The Prestige series of cartridges are designed for high output and excellent stability under severe use. A considerable tip mass reduction results in a frequency response to 50 kHz and beyond and tracking forces from 1-2 grams. Acclaimed by experts as virtually the finest pickups in the world at their price.
All styli in the Prestige series are user replaceable.
OVERVIEW
The Black3 uses a three piece OTL cantilever that has a Grado specific diamond mounted on a brass bushing.
Grado’s OTL, or optimized transmission line, technology provides an ideal transfer of signal from the surface of the LP to the generator of the system. This technology rejects unwanted resonances and lowers distortion preserving the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the music. This also helps keep noise generated by the motor system in the cartridge to a minimum.
Grado’s OTL stylus/cantilever design makes records sound quieter, improves the height, width, and depth of the soundstage, and present more detail than previously obtainable.
The Black3 is all hand assembled by Grado's team in Brooklyn, with some builders having over 25 years of experience. With the recent development of the highly received Lineage Series of cartridges, Grado was able to have a trickle down of technology and bring a new technique to the Black3.
This updated series of cartridges offers excellent tonal balance, dynamics, and realism, for a most rewarding reproduction of vocals and instruments. Grado's coil winding techniques, using ultra high purity copper wire which were honed during the development of the Lineage Series, have let the electrical circuits achieve unison between the four coils in each phono cartridge. This allows for a precise balance between channels and accurate stereo imaging.
As in all Grado phono cartridges the Black3 are powered by a twin magnet system that optimizes the balance between stereo channels. All internal magnetic circuit parts are held to extremely high tolerances creating the desired stereo imaging. Grado’s patented Flux-Bridger design allows the Black3 to have one of the lowest effective moving mass generating systems while creating an excellent balance throughout the full frequency range.
The development of the Epoch in the Lineage Series gave Grado an in-depth experience with using an outer housing as a damping device. This led to the creation of a process which de-stresses the chassis and dissipates unwanted energy & resonant frequencies, allowing the desired signal to travel freely.
SPECIFICATIONS
• Frequency Response: 10-50
• Principal: MI
• Channel Separation at 1KHz: 30
• Input Load: 47K
• Output at 1KHz 5CM/sec.: 5mV
• Recommended Tracking Force: 1.5
• Stylus Type: E
• Inductance: 45mH
• Resistance: 475
• Compliance CUs: 20
• Stylus Replacement: U
• Mounting: S/P
• Weight: 5.5
