Grado Timbre Reference 3 Cartridge ( 1.0mV Low Output ) Moving Magnet MM

Product no.: GRADO-REF-LO


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Grado Timbre Reference 3 Cartridge ( 1.0mV Low Output ) Moving Magnet MM
£1,529.00
Price includes VAT, plus delivery


Grado Timbre Reference 3 Cartridge ( 1.0mV Low Output ) MM / MI

By Frank Doris /Fi Magazine I'll get right to the point: Grado's "The Reference" is a superb phono cartridge. "The Reference 3" will take you to analog playback heaven. It's one of the finest phono cartridges I've ever heard.

Achieving fantastic accuracy and control, the Reference3 . Within a week of auditioning the  Reference, I began to believe that both my new and vintage vinyl had received a rite of purification, cleansed and made better than new. It was also as though the tiny hairs in my inner ear had been degunked, and in a stroke my hearing was perfectly clear.”  Audio Review

Formally the  Reference Series, the new Timbre Series combines every next generation mid-range wooden phono cartridge into a striking and powerful family. Producing a warm, impactful, and accurate sound, this hand-built lineup delivers a signal with more control and accuracy than they ever have before. It features the qualities that have made the Grado Reference famous: timbre quality, dynamics and swing! The tonal balance emphasises the substance and presence. The length of the bass notes and their articulation are quite amazing. low colouration.However, the definition and transparency are way superior across the entire spectrum. The mids are just as rich and full-bodied, which delivers a highly authentic sound.The treble is very subtle, soft without over-brightness. 

This Grado Reference-3 MM cartridge truly epitomises the manufacturer's expertise! And in that respect, it is definitely one of the top MM cartridges ('Moving Iron' ) available to date!

Into the Woods‬
Achieving fantastic accuracy and control, the Reference3 does everything the Master3 can do - but does it better thanks to specialized intricate processes while being crafted.

Last Stop Before Lineage

Top of the Timbre
While similar to its younger sibling in a few aspects, the Reference3 has a much longer build time since it undergoes extremely unique processes only a few of our cartridges go through. This longer, more intricate practice produces a more colorful and deeper sound. When working in tandem with the special curing process and individual calibrations, we have the best cartridge in the Timbre Series.

The Materials

To make the Timbre Series work as a whole, we created a way for Jarrah, diamonds, and a twin magnet system to integrate with our Flux-Bridge™. We modified our four 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 Reference3 uses a specially Grado designed true ellipsoid diamond.

In the Details.Extreme Precision

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 we build.

The Sound of Wood.Built from Jarrah

After the Reference3 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.

with Love.Hand-Built in Brooklyn

Each Reference3 is hand-built by our team in Brooklyn, as it has been for decades. After a specialized process that brings it to life, 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 Sonata3 steady and producing the Grado signature sound. We started building cartridges on a kitchen table in 1953, and every experience since then has led to the creation of the Reference3.

Body: Australian Jarrah Wood
Cantileaver: Machined Boron / Diamond Tip
Output:
High 4.0mV @5 CMV (45)
Low 1.0mV @5 CMV (45)
Inductance:
High Output 55mH
Low Output 6mH
Resistance:
High Output 660 ohms
Low Output 70 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-Sensative to Capacitive Load
Builds: High Output, Low Output, Mono

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