then there will likely be more material than there is in very thin boron rod and aluminium of course is not as stiff.
I guess it would be possible to make an aluminium cantilever lighter, maybe super thin and tapered but at a cost of stiffness.
Chris
 
I'm a Grado lover here, and have read through this entire thread because I have the Opus3 on my wish list based on everything I've read here and elsewhere. But I still have a few questions still about the Opus3.

How does it do with rock music? I have eclectic tastes, running from Prog to Psych to Rockabilly. I mostly listen to rock in my mancave where I build plastic airplane models. That setup uses a Technics SL-Q2, and I swap a variety of amps in and out over time. Is the Opus3 good with Rock, and is it a good match for my SL-Q2?

I also love Jazz, R&B and Soul music, which I often listen to in my living room setup - Pioneer PL-707, currently sporting an AT-150mlx into a recapped Denon PMA-777. I have an impression - not sure if it is accurate - that the Opus3 is less of a Rock cartridge and is better suited to Jazz. Is this true? And is the Opus3 a good match for the PL-707?
 
ChicagoTom said:
I'm a Grado lover here, and have read through this entire thread because I have the Opus3 on my wish list based on everything I've read here and elsewhere. But I still have a few questions still about the Opus3.

How does it do with rock music? I have eclectic tastes, running from Prog to Psych to Rockabilly. I mostly listen to rock in my mancave where I build plastic airplane models. That setup uses a Technics SL-Q2, and I swap a variety of amps in and out over time. Is the Opus3 good with Rock, and is it a good match for my SL-Q2?

I also love Jazz, R&B and Soul music, which I often listen to in my living room setup - Pioneer PL-707, currently sporting an AT-150mlx into a recapped Denon PMA-777. I have an impression - not sure if it is accurate - that the Opus3 is less of a Rock cartridge and is better suited to Jazz. Is this true? And is the Opus3 a good match for the PL-707?
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It is hard to answer is Opus3 good for rock, it's matter of taste. For me it is, because it manages to sound full and timbrally rich on most recordings, even on sparse and hollow mixes. But for some, that could be described as polite sounding (although Opus is quite dynamic). It can make rock recordings to sound nicer than they are, whether you like it or not is up to you.
 
ChicagoTom said:
I'm a Grado lover here, and have read through this entire thread because I have the Opus3 on my wish list based on everything I've read here and elsewhere. But I still have a few questions still about the Opus3.

How does it do with rock music? I have eclectic tastes, running from Prog to Psych to Rockabilly. I mostly listen to rock in my mancave where I build plastic airplane models. That setup uses a Technics SL-Q2, and I swap a variety of amps in and out over time. Is the Opus3 good with Rock, and is it a good match for my SL-Q2?

I also love Jazz, R&B and Soul music, which I often listen to in my living room setup - Pioneer PL-707, currently sporting an AT-150mlx into a recapped Denon PMA-777. I have an impression - not sure if it is accurate - that the Opus3 is less of a Rock cartridge and is better suited to Jazz. Is this true? And is the Opus3 a good match for the PL-707?
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I think it’s kind of like asking if a particular speaker does well with a certain genre. My opinion only…..but if anything, speaker, cart, amp does better with one genre over another something is wrong with it. I’ve got 7 Grados’ from the 70’s to current day including the Opus3. If you like Grados house sound it’s not a drastic change.
 
@ChicagoTom - Tom, I’ve only listened to my Opus3 on an Audiomods Six arm, on a ‘71 Sony DD table - and I think rock records sound excellent with it!
Midrange is beautiful, bass is powerful - though it probably could be a bit tighter.. Highs are -good- but not as airy and detailed as with some brighter cartridges. Background is very quiet with minimal pops/clicks.

Opus3 is very smooth and pleasant to listen to. I think that if you like mid-range Grado carts, you’ll really like the Opus3!

Duane
 
Does anyone here know if Grado’s change from mahogany wood to jarrah wood corresponded with any series # or electrical changes? OR - was it possibly just ‘cause Grado got an inexpensive source of the jarrah then?

Asking ‘cause I see the early style coffin shaped “big G” woodies in both types of wood, not dependent on model type.
 
Switch to Jarrah was for the better sound. Switch to different shape body was also for better sound and stability (better platform to hold the innards, cantilever and stylus).
 
CrSens said:
Switch to Jarrah was for the better sound. Switch to different shape body was also for better sound and stability (better platform to hold the innards, cantilever and stylus).
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How do you know this - and when did it happen?

Sort of makes sense though. Later bodies apparently do have a little more wood mass around the generator.
Older mahogany examples look nicer than jarrah though - to me, anyway.
 
MisterDK said:
How do you know this - and when did it happen?

Sort of makes sense though. Later bodies apparently do have a little more wood mass around the generator.
Older mahogany examples look nicer than jarrah though - to me, anyway.
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It was posted on Grado's website at various times, promo articles, etc..
 
MisterDK said:
How do you know this - and when did it happen?

Sort of makes sense though. Later bodies apparently do have a little more wood mass around the generator.
Older mahogany examples look nicer than jarrah though - to me, anyway.
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Well they're certainly not going to say the previous models sound better in their literature lol

Like you I like the fact the older models actually had some style other than a "block" of wood. And might I suggest the non parallel sides could have a sonic advantage.
 
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