hugo_wilco Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 Well after years of trying all sorts of MC cartridges, I decided to take a punt and buy a Moving Iron cartridge. My ears are overly sensitive to ringing and brightness and no matter what MC I owned, purchased, demoed or heard, I could never get past a subtle thinness and brightness I always seems to detect. A few few weeks a bought a Grado Statement Reference V2 MI cartridge. The minute I installed it I was grinning. Brightness - gone Sibilance - gone Thinness - this cartridge has balls I have been instantly converted. Some 50 hrs later and I would describe this cartridge as highly analogue sounding with a density that MC can't match. Just wanted to share my experience as it has taken me by surprise as I was a "only MC cartridges sound good" guy. So any SNA'rs tired of trying to get MC synergy , I can strongly recommend giving an MI a try. 8
Sansui77 Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 Yep and I was very surprised when I installed a Pickering XV15.
colinm1 Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 funny I have been thinking of getting a mm cart too,the clearaudio v2 sounds real nice too,on paper 1
Guest kab Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 Used to run a Grado sonata in my Syrinx Pu3 arm,match made in heaven. Cheers.
andyr Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 13 minutes ago, colinm1 said: funny I have been thinking of getting a mm cart too,the clearaudio v2 sounds real nice too,on paper I think you need to read more carefully. The OP is talking about a Moving Iron (MI) cart - not an 'ordinary' MM. 40 minutes ago, hugo_wilco said: A few few weeks a bought a Grado Statement Reference V2 MI cartridge. The minute I installed it I was grinning. Brightness - gone Sibilance - gone Thinness - this cartridge has balls I have been instantly converted. Some 50 hrs later and I would describe this cartridge as highly analogue sounding with a density that MC can't match. Just wanted to share my experience as it has taken me by surprise as I was a "only MC cartridges sound good" guy. So any SNA'rs tired of trying to get MC synergy , I can strongly recommend giving an MI a try. The 'Statement' is the LO version, right? So 0.5mV? Well done! Andy
hugo_wilco Posted June 7, 2017 Author Posted June 7, 2017 The 'Statement' is the LO version, right? So 0.5mV? Well done! Andy That's right. It's a MI the Version 2 low output. 1.0mv now. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Full Range Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 I am a 4 x Moving Irion (MI) cartridge owner Some require an MM phono and some require an MC phono Now my secret is out 2
eltech Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 MI is really the same design as MM. It has iron on the end of the cantilever instead of magnet. In both cases the cantilever movement generates lines of magnetic flux which pass through the coils generating a voltage. From reading on the internet ( which may be wrong?) The MI design was chosen to avoid infringing Shures patent on MM design. 1
proftournesol Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 As you can see in my sig below I have a SoundSmith MI cart mounted on my Pink Triangle in my second system. It has similar character to my Strain Gauge but without the resolution. Apart from the SG it's the best cart I've had since my Garrott Bros Decca. Very underrated 2
rockpig Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 15 hours ago, hugo_wilco said: A few few weeks a bought a Grado Statement Reference V2 MI cartridge. I am confused by which cartridge you have. I looked at the Grado web site and they have "Statement" carts and "Reference" carts but I cannot find "Statement Reference".
hugo_wilco Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Grado are really confusing. There is a "Statement" series and a "Reference" Series. If you look at the Statement series there is the Top range Statement V2 low output MI. Next in line is the Statement "Reference" V2 low output MI which I have purchased. These are both 1mv low output MI cartridges. The Reference series is 5mvThey really need to change their model line up. It took me a while to work it out too. Basically mine is the model below the top spec. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
rockpig Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 I agree @hugo_wilco that is a confusing web site. But I think I worked it out with your directions. So yours is from the STATEMENT series but is the REFERENCE2 in that series. Pretty dumb of them to use same names for series's and models within a series. I started with a mid range Garrott Brothers P77i MM cart then went to Ortofon Rondo Bronze MC cart and now using the top model Garrott Optim FGS Ruby which is MM or Dynamic Coil as Garrott call it. I returned to the MM because it just seemed meatier than the MC and so suited the type of sound I was looking for. Never heard of MI so thanks to @hugo_wilco I will consider trying an MI next time. What price range was your cart? 1
hugo_wilco Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Yep. Really bad product line. The should re-label the lines. However, once you get your head around it the low output MI is something special. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
hugo_wilco Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 RRP $2000AUD but you'll get it for less than that. I have had some pretty expensive MC cartridges over the years and this MI beats every single one, in every area. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1
peterpan Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 17 minutes ago, hugo_wilco said: I have had some pretty expensive MC cartridges over the years and this MI beats every single one, in every area. quite an endorsement. what arm are you using with it?
hugo_wilco Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Right now on the latest Linn Akito 3b. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
andyr Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 6 hours ago, rockpig said: 4 hours ago, hugo_wilco said: I have had some pretty expensive MC cartridges over the years and this MI beats every single one, in every area. Given the specs which rockpig kindly provided say the standard MM 47K load, h_w ... you might like to try running it at 35K. I read on the 'Net that wood-bodied Grados, at least, like this loading and, as I had a Reference Reference1 for a number of years (the top HO Grado MI), tried it - and felt that it did sound better at the lower load. Maybe the LO Statement is the same? Andy
hugo_wilco Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Using 47k sounds magnificent!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
GregWormald Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 23 hours ago, hugo_wilco said: <snips> Brightness - gone Sibilance - gone Thinness - this cartridge has balls That is precisely why I love my (remanufactured) Linn Troika. Greg
soundfan Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 Would love to hear this cart one day. The best non MC cartridge I have ever heard was the aforementioned Garrott Optim FGS Ruby. Heck, even the cheaper Garrott Optim FGS is superb. @hugo_wilco, interested to hear whether you might have used either of the two Garrotts mentioned? And I'm very happy that you love your new toy. I've often championed a few different MM, MI or Dynamic Coil carts on these and other pages. Sadly a lot of folk don't rate anything not Moving Coil. 1
hugo_wilco Posted June 8, 2017 Author Posted June 8, 2017 Yep. I was one of "those" MC guys. You're welcome to come and have a listen. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
andyr Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 3 hours ago, hugo_wilco said: Using 47k sounds magnificent! Your attitude to life may be different to mine, h_w but, to me ... magnificent is fine ... but optimal is what I seek. So if you have alignment sorted ... there's still: VTA VTF azimuth, and loading ... to optimise. Andy
Recommended Posts