Grace Cartridge Question

I own two Grace cartridges, one is an F-9 Ruby which was re-tipped by Soundsmith.

I don't know if this question will get many responses, but I'll post it anyway... What was considered the top of the line Grace cartridge? Was it the F-9 Ruby?

What happened to Grace and why did they stop making cartridges?

Both of my cartridges sound teriffic, much better than the Ortofon 2M Bronze that I previously owned.

Thanks!

 

Tommyboy ; I still have a Grace F-9E Ruby and and also F-8E which was considered just below the '9'.. The F-9E was the top and got its name because of its ruby cantilever. Extremely strong but which was light in mass. They can certainly track vinyl and at pressures no higher than their recommended max. of 1.5 grams.
Grace also made superb arms. I even have a spare boxed brand new Grace Classic 77 arm should I need it, in the future. Why Grace went out of business manufacturing , I do not know. Similarly with Supex ,another of the then fine cartridge manufacturers. When you see some of the "virtual imposter" brands that float around today as the vinyl -playing TT & cartridge 'ants pants' leaders , one shakes one's head in dismay. What some people use today and want to rave about -even in these columns : would have been chucked in the nearest dust bin , 30 years ago. I smile seeing some of that equipment appear to claimed qualities and specifications ,that they never ever had , when first released and tested.

 

Thanks! Much appreciated.

 

There was also the Grace F10 moving coil series. Never saw this or the 9 series stuff. The Grace 707 was an arm often attached to the Linn LP12 back in the day - for those too cheap to buy a Breuer Type 6 or 8 or Sumiko MDC-800. Then Linn introduced the Linn Ittok and Ekos, which were far better arms than the Grace, and at least in the Breuer/Sumiko ballpark.

 

Grace cartridges and tone arms were top flight products. I've owned two F9E and an F9 Ruby. Wish I had them back. Still own a G-707 tone arm.

 

IIRC Grace was a brand, a trade mark rather than an actual company like Sony is. I have a couple of F-8 and F-9 models, they are very nice.

 

I have a like new F-9 cart, but no stylus... would love to hear what all the fuss is about!

 

I happen to own a LP 12 amongst other TT. Linn's own arms are over rated. The LP 12, also when you really look at it is a tarted up version of an original AR TT. Having heard various Linn systems priced at up to $50,000 in carefully prepared "Linn showrooms" in the past..within 10 to 15 minutes I really wanted to put an axe through the lot. Sluggish at the bottom end, ear-driller material at the top. Hi-fi???!!! In fact I have heard vastly superior balanced sound from a digitally amplified $300 Sony stacker system. I am talking here - strictly BALANCE -of what is on offer - and to think something $50.000 could not get THAT right??!! Naim and Linn are two firms ( that for a while tried to be snobbish in attitude as well as compliment each other's products)...that fooled a lot of the people for quite a time; People today - are completely over 'that whole PRAT bag & dice' that both firms jointly promoted. Nor does their justification for snobbish 'superior' airs about their products stand up in hindsight. In World terms: they are just a couple of upstart cottage industry over priced 'gilding the lily' players, always coming up the rear of things. More now noted, for who wants to off-load their products - than buy them.
Give me a Grace arm or cartridge every time, in front of Linn's confected arm and cartridge constructs.

 

Agreed, I love Grace tonearms. Even love their old oil damped copies of the Gray Laboratories classic viscous damped tonearms. They are for Grace and Celebrated Cartridges. The Grace 707 is one of my all time favorite tonearms.

 

http://www.sound-smith.com/retip/

 

Unfortunately I don't have the stylus at all... the entire slide-in piece is missing, not just a worn needle. I've looked on ebay and they come-up every so often, but sell for big bucks.

 

http://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/grace.html

Looks like they can actually provide the entire unit! I will give this serious consideration!

 

I have my 707 on a Linn Sondek LP-12. I preferred it to the Linn table/Linn arm combination.

 

I had my Grace cartridge re-tipped by Soundsmith. It's well worth the money.

 

How do some of the Grace MM cartridges compare to today's MC cartridges? Several months ago there was a poster in a Grace cartridge thread on AudioKarma who stated that the Grace F9 Ruby compared favorbly with $6000 carts. I'm paraphrasing..

Sorry, I can't buy that.

At what price point or make does the Ruby or any Grace F9 compare to? For example, I wouldn't buy a Dyanvector 10x5 cartridge. To me, it would be a lateral move or possibly a step or downwards from the F9 Ruby.

I've been dying to purchase a Lyra Delos, but unfortunately, I cannot afford to drop $1650 at the moment. Although I have never heard the Delos, I would assume it is a better cartridge than the Grace - as good as the Grace is..

 

I've heard the Delos a number of times. It's better than the F9 Ruby to my ears anyway. If you get one, make sure you have the ability to load it properly.

 

I don't think that will be an issue.

 

They're similar to MCs in that the stylus tips are extremely finely made and very low mass. So, you get great transient speed, low record wear and to my ears at least great low-level detail.
Some of the F models have excellent metal bodies allowing rigid mounting on appropriate tonearms.

 

What Linn arm? The Ittok and above were far better made, more rigid and had better bearings than a Grace 707.

 

Any Linn arm. Marketing scams.

 

I think we might have to agree to disagree there.

 

The are Linn devotees and then there are those that are not. Live and let live.

 

So, I'm going with the Green at $149.99 or the Blue at $199.99. Can someone please tell me, is the nude elipical really worth the extra 50 bucks vs. the bonded? This one will probably spend time on either my Sansui SR-636 or my Yamaha PX-2.

Thanks for any help as I honestly do not know.

 

I'm sorry but I can't help you there. If you don't get an answer, why don't you give Soundsmith a call. They have an 800 number.

 

I might just do that, Tommy. My stuff is pretty much mid-grade vs. many other members' gear and my hearing is not nearly as good as it once was due to all the metal shows I attended in the 80's I'll give Soundsmith a call, give them my equipment run-down and ask for their opinion. I mean 50 bucks isn't going to kill me one way or the other, but if it won't make a difference on my system(s), no need throwing cash away.