Grado Timbre Opus 3 Phono Cartridge

The Opus3 was built specifically to bring the entry-level and the mid-range phono cartridges closer together, creating an even tighter ecosystem of cartridges. Grado worked on the Opus3 knowing they wanted to have a cost-effective wooden cartridge while at the same time taking advantage of the techniques and processes used in the higher-end models. If taking a step up in your turntable setup is on your to-do list, start here.

When it comes to the Opus3, there are a few “firsts”. This is the first cartridge built with a maple wood housing, as well as the first to use what Grado learned with their high-end cartridges at such an entry-level price. The housing is a new shape but still keeps the wood working in tandem with the cartridge inside. This is also the first cartridge built specifically with the Timbre Series in mind.

The Opus3 is nestled inside a maple housing, something a cartridge has never done before. After years of working with maple from the Heritage and Statement Series headphones, Grado knew it was time to bring it to a turntable. Maple produces a vibrant and luscious sound, while staying consistent and clear. Through a variation of thermal aging processes, the housing gains the ability to better dampen and control the resonant frequencies.

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. 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 Grado builds.

Each Opus3 is hand-built by Grado’s team in Brooklyn. Fine tuned for everything from entry-level turntables up to the highest-end stereo systems, the solid mass of the wood helps keep the Opus3 steady and producing the Grado signature sound. Grado started building cartridges on a kitchen table in 1953, and every experience since then has led to the creation of the Opus3.

• Body: Maple Wood
• Cantilever: Aluminum / Elliptical Diamond
• 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: 8 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-Sensitive to Capacitive Load
• Builds: High Output, Low Output, Mono