Grado Gold Prestige 2 VS. AT-VM520EB
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- It’s a battle between two great phono cartridges! The Grado Gold Prestige 2 vs. the Audio Technica VM520EB! Check out this video to see how they compare - who will win?!?
Grado Gold Prestige 2 (discontinued)
Audio Technica VM520EB amzn.to/3pQ1Ljl
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The Grado cartridge sounds phenomenal 😍👌
I’m probably biased since I’ve been using a Grado Prestige Green (first generation?) for five years. I listened on headphones. To my ears the Grado had better bass response and detail. The mids and highs were clearer. The Grado was clearly superior in my opinion.
Oh ya I definitely heard a difference wow that grado. You know I was thinking of getting a grado blue 😃
I keep my Record Player covered and still fight dust! I hate it!
The Audio-Technica cartridge definitely has a very neutral tone (at least in my opinion), whereas the Grado cart really has a much “warmer” sound to it... there’s more emphasis to the low and high end, and to me it just sounds better compared to the AT (though I wouldn’t see myself buying the Grado because of the rather high prices). Anyway, awesome video!!!
Just through my speakers I noticed a marked improvement in both bass and clarity in the Grado cartridge. I wish I could justify buying a Grado. I do have an upgrade that I should install, but am a bit afraid to do so. One of these days. Take care...
Sound with Grado more detail in high frequency and sound more light and airy. Maybe this effect give MI technology.
To me, the Audio-Technica seemed slightly easier to listen to in general.
Are you joking, it sounds like two different recordings and the Grado sounds Superior🤔
i agree with you but youtube sound isn´t good enough to make comparisons ,they make them but listen to a 2Mred test and go to a store where they can play it for you to notice that if crap, crapped it was 2mred as most of the pro-ject turntables that seems made for 4 year old children listen to cartoons songs as in the 70´s,maybe i´m being unfair, the chico turntables were better and children usable ,they couldn´t swallow nothing as allwas atatched as one piece, no adaptor as they only played singles
We're basically comparing the different EQ signatures of the two styluses here, i.e. how they deviate from accurately reproducing the signal on the record. So the record company carefully encodes it with the RIAA curve, but before your pre-amp gets a chance to decode it, the stylus comes along and distorts the EQ so that it's no longer right. Then everyone applauds the lovely warm sound! 🤭 Well it's whatever you enjoy, but EQ can be tweaked regardless so I would prize tracking ability etc. more highly then the EQ signature really. 😊👍
There can be so many variables. The records are engineered according to RIAA Standards and phono preamps are supposed to be tuned accordingly. I just used a spectrum analyzer recently to compared a Rane and several other preamps on mixers and other receivers / amps and was surprised to find that there are subtle differences.
I agree 100%. They've been making hi fidelity cartridges since the 1970's. The idea is to make the frequency response as flat as possible, after the RIAA curve of course. Any deviation from that should be considered bad. You would think that after 50 years of hi-fi, people would understand that. If you want warm, bright, or any other sound preference, do it in your tone controls! The phone cartridge is NOT the place to customize your sound.
I've never liked Grado carts. I'll take the AT. I wish there were more P-mount options available.
The Grado sounds muffled even though the bass was a bit better. I liked the clarity of the AT better though. If you played a song with lyrics the AT would win hands down.
The 520 sounds lifeless and homogenised to the extent that it makes the musicians sound like they are just playing the notes and trying to get through the music. Never heard a Grado first hand but it wiped the floor with the Audio Technica in every way and it confirmed just why I don't like their house sound.
Thank you for a great show I liked it. For me the Grado cartrigde sounds much warmer with better fidelity to channel separation, treble and bass response and more interesting to my ear to listen to. The Audio Technica also sounds great but very neutral but with somehow less good in the treble frequency, not so distinct and clear. The Grado performs just wonderful to my ear. All the very best to you.
I mostly used Shure as a teenager. They were solid troupers and some had a dust brush stabilizer. I had an Audio technica AT10 back in the 70's and remember it suffered from needle talk and was a bit harsh and mis tracked. They were never expensive. I always wanted to try a Stanton and remember Grado got top marks in Consumer reports for low priced cartridge's but nobody in Toronto sold them it seemed.
@Mark Anderson: That’s an interesting observation. I had an Audio-Technical AT12sa on a Sanyo TP-1012 back in the early 80s. I didn’t have a problem with tracking and harshness. My biggest problem was acoustic feedback. Walking around the room caused severe footfall noise and speaker reactions. Yet when I tried a dirt cheap GRADO, the problem was greatly reduced. Part of that was the turntable. It wasn’t very good.
Grado wins.... I heard no sibilance and warmer sound on that one for sure....I’m a firm fan of ADC cartridges... but I really want one of those grado carts...Aren’t they made in New York? All American 🇺🇸 is always better
Indeed!
I didn’t use headphones, but I still heard the difference between the two. The Grado sounded wider (more separation between the channels) and clearer than the Audio Technica (AT). That doesn’t surprise me, if I’m not mistaken, the Grado is higher up their cartridge chain than this AT cart is. Regardless, it’s a shame that they’ve discontinued this Grado. It makes you wonder if the present equivalent cart sounds the same.
For me, I’m a fan of the Ortofon sound myself. The 2m Red is affordable and gives great sound. And it’s easily upgradable as well.
So what’s going to be the next cartridges you compare....🙂🙂🙂
i have this same turntable do you think its worth upgrading to something like the VM540ML? from the og? thank you
grado is in a higher league ,was able to reproduce recorded warmth not produce it itself
i would take a ceramic cart with ruby tip and plastic shank....the sound is so warm,you need air conditioning to stay cool,unless you are listening to cool jazz,when the Grado would warm things up a bit...i gather a new company ..technician audica...are using a combi cart....atgradceram100 x...it has the ability to play hot and cold all at the same time,and is cool,in the warmest sound kind of way.....love the droid..i have a friend called Anne who owns one of them......great sounds on the test btw...
"a friend called Anne" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH
@@Recordology HE HE HE HE !!!..SHE SHE SHE SHE Lol !!
I suppose it depends on the music your listening to. Enoch Light you want a warm rich sound. Mozart you want a crisp well-defined sound, especially the strings. Stay safe.
Nice comparison. Wonder how that Grado Gold sounds next to a step up to the AT VM750SH cartridge, and both to an Ortophon Black.
the 2mblack is better but, i wouldn´t buy it maybe a sumiko for the same price or around it is better from AT, Grado, goldring, etc. and Ortofon was like quality assured in the early 80´s ,there was a Dual turntable that had cartridges from Ortofon allthough they had some only the Dual logo and they used to say that it was one of the best turntables available at the time, and strangelly they look similar to the OM series but 1000xbetter, not exceed my opinion could be even more than 1000 times, as a REVOX from series B as it´s rectangular box rotates over the record but mine inside the system says ortofon, kind of tangential ,people call it linear tracking but there are regular turntables with linear tracking as a sharp i own and tangential turntables when they appear i thought it was the end of other systems but when they failed no one knew how to fix them so they were forgoten but they were very good as one sharp not mine it even got under the record to read the other side and some had direct access the arm had a lazer, as they call it ,but a photocelular cartridge that went to the begining of the record till the end after you could choose the track like in a cd player if you had the read under system from sharp, it even reads the both sides of the record, sharp/optonica was very good but problems appeared
Why do you compare it to this????You have to compare it with a cartridge that is almost the same price!Like this one, for example, this one is even cheaper and cuts the Grad in your pocket!For example, this is the Audio-Technica AT-VM95! It puts the Grad where you want it 😀
What record is that?? Would be some nice background music. I gotta have it!
Enoch Light - Future Sound Shock
@@Recordology Thanks, I'll look for it!
@@Recordology Hey, just found it! Bought a sealed copy from someone on Discogs for $4!!
I've just bought the VM530en and absolutely love it. It was a slight upgrade to my AT120eb. The specs are very similar but the stylus is nude instead of bonded. Great video but the one thing I really like is when you say "the Grado sounds warm and I like that." For me that's what it's all about. The most important thing is your ears. If you like it, that's what counts because at the end of the day you're the one listening. Been watching the channel for a while now. Great vids, keep it up!
Thank you!
i have from the 70´s tonearms and cartridges from audio-technica but bought the grado and it as a very good frequency response giving a well detailed sound,this prestige II gold and bought it only because it was in promotion ,old ones are also good but today to match it costs a fortune and 1/5 of the hours of use(main problem today)and hear people say that a pro-ject turntable around 1.000€ with a 2MRED from Ortofon sounds good ,well i have 28 turntables and diferent cartridges from the 70´s and never heard a so bad sounding cartridge and turntable , and two from the 80´s and one from the 90´s and bought last December the new P10 from Rega but had to buy a hana Umami red and kept the alpheta 3 for when one of my 70´s cartridges no longer have substitution needles as i had closer to my home, 400kms trip to the closest hi-fi store and my father anytime he had to travel to the capital he bought some needles ,still have several and sounding perfect ,maybe for life but the MC ´s i bought from AT i have none either than the ones i´m using now, for my P3 from pioneer and my SP-1 from technics,i heard the AT as the art9 hope it is good or maybe i´ll take from other less used turntables from the 70´s
The Grado is more clear and well defined. You would be satisfied with the Audio Technica until you listen to the Grado. Certainly a significant difference in price, but if better sound is what you're after this demo proves the difference is warranted.
Can't beat the value of the Nagaoka MP-110.
Honestly found it overated, I thought it was dull, it might be suited well to a bright sounding system
Comparison is useless if you are not capturing the audio directly from the preanp. Both sound really, really bad.
Grado carts have tone.. AT cartridges ususally have no body no tone.. just listen to a snaredrum on a song. thin thin on almost all AT's
How do you expect someone to be judge of it if you’re playing two different songs?
If it weren't for my turntable being one of those that don't like Grado carts, I would definitely like to test out the Gold. The last Grado I had was the Black1, and I was really disappointed with it. It certainly had potential, but it also had seemingly incurable IGD and no tracking abilities whatsoever. It's also disappointing that all of the Prestige styli are all variations on the same bonded .3x.7 elliptical. You would think the least they could do is give us a nude.
That being said, when it behaved, it really behaved. I got some of the smoothest vinyl rips out of it, and a little EQ in the end brought back the high end that it only just hinted at.
For me it's clearly the Grado cartridge. It almost sounded like a different song. The Grado made every instrument sound more "real" and chiseled them out so they would stand out on their own in the song. Every instrument seemed to have more details to them too. Yep, the Grado clearly won for me. BTW, the "directly from speakers" recording sounded really good. Did You do anything differently in comparison to before? I think I have to buy a Grado Prestige now :D
For the audio I just recorded using the iPhone 12 built in stereo mics!
I'd bet the gold prestige 2 wins.
You know I don't usually like making "opinions on sound" based solely on a youtube video, but...
hmmm interesting shoot out here... IMO (using laptop speakers) the Grado had more detail than the AT, I feel like I could hear the greater frequency response of the Grado... but to me the Grado also seemed a little "hot." The Grado highs seemed sharp and almost shrill, but at the same time sounds like the cowbell had more "true ring" than the AT.
I'd have to hear more and some different types of music, to make a full judgement but based solely on this, I like the AT, as I feel its possible I'd get fatigued listening to the Grado.
Thanks for the fun comparison!
I have several tables with different cartridges. They are either Shure or Grado. I do not have the Gold, but I have the Grado Silver, one step below the Gold. I have 3 Silvers. When I bought them I was told same as Gold, but maybe an imperfection of something. While the Golds were $260.00 the Silver $160.00, I do love the Silver and track it at 3/4 grams. Other 2 Silvers are spares. I am currently using the following Grado's. G+1.Silver, and FC+1. I love Grado period. None tracking more than 1.5 grams. The Shure's I use are the M91ED which has great sound, specially for records that were recorded so low in sound, the Shure gives them a big boost.
One Note Samba/Spanish Flea
#AT3600ForLife!! 😂
Amen friend! 🙂
lol it really is a great cart.....nothing wrong with it at all!
@@Recordology What cart/stylus would you consider the "next step up" from the 3600?
In a cupboard somewhere I have a Grado cartridge circa 1988. One day I'll find it again !
I have an Audio Technica VM95-SH in my LP5. It's an upgrade on the one supplied with the LP5 which in itself is a decent cartridge. I certainly noticed the difference from the shibata stylus though, worth the money for me.
Have you ever looked at Linear Tracking turntables ? I have a Technics SL-J300R and really love it, the convenience of automatic operation and track selection is most welcome.
I wonder how these compare to a Goldring E3?
I agree completely. The Grado is definitely warmer and for me, better. My favorite cartridge is the Ortofon OM 10. The Grado is definitely similar but I'm happy to have that kind of quality sound for a fraction the cost of the Grado. Love your channel.
Love the droid, sounds a bit like the Clangers from the 70s/80s (kids program) our Labrador 🦮 would go crazy if she saw this droid 😆 . Even Streamed over the web there’s a notable difference the dynamics are noticeably different and the depth is more detailed and the piano notes are more defined on the Grado although Audio Technica is still very good, I use AT 95e on a Direct Drive deck.
If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought that the droid was some type of funky-looking eggbeater!
Hey! Fix that speaker wire...!! :-D
Good video... That mic you use for the audio recording is a classy bit of kit; it sounds great!
The Grado does have a rather 'lush' sound to it, but Grado cartridges can have a problem with hum on some turntables; especially direct drives. Grado's are not shielded in the same way that most other cartridges are, and as they track closer towards the motor, they pick up more and more electrical interference and so will hum progressively louder!
Your LP-7 shouldn't be a problem as the motor is so far off to the side/rear of the plinth.
Interesting!
Droid, sounds like The Clangers!
I’d definitely put the 2 cartage on my turntable it gives it a good warm smooth sound the the at cartadge
I like that record.
I would love to see your take on the VM95 series. I know that stuff is expensive though.
The VM95E retails for like $69. I have it - its ok - sounds about the same as the 3600 to my ears.
@@Recordology So you want to say that the VM 95E is very good?Then what do you think of the shibata Audio-Technica AT-VM95?Thank
I heard distortion on the AT that sounds like its misaligned, definitely not normal, may be a dirty stylus as well.
Could be.....it was clean....
Hey can ya pull the needle off the grado? I would love to see how it fits on and comes apart... pretty please?? Lol....
Im afraid....may have to wait until absolutely necessary lol
I didn’t expect to notice anything when you said you were just going to stick a microphone in the room to record. I wasn’t prepared to be punched in the gut with how different they sounded.
The AT was ‘neutral’ like you say. Clear but kind of flat. I didn’t notice how flat until you started the Grado.
The Grado was worlds warmer and punchier with excellent separation. Almost a classic hi-fi sound.
It worked beautifully with the music you selected to play.
It makes me feel even better about choosing the Grado cartridge as my daily #1 last year. I’ll stick with it. ;)
PS: love seeing the Search For Spock album artwork in the background!
Thank you!
I listened with headphones. The first one was like playing without turning bass control up, the second had much more bass, maybe too much for some tastes. The second one maybe was able to draw more of the encoded sound from the groove. It sounded more like modern digital recording rather than a 50 year old album with a damaged label. Maybe the price is worth it if the rest of your setup is as good. The song "One Note Samba" is copyrighted so it's possible you'd get a strike unless it's just the actual record that is what they care about. I think Universal probably owns it by now like much of recorded music from the '60s.
Enoch Light does not trigger content ID at this time.
I bet the droid scares yoshi the bird too.....we haven't heard him recently.love the quality cartridges.i always rely on the cartridge fitted on it when I get a turntable due to money limitations but I do enjoy stuff like this,Recordology!
Yes it does! It will send him flying!
The grade is much louder than the audio technic.a
The eq is the 540ml not 520
Grado....but I own a few....sooo
11:10 Have you adjusted the VTA too? Because to me it looks like your tonearm is dialed up rather high.
13:59 Nah, the difference was so big, that I could even hear it on my PC speakers!
Seems you have a dusty house just like me.
I clean my equipment every week, but within a week, the dust is back - really annoying 🤨
Only dusty in this room....too much electronics I think....static city.
@@Recordology Lol over here everything is dusty and especially the PC fans, those are like a vacuum cleaner.
I'm glad that my turntable has a dust cover.
Grado was muddy; At was clear.
I heard a huge difference ty
One Note Samba
I have the VM520eb and just ordered a VM540ML. The 520 was good but the left channel was somewhat louder so that bothered me.
I tried a Grado Red and loved the warm sound, but....... my turntable is a Technics SL-D3 direct drive automatic. And that is a problem with Grado, since they are VERY sensitive to magnetic fields. They then generate a hum, in my case it was as loud as a silent record groove. So in soft passages you can hear it. You have a belt driven turntable with the motor out of the way, try it on a direct drive...
Does that record still sound good after the spinerete carved it?
It does....
Who is the record by ?the song was very familiar
That was Future Sound Shock (album) by Enoch Light
can you change cartridges on a automatic turntable?
Depending on the model absolutely
I'll take both
11:39 The dust makes a runner, stage right
I know!!!! When I was editing I was like DANG SON!!!!
@@Recordology I thought it was kinda funny. Like it was trying to make a subtle little escape while no one was watching.
With headphones and given that it's thru a mic and then thru utubes could not make a purchase decision based on that but I will say that on my end, Grado sounds boomy and muddy. Not bad but AT was cleaner and at least I could hear "feel" some instrument separation. But really only live can an "accurate" accesment be made I think. Thanks for the vid, interesting.
The level sounds significantly higher on the Grado so it is hard to make any real determination which sounds better.
I liked Grado better. Now I’m thinking whether to buy Grado Gold 3, we have it on sale at a price of $ 282.
I much prefer the AT -- Your voice is too loud
Lol
Grado me agradou mais, bem quente e aveludado, acho que foi isso que balançou meus ouvidos brasileiros, obrigado pelo vídeo.
Here! So Cool I love RC have a lot!
Cool 👍
I heard a dramatic difference between the two myself but how does one compared to the other in staging and Stage presence?
not possible but i heard both and i would keepthe grado as they were more expensive and now 200€ cheaper
The record you are playing makes me think of a record that was played in an audio-hi-fi salon my Dad took me to when I was a boy.Loved listening to the various systems,speakers,TT's. At that time all of the amps were tube-and the speakers were large floorstanding ones.Bookshelf speakers weren't available in those days.Percussion,horns,cymbals,bells were good demenstrators of speakers in those days as well as today.
The speakers sound absolutely horrible
How's the IGD on both cartridges?
Great show! Sure gives me something to think about when it's time to update mine. 😎👍
It is necessary to adjust the tonarm in height to change the cartridge with Audiotechnica vm 520 to Grado Prestige ?
Depends on the tt. For my LP7 yes.
@@Recordology what is tt? My vinyl player don't have adjust the tonarm in height, and i want change my cartrige vm-95 to Grado Prestige Green. Grado Prestige Green have hiegh less than 1mm than Grado. Will be worked Grado in my vilyl plaer Teac tn-3b?
What is the VTA ( Tone arm height level) between the AT and Grado. I trust the Grado would have a taller Body.
The Grado is so tall! In fact too tall for the lp-7!
@@Recordology I trust the Arm can adjust the VTA or the height of the arm. Unlock it and twist the big " Nut" the base of the arm till height is accomplished and usually if arm view from the side is parallel to the vinyl on the platter.
These are not the Droids you're looking for.
I always noticed the messages, but I didn't want to tell anyone lol. I also love when you show talk about off topic things in your videos because it's almost like we're having a conversation which is cool.
The Grado definitely has a warmer sound than the Audio Technica, however I prefer the Audio Technica.
Oh thank you!
Just want to say I've been watching you for years now and thank you for making videos almost everyday. I come home from work and that's how I relax by watching your videos .please don't ever quit
Thank you very much - that means a lot to me!
The AT is less than HALF the cost of the Grado. Based on price and specs alone, it shouldn't be a surprise that the Grado is going to be the winner.
The VM520? Sounds muffled, or rolled off. The Grado feels like it has some headroom. Very clean sounding with a vibrant midrange. I might say, Grado FTW!
grado sounds dull...and i hear some distortion...
I have that Droid. I literally pulled it out and placed it on my coffee table before setting this video. I love chasing the cats with it.