Landed a NOS Grado F1+

[Craig B]

Too mellow usually indicates a misaligned stylus assembly, and/or damping compound lodged between the pole piece extensions and bobbins round back of the stylus assembly.

 

[chartz]

You mean the sort of tar that fills the body?

 

[Craig B]

Yeah, the black stuff. It isn't meant to fill the entire body, just to help seat the stylus assembly such that it doesn't resonate out of sync with the coils. Grado make no mention of dealing with this when changing out their styli, however, getting the assembly properly seated in the compound makes all the difference to the resulting sound quality.

 

[daytona600]

Grados are sensitive to VTA & could cure the polite sound or damping compound/potting material on a F1 will be 30years old & will affect sound & suspension due to hardening of the compound

http://daveyw.edsstuff.org/vinyl/Potting/