Grado cartridge hum issue.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by JBStephens, Feb 17, 2007.

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  1. JBStephens

    JBStephens I don't "like", "share", "tweet", or CARE. In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Mountain, NC
    Of Shure, Goldring, Pickering, AT, and Grado, the only hum problem I have is with Grado. Has anyone else experienced excessive hum with Grado carts, and was there anything you could do about it?
     
  2. -=Rudy=-

    -=Rudy=- ♪♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♪♪ Staff

    Location:
    US
    I've owned two--NO hum problems ever! They're older, though, late 70s and early 80s vintage. Maybe something has changed in recent years. :sigh: Mine have a metal shield over the back half of the cart.
     
  3. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    It's one of the main reasons I got rid of my Grado. It is VERY sensitive to electrical hum. There was NO way I could alleviate it in my system, so it had to go!
     
  4. VinylSoul

    VinylSoul Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lake Erie
    I always had hum problems with all the different Grados I owned 8MR, 8MX, 8MZ and now that they're gone they are not missed.
     
    Heckto35 likes this.
  5. MikeyH

    MikeyH Stamper King

    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    I use a gold/silver in various tables, it's not bothered me.

    However, it's not the shielding; something about the way the coils are wound and made makes the Grado sensitive to external fields. Often these are produced by AC motors on your turntable - the field is always there, but not all cartridges pick it up. Sometimes it's from a nearby transformer - say that phono preamp you have right next to your turntable on the arm side where it looks good, or underneath it. Try moving things around to see if it helps.
     
  6. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I've owned a few of the cheaper Grados, mid-range and a couple Signature 8 series (similar to VinylSoul) and I've never had any hum problems. It's been often reported by others - but I've not heard it in my system or in any systems my mates own - and quite a few played with a Grado at one time or another.

    There must be a solution.
     
  7. JBStephens

    JBStephens I don't "like", "share", "tweet", or CARE. In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Mountain, NC
    I'm glad I'm not alone in the Grado-hum department. I would speculate that it's due to the four-coil design of the Grado generator as opposed to the standard two-coil arrangment of other carts, leaving it more susceptible to stray fields.

    I'm reminded of the "humbucker" guitar pickups, only instead of a humbucker it's a humsucker.
     
  8. vinyl anachronist

    vinyl anachronist Senior Member

    Location:
    Lakeside, Oregon
    Grados definitely hum with certain tables. ARs are a bad match, and Rega requires a bit of tweaking. I've had people tell me they've had problems with Grados on Music Halls, too.
     
  9. vinyluver

    vinyluver Forum Resident

    I believe that Grado's are prone to hum problems with certain tables but with a little effort, you should be able to find a work-around.
     
  10. OvenMaster

    OvenMaster New Member

    Location:
    gone
    I've read repeatedly that Grados aren't shielded and that's why they're susceptible to hum from unshielded TT motors. Why they didn't just connect the outer metal shell to either the left or the right channel ground wires like Ortofon did with the LM/OM series to get rid of hum is beyond me. The other option is to put mu-metal around the TT motor and ground that, but mu-metal's not cheap.
    Just my two cents.
     
  11. vinyl anachronist

    vinyl anachronist Senior Member

    Location:
    Lakeside, Oregon
    That's why they're a bad match with ARs. I was foolish enough to buy a Grado Signature 8M for my AR ES-1 in 1983 based on a dealer recommendation. I still can't believe any Grado dealer wouldn't know about the hum problem. I did everything I could to fix it, but the hum was overwhelming. I returned it, and the guy said oh yeah, sometimes ARs and Grados don't mix. He went out of business sound after that.
     
  12. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    To be fair, I used my Grado on a JVC direct drive table. But, I also have no inclination to try it out on my mmf-2.
     
  13. JBStephens

    JBStephens I don't "like", "share", "tweet", or CARE. In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Mountain, NC
    Which JVC table? I have the QL-Y55F and love it.
     
  14. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    The L-A31. Not a bad table, either, but it has developed speed issues.
     
  15. Same here - I had a Grado 8MZ which I bought on a dealer recommendation. Not only did it have that dreaded hum (albeit slight), but it was very spitty sounding, no matter how I adjusted it (It was installed on a Linn Sondek LP12 "Nirvana Valhalla" with a Linn Basik LV-X tonearm). I ended up giving it to a friend since I didn't have the heart to sell it because of how badly it sounded on my setup (yet it ended up sounding great on his less expensive setup - go figure). I replaced the Grado with an Audio Technica AT440MLa, and eventually, a Shure V15 V-MR (both of which were definitely better overall than the Grado).
    .....Oh, and one other note: At the time, I had been given a 1980s Grado brochure (which had their Laboratory Standard tonearm featured) and it mentioned that if the cartridge hummed, it was a turntable problem (so essentially, Grado refused to ever acknowledge or admit to any fault of their own, therefore they chose not to correct the problem, thus it's still an issue to this day). Just a thought.
     
  16. TommyTunes

    TommyTunes Senior Member

    I had the same problem, easily fixed a small piece of aluminun foil between the motor an table eliminated the problem. I believe it was widely written about in the Absolute Sound at the time.

    Grado catridges and headphones are not for everyone. They both exibit a unique sound. All their products share that sound from the cheapest to the most expensive. What you gain moving up their price structure is more refinement. Grado is a line that prides itself on mid range lushness and musicality over detail.

    I have had a love/hate relationship with them for 25 years. Somehow I keep going back to them. IMO the one thing that is good about their products is that you can achieve good sound with their products with even the lowest level of equipment. Plug a pair of SR80 headphones into an iPod and get great sound without the need of an external headphone amp. Pop a Grado Black cartridge on an old Pioneer or Technics table and enjoy the music.
     
    jasonsouza77 likes this.
  17. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I have a Signature 8MR on exactly the same foundation as you - Linn LV-X on an LP12 with the Valhalla board. One difference - this was in Australia on a 240v supply, but I had no hum problems and it sounded smooth and refined - never spitty. Maybe the 8MR and 8MZ are not the same - all I can say is the combination I have is lovely (well, it's in storage and I have not heard it for many years).
     
  18. JBStephens

    JBStephens I don't "like", "share", "tweet", or CARE. In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Mountain, NC
    If I were to describe the Grado in one word, I think that word would be "Silky" whereras the Goldring would be "Tingly". Being a slightly "laid back" cartridge, it mates nicely with the Nakamichi CA5 preamp which is excessively bright with other cartridges, but creates magic with the Grado.
     
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