Grado Timbre Series Master4 Phono Cartridge

Product Overview

Utilizing Grado’s moving iron design, Master4 provides a stable and consistent signal with low moving mass and long-term reliability.

Offered in both stereo and mono configurations, Master4 continues the tradition of Grado’s wood body cartridges.

Performance

Master4 is available in both high and low output configurations, allowing for compatibility across a wide range of phono stages.

Its presentation is balanced and controlled, with clear detail and a smooth, natural top end. The midrange carries presence and body, while low frequencies are defined and well structured

Recordings are presented with stability and coherence, maintaining separation and imaging without exaggeration. The overall character remains consistent, allowing the recording to define the listening experience.

Moving Iron Design

All Grado cartridges utilize a moving iron design built on Joseph Grado’s patented flux-bridger principle

This approach allows the cartridge to generate a precise signal with extremely low moving mass, while keeping the coil structure fixed. The result is a presentation that combines speed, control, and harmonic integrity without the fragility often associated with traditional moving coil systems

Diamond & Cantilever

Master4 features a nude elliptical diamond mounted to a machined boron cantilever.

The elliptical profile provides effective groove contact and detail retrieval, while the machined boron cantilever—known for its low mass and responsive behavior—contributes speed, stability, and a controlled, natural presentation.

Coil & Internal Structure

The internal signal path is built using ultra-high purity 6N OCC copper, selected for its conductivity and consistency.

Each cartridge undergoes cryogenic treatment and internal damping to reduce unwanted resonance and preserve signal integrity.

Housing

The Master4 is housed in an American Osage wood body, selected for its ability to help control resonance and contribute to the cartridge’s tonal balance. The reshaped housing improves visibility of the cantilever during setup, allowing for more precise alignment while supporting compatibility across a wide range of tonearms.