Grado Signature Model 8 worth re-tip?

I have Grado XTZ and it’s great, top of the line MI from Joe Grado. Do not buy from LP gear if it’s not an authorized Grado dealer, check on Grado website, buy genuine stylus from Grado direct or from their authorized dealers.


You can use XTZ stylus on your cartridge too, but it’s more expensive than 8MZ.

I have the XTZ stylus (from LP gear) on my signature 8 & it sounds great. Much better than it did with the stock stylus

Prices are quite a bit different.

8MZ is $175.00
XTZ is $475.00

Is their $300.00 difference in sound improvement, or just as important, is my Signature Model 8 worthy?

Just trying to put cost and end performance in perspective.

Really appreciate the posts and information!

Rick

Rich, for whatever it may be worth, I owned and used every all the mentioned Grados including the XTZ back in the day. I loved their full bodied, bold and lush sound. 
Is the 8MZ stylus worth it at $175? Without a doubt! Look at it this way: what else can you get of comparable sound for $175? I can’t think of anything. Also keep in mind its user friendly high output and good tracking ability. Is the XTZ stylus worth the extra $300? Probably, but I would put it this way:

The XTZ stylus is a substantial improvement over the 8MZ stylus. However, keep in mind that putting the XTZ stylus on an Sig 8 body does not make it an XTZ cartridge. As Chackter says, the XTZ is a great cartridge; substantially better than a Sig 8, but while the XTZ stylus works in the Sig 8 body, the XTZ has different electrical characteristics and much lower output than the Sig 8.

Good luck.

@chakster @frogman @yogiboy @boxer12
Thanks for your help!