Grado V2 statetment & reference cartridges

[Analog21]

Has anyone heard or currently use the new version 2 Grado Statement or Reference cartridges, stereo or mono? After reading Bob Levi's review in Positive Feedback, I'm not sure how they compare to other possibilities I'm looking at, Ortofon Cadenza Bronze and/or Cadenza Mono, and the Kiseki Purple Heart. Seems like the newer version 2 models are quite different and improve from the previous version 1 model. Can anyone comment on Grado V2 vs. Ortofon vs. Kiseki?

[Hawk]

Sorry I do not have an answer to your post. I share your interest in a Grado Statement V2. I am looking to purchase either the Grado or a Soundsmith Nautilus. I think they will pair well with my Conrad Tea2 SE Phono stage(Gain 55 db). They have similar price points & output.(Grado 1.0 Mv & Soundsmith 1.1 Mv.) Both have very positive reviews. Bob Levi for Grado and Tom Lyle for Soundsmith. Have you done any additional research or has anyone responded to your message?

[jonathanb]

Given a choice between a cartridge from Grado or Soundsmith, I'll choose Soundsmith every time because of their "20% of cost" rebuild policy.

[Hawk]

Good point on the rebuild policy of Soundsmith. I am kind of leaning that way anyway. I wish I could demo or hear the Nautilus in a system. I am very familiar and have had Grado cartridges in the past. My last one was a Grado Reference VPI with a 1.5 Mv output. Nice cartridge for midrange and bass. In fact, a pretty good cartridge all around. If I could have improved it, the top was a little rolled off and it could have been a little more open & fast. The new Grado Statement V2 is supposed to have improved in these areas.

[MylesBAstor]

Agreed. Nothing offensive, just wish it had a little more information. While I'd say the mids are little colored, they are beguiling nonetheless. Back in the '90s, some preferred Grado's Reference cartridge because it lacked the hardness of the many of the MCs of that era.

[Joe Pittman]

I wish I could demo or hear the Nautilus in a system.

I'm an audio dealer (pusher) and I feel your pain. Because of the economics, I can't afford to give a refund on new cartridges. But maybe other large retailers have more liberal refund policies regarding cartridges which essentially give users the ability to try cartridges in their systems. I don't know of any retailers who actually let you try before you buy.

Regarding a 20% rebuild policy, that has nothing to do with sound quality. It's a nice sales feature when considering long term cost, but I would rather have the best sound over time.

It would be interesting if Soundsmith offered 100% money back if not satisfied for customers who buy direct from them... I don't know if they do that.

[JCOConnell]

I've never heard of a money back if not satisfied on a cartridge deal.

[jonathanb]

I heard the low output clone of the Nautilus, the Paua, in the Soundsmith showroom and it was quite excellent. As was the strain-gauge system I heard there. The Zephyr II I've used in my own system is superb for the price. In my experience, Soundsmith cartridges are overachievers for their price points.

[Analog21]

I owned the Paua for a while. There was something I different going from a moving coil to a moving iron. I had an Ortofon prior to the Paua. The Paua was drier sounding to me and very detailed. In fact, it was the most instrument separation I've heard personally with my own ears. There was just some passages where the music was sluggish to me, lacking that musicality factor which I attributed to the moving iron design. This was my experience in my own system, so others may have different experiences. From the Paua, I went to a Kiseki Purpleheart which gives up a lot of instrument separation and detail and extension on bass and treble, but the midrange and musicality if far better. Seems like a trade off in the cartridge world it always seems. No perfect cart and different flavors for everyone. I too wish demoing them in your own system was more ubiquitous.

[JCOConnell]

I owned the Paua for a while. There was something I different going from a moving coil to a moving iron. I had an Ortofon prior to the Paua. The Paua was drier sounding to me and very detailed. In fact, it was the most instrument separation I've heard personally with my own ears. There was just some passages where the music was sluggish to me, lacking that musicality factor which I attributed to the moving iron design. This was my experience in my own system, so others may have different experiences. From the Paua, I went to a Kiseki Purpleheart which gives up a lot of instrument separation and detail and extension on bass and treble, but the midrange and musicality if far better. Seems like a trade off in the cartridge world it always seems. No perfect cart and different flavors for everyone. I too wish demoing them in your own system was more ubiquitous.

the biggest tradeoff is cost. to get it all, it seems like you have to pay big bucks in a high end mc phono cart.

[Analog21]

And big bucks must be BIG. The Paua retails for $3800, the Purpleheart for $3500. hard to imagine for that money there wouldn't be a better trade off, but so it is with 'high end' audio.

[MylesBAstor]

How much is Sumiko's Palos Santos? I always thought that was an underrated cartridge. I also wouldn't discount Steve Leung's VAS cartridge. Sounded very nice at Harry Weisfelds.

[Analog21]

The Sumiko is $4000, so by no means cheap. The VAS is always one I hear about but have want to hear it first. Always sounds promising. I like the Kiseki, and may get better even after the breaking in time is finished. I always hear Kiseki is a late bloomer and really opens up more with use. We'll see.