I was serching for information about this Cartridge I have- it is an Andante F-9E, which after some searching I found out it is a Grace F-9E. This cart. is like new.
I was wondering, presently I am using a Thorens TD-318mk2 with a grado Black, I also have a Shure Ultra 400 as well, but the stylus is bad (looking for one and found it). Of these three which one would you vinyl gurus believe to be the best, the Shure I am told is one of best ever made, the Adante I have never used, but I have been told it too is very very good, and expensive as well.
While I am a master tech. I do not have the correct equipment to install and properly set up a new cart. hence the question, would I do well in changing out the cart. with either the Adante or the Shure (I have a new stylus comming for it) or should I just sell them both? I rarely, if ever, use the T/T and have been considering selling it as well, but I have 70 or so records that I have no Idea what to do with, is it worth the update?
I've heard a Thorens table with the Grace F-9E playing through Dahlquist DQ-10s, one of the first "high-end" demos I've ever heard. It was very pleasant sounding, very musical but not state of the art. If you are looking for hi-fi yayas, this is not your cartridge. If you want to listen to music, the Grace F9-E was very much up to the task. The Thorens/Grace combo was pretty well-received by the audiophile community at the time (mid-late 80s). Grados are also well-regarded and were better than a corresponding Grace in the bass and in dynamics. Shures are tracking kings so records will be heard with the least amount of distortion. How that translates to music is another story, usually less character than the other cartridge brands (therefore truer to the music?).