Grado Master4 Hi-Fi Cartridge

Grado Master4 Phono Cartridge — Wood-Body Timbre Series

The Grado Master4 phono cartridge is part of Grado's Timbre Series of wood-body cartridges, built on decades of cartridge design experience. It is designed to deliver clarity, control and musicality while keeping the tonal character that defines Grado cartridges. The Master4 is offered in high-output and low-output stereo versions as well as mono builds, so it can be matched to a wide range of phono stages and record collections.

Moving Iron Flux-Bridger Design

Like every Grado cartridge, the Master4 uses a moving iron design based on Joseph Grado's patented flux-bridger principle. The coil structure stays fixed while only a very low moving mass follows the groove, which gives the cartridge speed and control without the fragility often associated with traditional moving coil systems. The internal signal path is built from ultra-high purity 6N OCC copper, and each cartridge undergoes cryogenic treatment and internal damping to reduce unwanted resonance.

Diamond, Cantilever and Housing

A nude elliptical diamond is mounted on a machined boron cantilever, a material known for its low mass and responsive behaviour. The American Osage wood body helps control resonance and contributes to the cartridge's tonal balance, while the reshaped housing improves visibility of the cantilever during setup for more precise alignment.

• Body: American Osage wood — natural resonance control for the generator assembly.
• Stylus / Cantilever: Nude elliptical diamond / machined boron.
• Output: High 4.0 mV, Low 1.0 mV @ 5 CMV (45°).
• Inductance / Resistance: 55 mH / 660 Ω (high output), 6 mH / 70 Ω (low output).
• Input Load: 10–47 kΩ — not sensitive to capacitive load.
• Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 60 kHz, channel separation average 30 dB (10 Hz – 30 kHz).
• Tracking Force: 1.6–1.9 g, compliance 20 µm/mN, cartridge weight 9.6 g.

Who the Master4 Is For

The Master4 suits vinyl listeners who want a wood-body Grado cartridge with a balanced and controlled sound: clear detail, a smooth top end, a midrange with presence and body, and defined, well-structured bass. The high-output version works with any standard moving magnet phono input, while the low-output version is intended for phono stages with higher gain. Mono builds are available for listeners with mono record collections.

Grado Labs — Hand-Built in Brooklyn Since 1953

Grado Labs has been making phono cartridges by hand in Brooklyn, New York since 1953. The family-owned company still assembles and voices every cartridge in Brooklyn, and its wood-body models continue a long tradition of combining natural materials with the moving iron generator Joseph Grado patented.