Grado The Reference 3 Timbre Series Cartridge

To make the Timbre Series work as a whole, Grado created a way for Jarrah, diamonds, and a twin magnet system to integrate with our Flux-Bridge™. Unlike the cartridges before it, they modified their five piece OTL cantilever technology to achieve a 5% tip mass reduction over the Prestige Series and use ultra-high purity long crystal (UHPLC) oxygen free copper wire in the coils. The Master3 uses a specially Grado designed nude elliptical diamond.

Grado has combined newly developed coil winding techniques with decades-old disciplines. A new two-step shielding process brings not only exact unison between the four coils but an unobstructed path for a cleaner signal. The music is allowed to travel undistorted through the coils, greatly reducing mechanical noise while improving tracking. There is an extreme clarity over the full frequency range, with absolutely no stridency or shrillness. Precisely hand tipped with a diamond, a great amount of care go into each cartridge they build.

After the Platinum3 cartridge is crafted, it is then placed inside a Australian Jarrah housing. Jarrah is necessary for the majority of Timbre Series with its ability to produce surgically precise clarity without losing any depth. Through a variation of thermal aging processes, the housing gains the ability to better dampen and control the resonant frequencies. 

Each Master3 is hand-built by Grado's team in Brooklyn, as it has been for decades. They are fine tuned for everything from entry-level turntables up to the highest-end stereo systems, the solid mass of the wood helps keep the Master3 steady and producing the Grado signature sound. Grado started building cartridges on a kitchen table in 1953, and every experience since then has led to the creation of the Master3.

Technical Specifications:

• Body: Australian Jarrah Wood
• Cantilever: Machined Boron / Diamond Tip
• Output: High 4.0mV @5 CMV (45)
• Inductance: High Output 55mH
• Resistance: High Output 660 ohms
• Input Load: 10k-47k ohms
• Cartridge Weight: 10 grams
• Tracking Force: 1.6-1.9 grams
• Compliance: 20μm/mN
• Channel Separation: Average 30db - 10-30k Hz
• Controlled Frequency Response: 10-60 KHz
• Non-Sensitive to Capacitive Load
• Builds: High Output, Low Output, Mono

We endeavour to despatch same day for orders placed up to 1pm on available stock items (items with stock message "Usually dispatched within 24 hours"). Please remember to check with us first for a physical stock check if next day delivery is important to you. Any items with stock message "Usually dispatched within 72 hours" are items that we do not hold in stock but order in from the importer or manufacturer as soon as a customer order is received. Occasionally these may be delayed beyond 72 hours due to importer/manufacturer stock levels but we will inform you as soon as we can if this is the case.

UK Orders

We despatch the bulk of our UK mainland items on a 24 hour service – Free of Charge.  Non Mainland locations - Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, the Scilly Isles, the Scottish highlands and Islands, the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland may take a day or so longer and are not Free of Charge. Smaller items are delivered using Royal Mail 24 or special delivery. Larger items are delivered using a courier service such as DPD or UPS.

International Orders:

Due to the nature of our products and brand restrictions we are only able to send certain items internationally. Smaller items are delivered using Royal Mail Small Packets Airmail with International Tracked and/or Signed depending on value of item and availability of the service. Larger International shipments are sent by insured and tracked services using UPS. If there are any delays due to specific customs regulations, etc, you will be contacted by Hifisound or by the courier with a request for any further information required. Customs duties can apply for shipments to any countries outside of the UK depending on where the product you have bought is made. Customers are responsible for all taxes and duties incurred when the items enter their country.

Collect in Store or Home Install

At the request of the manufacturer some items cannot be supplied by mail order but you can click and buy them and then elect to collect them from our store or arrange a home install (if applicable). Applicable items clearly state that they are Collect in store or home install. Once ordered you will receive a message prompting you to contact us by phone or email to arrange for us to deliver and install or to reserve and collect from our store at your convenience, you will also be advised of the delivery time / stock availability as not all Home install / collect in store items are held in stock.