Grado Labs Prestige Black2 phono cartridge coming to me for review. List price, $75.00.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Steve Hoffman, Feb 9, 2018.

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  1. muckyfingers

    muckyfingers Forum Resident

    Location:
    CA,USA
    Any update?
     
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  2. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    Will this become the new “I’m working on a special project. You will love it” thread? :)
     
  3. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    I've heard this a lot, that Grados are poor trackers, and all I can say is that has not been an issue for me. I haven't had any IGD issues at all.
     
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  4. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    I had Grado's back in the early 1970's. I think they sold for around $20.00. I thought they were a great cartridge for the money, but I always had problems with the stylus snapping off. I thought that they were a little fragile.
     
  5. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    Tough crowd.

    Have had multiple Grado carts (red,gold, platinum, sonata) and never tracking or distortion issues. Easy carts to setup, good sounding and great customer service.

    But then again no carts had ever given me trouble.
     
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  6. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

    [​IMG]

    :D
     
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  7. John

    John Senior Member

    Location:
    Northeast
    According to this review the new series Black2 tracks quite well.

    Grado Labs Prestige Black2 Phono Cartridge
     
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  8. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    H8SLKC, John and bluemooze like this.
  9. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    Same for me. Grado midrange is what I want to hear when I play a record. Just ordered a Gold2. :frog:
     
  10. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    Yes, the midrange is excellent. I've yet to find an MC that will do the mids as well as Grado carts do.
     
  11. seed_drill

    seed_drill Senior Member

    Location:
    Tryon, NC, USA
    I only have Grado mono carts, but I'm looking for another used turntable, and will keep this cart in mind.
     
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  12. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    It's all about the bloom...
     
  13. John

    John Senior Member

    Location:
    Northeast
    Hi Bill- I agree with your take on the various Grados. As my system has improved over the years I moved up from a Signature 8, Reference Platinum, Sonata, Master, and now a Reference 1. While each move up in the Grado line produced improved sound, the sound took a significant step up with the Master and again with the Reference 1, both really nice cartridges. At some point I will have to check out the Reference 2.
     
  14. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    I like their Sonata, from what I have heard, it had the nicest midrange for vocals than any cartridge I have listened to.

    I WANT one!
     
  15. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    A lot of this has to do with the quality of the stepup device for an MC cartridge. But I'll agree with you that matching Grado mids in any cartridge is not easy to do.

    However in my experience I can say that without a doubt the (original) Kisiki purple heart was one MC which definitely trounced any Grado's Mids which I have ever heard.
     
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I have the cart here but it takes some time to figure out how to review it and get some help to set it up CORRECTLY. So, stay tuned.
     
  17. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    Meanwhile, 45 years later, things may have changed?
     
  18. Johnny Wong

    Johnny Wong Ya der hey.

    Location:
    Wauwatosa, WI USA
    I recently tried the Prestige green2 on my PLX-1000. I wanted an alternative to my 2m Blue. I have to say I was instantly blown away by the warmth and increase of punchy bass and midrange. For example I listened to Genesis’ Invisible Touch LP and it sounded great! (I’ve always felt this lacked some bass). Soundstage was nice and wide. My problem was that I missed the lack of treble and detail of the 2m. I really wish I could combine the two carts! Im sure this is more of a personal preference than a indication of the cart, as the treble sounded nice and natural, just not quite enough detail for me.

    But the real deal killer was that I was experiencing the “Grado hum” on my TT. I decided I couldn’t live with that so I returned it. The customer service from Grado was excellent, and listening now I already crave some of that warmth back...

    I’m going to try the Nagaoki MP-110 next.
     
  19. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    Which table will you be using it on?
     
  20. John

    John Senior Member

    Location:
    Northeast
    Some words of advice if I may, Grados are more sensitive to VTA adjustment than any other cartridge I've ever set up. Be prepared to experiment until vocals and upper mids sound smooth and clear. Grados are not plug and play, however once setup I've never had to go back and tweak. Be patient and you will be fine. Looking forward to your review!
     
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  21. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    Try tail slightly down, no anti-skate, 1.6 VTF. YMMV. Good luck. :)
     
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  22. SpeedMorris

    SpeedMorris Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    I don't know that I have the expertise, vocabulary or general cred to chime in, but here goes:

    I'm about 6 hours into a new Green in my second system in an 8-15 grown son's visiting room/ dad's man cave setup featuring a Music Hall 2.2, Pioneer SX-737 and Wharfedale Diamond 10.1. I wasn't unhappy per se with things as they were. The supplied (AT) "Tracker" cart (aka Goldring Elektra) seemed solid enough; in Ian's Youtube reviews, it came in second to the MP-110 in its group, just edging out the Green1. But there was a certain something- a dryness perhaps- that had me wondering if the receiver or speakers were a limiting factor. Maybe kind of a mechanical feeling. I have a Red1 in the next room in a more inviting system, so that and the early reviews on the 2 series made me try the Green2 in the hopes of injecting more of an organic feel and sense of involvement into the system.

    In a nutshell, it feels like the entire system has been replaced and upgraded. The 737-Diamond combo now sounds more like what I imagine a tubed system might sound like and what I would imagine natural sounding British speakers would sound like. Smooth. But with detail that has me noticing new things in albums I've known for decades. Details I don't recall hearing in the Red1 system. Image size is bigger and higher up the wall. Spacey records sound great. The soundstage is not only larger; it now seems connected. Like the difference in a painting where, instead of the principal objects mostly by themselves, the objects now have trees, grass, sky, etc in between them. The

    Electric guitars are sinewy, acoustic guitars shimmery. Strings are gorgeous. Bass is getting more defined. Keyboards of all kinds sound organic. I'm really noticing foundational piano in records, a prime example being Sit Yourself Down on Stephen Stills' first album. I knew it was there, but the obviousness literally shocked me. Background vocals are smoother, yet different parts are better heard. It sounds almost like a choir backing up Michael J on Rock With You. Brass is burnished. No fatigue. I sink into the chair, but also sway my head. I guess you could say my initial reaction is favorable.

    The timetable for the replacement of the Red1 has been shortened. I just don't know what color to go with.

    There is hum, though. It is a Grado. But I don't hear it when needle meets wax, so I'm not sweating it.
     
  23. Pythonman

    Pythonman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Had an expensive at the time Grado X2+ in
    1988 mounted in a new Thorens TD318. Had the most warm and amazing midrange glow I’ve ever heard. Sadly the tables motor took itself out after 3 weeks and I got a refund for it but kept the cartridge. Next up was a Technics Sl1200 Mk II and in went the Grado and that’s when I first noticed the cartridge doing the jitters thing. It was awful and no amount of adjustment would eradicate the mismatch. It was a shame.

    Many years later I got an entry level Black Grado free or cheap and eventually I put it on a vintage Pioneer PL530. It was a match made in heaven as she tracked perfectly and there was no mistracking whatsoever. Gave that table and cartridge away to a coworker to spin vinyl on at home confident he had a decent setup.
     
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  24. I used a Grado Blue on a SL1200 and it was smooth. I really liked it, but my records had sibilance with it. When I replaced it with a AT440, the AT had more an accentuated top end and the low end was more detailed, but lacked that easy going, enjoyable sound.

    The new cart intrigues me, just wonder if its worth going from a microline stylus to an eliptical one.
     
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  25. Drewan77

    Drewan77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK/USA
    I'm in Idaho for a while & bought a Prestige 2 Black last month as I would like to try this out & the US $75 works out about 30% cheaper than the UK price.

    Temporarily mounted it on a spare headshell/Technics gauge & took it to a local forum members house to check it out & compare to his 2 Black. Tested on his multimeter both channels have virtually identical output & it sounded good, almost identical to his run-in version, whereas he recalled treble being more recessed when he got it.

    On mine there appears to be a tiny central split on the front of the stylus (but looks 'manufactured'? - his doesn't have it) & some sort of diagonal crack across one side, under the shiny surface coating (visible as a white line running up behind the mounting nut - in reality this is almost invisible & I had to turn it in the light to highlight it).

    I'll re align it & give this a proper audition on my SL1200G when I'm back home next month....


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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