GRADO THE REFERENCE 3

Pre owned. Supplied with original packaging and manual.

The Grado Reference3 cartridge is designed and built with the goal of combining precision, musicality, and craftsmanship, blending carefully selected materials with refined construction techniques. Its body is crafted from Australian Jarrah wood, chosen not only for its natural elegance but especially for its acoustic properties. This wood, subjected to a specific thermal treatment, acquires the ability to control and dampen resonance frequencies, delivering a sound reproduction that is clear and deep, with surgical precision that does not sacrifice naturalness. Inside, it houses a dual-magnet system integrated with Grado’s signature Flux-Bridge™ technology, ensuring a clean, interference-free signal transmission.

To further reduce tip mass and optimize tracking, the four-piece OTL cantilever has been re-engineered, achieving a 5% reduction in mass compared to the Prestige series. The coils are wound with ultra-high purity long crystal oxygen-free copper (UHPLC) wire, contributing to an extremely high level of detail and precise response across the entire frequency range. The specially designed Grado ellipsoidal diamond tip is mounted by hand with great care, ensuring perfect synergy between all components.

During the production process, each Reference3 is individually calibrated to ensure that all four coils work in perfect unison. This is achieved through a two-stage shielding process that drastically reduces mechanical noise and optimizes signal flow, improving tracking and maintaining extreme clarity without harshness or listening fatigue.

Every cartridge is hand-built in Grado’s Brooklyn workshop, where over seventy years of craftsmanship experience translate into meticulous attention to every detail. The Reference3 is designed to fit both high-end turntables and more accessible systems, always maintaining the structural solidity and sound quality that define Grado’s identity.

Technical specifications:

• Output: 4.8 mV @ 5 CMV (45)
• Controlled frequency response: 10–60 kHz
• Channel separation: average 30 dB – 10–30,000 Hz
• Input load: 47,000 ohms
• Inductance: 45 mH
• Resistance: 475 ohms
• Non-sensitive to capacitive load
• Cartridge weight: 6 grams
• Tracking force: 1.5 grams