Grado Cartridges
Reference3
Boron authority. Natural musicality.
The Reference3 bridges the gap between the Statement and Timbre series — a boron cantilever with a Grado-spec elliptical diamond, wound with ultra-high-purity long-crystal OFC copper wire. The Flux-Bridger generator uses hand-selected magnets and reconfigured coils tuned specifically for the cured Australian jarrah wood housing, delivering controlled frequency response from 8 Hz to 60 kHz with 30 dB channel separation. Available in high-output (4.0 mV) and low-output (1.0 mV) versions, as well as mono. Each Reference3 is hand-assembled and individually tested at the Brooklyn workshop.
At a Glance
●Boron cantilever / elliptical diamond
●UHPLC OFC copper coils
●Flux-Bridger generator
●8 Hz – 60 kHz response
●30 dB channel separation
●4.0 mV (high) / 1.0 mV (low)
●1.6–1.9 g tracking force
●Handmade in Brooklyn, NY
Key Features
Boron Cantilever & Elliptical Diamond
Machined boron cantilever with a Grado-spec elliptical diamond — ultra-rigid, low mass for accurate groove tracing and exceptional transient speed.
UHPLC OFC Copper Coils
Ultra-high-purity long-crystal oxygen-free copper wire with two-step shielding — maximum signal purity and exact coil unison.
Cured Jarrah Wood Housing
Australian jarrah wood with specialised curing process — optimises mass distribution and dampens resonances for a warm, natural musical character.
High & Low Output Available
4.0 mV high-output for standard MM phono stages or 1.0 mV low-output for MC-capable stages — choose to match your system.
Technologies Inside
Moving Iron Generator
A design no other manufacturer matches.
While most cartridges use moving magnets or moving coils, Grado's moving iron design moves a tiny iron element through a fixed magnetic and coil assembly. This produces a generator with very low moving mass — for fast transient response — combined with a high output voltage that drives any phono stage with ease. The result is a warm, detailed, and dynamically alive presentation.
Gallery
A closer look at the Reference3.
More in Grado Cartridges
Experience the Reference3
Visit our showroom for a personal demonstration. Hear the difference for yourself.
For complete specifications and technical details, visit the official Grado website.