phono cartridge dilemma...

nooshinjohn

Currently using a Sumiko Bluepoint EVO III in my Yamaha PX-3, and have been in vinyl heaven for a while, but the time is coming for me to consider taking the next step. My choices are staying in the Sumiko clan and going with the Blackbird or moving over to the Grado Statement 1m, which I can grab for a killer price.

I have a Simaudio Moon 110 phono pre in the mix as well. Which would be my better play?

ZLTFUL

While I love the Grado Statement, I like the Sumiko equivalents/higher up the chain that much more.
While I, personally don't use anything that far up the food chain, I have had plenty of time at my buddy's shop listening to the Grado and the Blackbird and the Pearwood Cele and like both of them more than the Grado. They just sound more robust to my ears if that makes any sense. The Grado just has a slight thinness that doesn't grab me as much as the Sumikos.

Both the Grado and the Blackbird were on a Clearaudio Ovation table with a Clarify arm while the Pearwood was on a McIntosh MT5.

nooshinjohn

Thanks for that... would the Grado you heard happen to have been the top model? That is the one I am chasing, and if you think the Blackbird beat it, I will have more thinking to do.

ZLTFUL

Yeah...the Statement 1 which is the top of the Statement line. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds great...just something missing about its overall presence to me.

nooshinjohn

Well so much for that then. I find seeking out a cartridge as being the most difficult task in this hobby. It's not like you can just go try them out, even in the best equipped audio store.

What other recommendations would you guys have for mating up to the PX-3?

The specs for the table can be found at this link...

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/yamaha/px-3.shtml

SCompRacer

The Blackbird is a great cartridge. I had it installed on a Linn LP12 and Nottingham Spacedeck.



Currently I returned to AT, the AT33PTG/II. Clean, detailed, wide sound stage and solid from top to bottom. About as good as the Karat 17D3 it replaced after a long service life at a much lower price.



Specs here...

http://eu.audio-technica.com/en/products/cartridges/product.asp?catID=8&subID=57&prodID=4500

nooshinjohn

Thanks for the input guys... I will likely end up with the blackbird, but one of my gripes is that they are extraordinarily delicate due to the exposed connections on the sides. I damaged my EVO twice, and each time they were kind enough to replace and without even expecting them to do so.

I would like something a bit more robust, but based upon what I am seeing the Blackbird is where I will likely end up.

ZLTFUL

That is one thing I like about the Grados in that line...everything except the stylus is encased in that wood.

nooshinjohn

Every review I have read on the Grado is stellar, but I also question the validity of some of them as well. I guess if BMW gave me an M# to keep after the review was done, I would love it too regardless of how much I hated it.

Dawgfish

The Grados and Sumikos are like comparing apples to oranges. The Grado is much warmer and has much more bass. The Sumikos are much brighter and snappier in presentation. Personally I prefer the Grados by a big margin, but it depends on what you are looking for. If you want warm and smooth go with the Grado. If you want to liven up your presentation, the Sumikos are the way to go.

doctor r

Dawg is spot on in his descriptions. If you are in "vinyl heaven" with the EVO III then the Blackbird will give you even more of what you are loving. It has tight bass, but not as full as the Grado. The mid-range to mid-bass of the Grado may add a feeling of more "body" presence to the music, but at the risk of some loss of detail. I had the Blackbird on my TT for three years and loved it every time it sang for me. It was only replaced by a Benz Micro Ebony H that was three times its price retail (bought used and retipped by SoundSmith made it much more affordable). Only downside of the Balckbird is the extra care you must take handling an open body cartridge, but you already have that with your EVO.

ZLTFUL

doctor r wrote: »

The mid-range to mid-bass of the Grado may add a feeling of more "body" presence to the music, but at the risk of some loss of detail.

THAT'S IT! I was trying to put my finger on what I felt was missing from the Grado and you just nailed it!

Again, don't get me wrong, the Grado sounds damned good. I just like the Sumiko that much better...but the we are talking about a hobby where those last few percent are what we nuts are looking for. hehe

nooshinjohn

I threw out going with either one and got a Dynavector 20x2 instead. According to the good folks at Music Direct, the Dyna will give me a better presentation than the Sumiko does without sacrificing details like the Grado would.

Hopefully I made the right call on this.

nooshinjohn

I just got the Dynavector high output version of the 20x2 installed in my rig today. I know there is a bit of a breaking period in play here, but man is this thing hot. By that I mean it hides absolutely nothing in it's presentation. If it is there, you WILL hear it, and it will not be subtle about it. Even with all the tubes in my rig, it comes across and lightning fast, and somewhat bright on the high end and strident in the upper mids when compared to the Sumiko BP EvoIII it is replacing.

That said, I feel that when the cartridge gets some time on it and I make the move into the audio den and properly dial in the rig, I will be in for some magic indeed.

Thanks guys!


John