[bigred7078]

Hey all. I recently acquired a used Pro-ject RM-9.1 (no cart) in perfect condition for a fantastic price, so I sold off my Xpression III and picked it up.

At the time I thought I would have a bit more funds available for a cartridge to go along with this table, but those funds have dwindled...

So that being said, i've been looking at some of the Grado carts to go along with my table. How much better is the Sonata 1 than the Platinum 1? I can get both for a great deal, but obviously would not like to spend more than I have to right now.

Any advice would be great, thanks

[ricmon]

Hello bigred7078 
You have good timing as I have just installed my 3rd cart in my 9.1.  I have had a Sumiko Black Bird, a Ortofon 2M Bronze and now a Grado Reference Master  Series1.  All performed wonderfully in my 9.1.  The  Black Bird and the 2M Black are highly recommended for  the 9cc arm but the Grado is by far the best  sounding cart I've had the pleasure of  using  with my 9.1. 
BTW two great tweaks for you new TT are:
1 if you don't have a speed box get one.
2. get some metal cone footers to install under the motor (I use three from Parts Express) just remember to adjust the TT footers to compensate for the increase in height of the motor after you install the cone footers under the motor.

have fun   
Ric

[bigred7078]

Hello bigred7078 
You have good timing as I have just installed my 3rd cart in my 9.1.  I have had a Sumiko Black Bird, a Ortofon 2M Bronze and now a Grado Reference Master  Series1.  All performed wonderfully in my 9.1.  The  Black Bird and the 2M Black are highly recommended for  the 9cc arm but the Grado is by far the best  sounding cart I've had the pleasure of  using  with my 9.1. 
BTW two great tweaks for you new TT are:
1 if you don't have a speed box get one.
2. get some metal cone footers to install under the motor (I use three from Parts Express) just remember to adjust the TT footers to compensate for the increase in height of the motor after you install the cone footers under the motor.

have fun   
Ric

Ric,
Excellent! Great info thanks!

So do you think I would get better results with  the  Grado Platinum 1 and speedbox than just the Sonata 1?

[bigred7078]

Also which ouput is best? 0.5 or 4.0? My pre-amp can handle MC so the low out-put should not be a problem, regardless any opinions on this?

[Stu Pitt]

The Grados and others you mentioned are very good carts.  If you're thinking Grado Sonata price range, I'd take a look at the Dynavector 10x5.

I own a 1Xpression with the speed box and 10x5.  I demoed the Sonata and 10x5 (along with some others), and the 10x5 did everything better than the Sonata IMO.  Cleaner, quicker, tighter.  The only minor complaint is bass weight.  It has tight, fast, and tunefull bass, but its just a touch lean.  After living with it for about 3 years now, everything else seems a bit bloated and flabby to me.

I noticed Led Zeppelin 3 in your pic.  The 10x5 rocks.  It does everything equally well too IMO.  If stronger bass is essential to you, the Dynavector 20x is very similar, but with more bass.

The Speed Box is a very big upgrade on all the Pro-Ject decks.  There's not an aspect the Speed Box doesn't improve on.  One thing that most people first think it that it rolls off bass.  Not true at all.  It cleans it up and get rid of the bloat.

You may be thinking the 10x5 and Speed Box together will pretty much eliminate bass.  Not true at all.  If you like car subwoofer bass, you'll hate both.  If you like lightning quick, punch you in the stomach bass, you'll love them both.

[ricmon]

Yho bigred I just went through a cart placement,  here's the link.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=76836.0

As far as which model to use I simply say buy as much cart as you can afford and remember you can almost always get them for less then list price.  I got mine for 20% off.  Also as a rule the lower the output voltage the  better sounding the music produced.  Per the supplied link I vote for GRADO 

rIC

[ricmon]

One last tweak for your deck.  From the photo it appears that you have a Ground It platform, nice.  You may want to try a butchers block between the Ground It and the deck if you decide to try the metal cone footers.  I forgot  the footers come with a felt back disk to placed under the footer.....toss them.  Now the footer will properly drain the energy from the motor into the wood block.  This may work with the Ground It but if not try a butcher block.  In any event this tweak really works and will increase inner detail that you will be able to heard, not listen for.

Ric

[ricmon]

bigred7078,
Here are some pic of  my 9.1 with cones and buchers block.




illuminated

[vinyl_guy]

So do you think I would get better results with  the  Grado Platinum 1 and speedbox than just the Sonata 1?

I am not familiar with the Grado's, but I believe the Speed Box SE is a must have upgrade for the Pro-ject table. I have owned a Pro-ject Perspective with a Blackbird cartridge for 3 years. I added the Speed Box SE about 6 months after I bought the table and cartridge and it took the performance to a whole new level. Bass tightened, inner detail and clairity improved as the nosie floor was lowered. It was a huge upgrade--more than worth the cost IMO.

I agree with ricmon that placing a maple block or butcher block under the TT will help drain resonance and improve performance. I have a 4" mapleblock from Mapleshade under my TT.

I also think the Blackbird is a fantastic sounding cartridge--one of the best under-$1,000 cartridges on the market. I have not heard the Grado Reference Master but it gets very high marks.

Laura

[Mister Pig]

Personally I am not enamored by the lower level Grado's. The cantilever looks like a softball bat. There is a BRASS BUSHING attached to the end of it. To that bushing a diamond "chip" is glued to it. This whole thing has a moving mass roughly on par with a VW Bug. Even the highest end Grados only come with an eliptical stylus(at least it is nude mounted) which is not acceptable at that price range.

Quoted from the Needle Doctor site:
The Platinum model uses Grado's specially designed elliptical diamond mounted on a brass bushing, and the Sonata model uses Grado's specially designed nude elliptical diamond.

For the 500 range of cartridges I would consider the entry level Dynavectors, or the upper range of Denons.

Of course this is just the musings of a barnyard animal. Want a different opinion, go ask the cows. Don't talk to the chickens, fowl cannot be counted on to tell the truth.

Regards
Mister Pig

[twitch54]

For the 500 range of cartridges I would consider the entry level Dynavectors, or the upper range of Denons.

Of course this is just the musings of a barnyard animal. Want a different opinion, go ask the cows. Don't talk to the chickens, fowl cannot be counted on to tell the truth.

Regards
Mister Pig

LOL ..................


I will add to that the Benz Micro 'ACE' , I had one on my 9.1 and it was superb. three different output levels to choose from, inorder to suit your phono-pre !

[toobluvr]

Another vote for Dynavector.   

I love my 20X-H and just sold my more than double the price Benz in favor of it.

Well balanced cartridge at a great price that does just about everything right and little wrong.  I like it so much that I'd love to move up to the 17D, but I need more gain for that one.

Another one to consider at reasonable money is Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood.  I own this one too and it is really excellent.

Good luck in your search.