reviews

I was just sitting there listening to music. I was enjoying the apparent sound stage created between the loudspeakers and wondered how my system would sound without the equipment rack sitting between the speakers and then the trouble began. My “rack” is 750 pounds of sandstone from a local quarry. There are four shelves, each 48” x 18” x 1.25” and weighing about 90 pounds each.

Why do loudspeakers cost so damn much money? After all, you take a wood box, cut holes for the woofer and tweeter, add a few common resistors and capacitors and inductors, and you are done! This 2-way speaker can be found for $100 or $1,000 or $10,000 or even more than $40,000 per pair.

Loudspeakers are not natural. Go outside and listen to a bird, or hear a piano, a French horn, a guitar, or even a drum. This is natural sound. Now listen to those same sounds on a typical loudspeaker where they are broken down into bass, midrange, and treble. The operative word here is “broken”. By the way, were you sitting in the sweet spot? Does a piano have a sweet spot?

First, understand that these are two very good, but very different sounding cartridges. They are perhaps a peerless pair of the best performers in the crowded sub-$1,000 realm. Secondly, let me say that most people will not like both of these devices. In most ways that matter, the sound of the Grado Sonata and Benz-Micro Glider cartridges are so distinct that we're talking a tale of two cartridges here.