Grado Timbre Reference4 Cartridge (4.0mV, High Output)

In Stock	An In Stock item is available to ship normally within 24 business hours.
Preorder	A Preorder is an item that has not yet been released. Typically the label will set a projected release date (that is subject to change). If a projected release date is known, we will include this in the description in red. Other Preorders are set to release 'TBA.' This means that release date is yet 'To Be Announced'. The Preorder can be released anywhere between weeks, months or years from its initial announcement.
Backordered	An Out Of Stock item is an item that we normally have available to ship but we are temporarily out of. We do not have a specific date when it will be coming.
Awaiting Repress	Awaiting repress titles are in the process of being repressed by the label. No ETA is available at this time.
Expected On	When an item is Out Of Stock and we have an estimated date when our stock should arrive, we list that date on our website in the part's description. It is not guaranteed.
Special Order	A Special Order item is an item that we do not stock but can order from the manufacturer. Typical order times are located within the product description.

In Stock

An In Stock item is available to ship normally within 24 business hours.

Preorder

A Preorder is an item that has not yet been released. Typically the label will set a projected release date (that is subject to change). If a projected release date is known, we will include this in the description in red. Other Preorders are set to release 'TBA.' This means that release date is yet 'To Be Announced'. The Preorder can be released anywhere between weeks, months or years from its initial announcement.

Backordered

An Out Of Stock item is an item that we normally have available to ship but we are temporarily out of. We do not have a specific date when it will be coming.

Awaiting Repress

Awaiting repress titles are in the process of being repressed by the label. No ETA is available at this time.

Expected On

When an item is Out Of Stock and we have an estimated date when our stock should arrive, we list that date on our website in the part's description. It is not guaranteed.

Special Order

A Special Order item is an item that we do not stock but can order from the manufacturer. Typical order times are located within the product description.

Description

This product can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Retip: $1000

Reference4 is part of the Grado Timbre Series, representing a refined balance of resolution, control, and musicality. Developed through decades of cartridge design, it brings a high level of performance to a wider range of systems while maintaining the tonal integrity that defines Grado cartridges.

Built on Grado's moving iron design, Reference4 delivers a stable and highly responsive presentation with low moving mass and long-term consistency.

Offered in both stereo and mono configurations, Reference4 continues the tradition of Grado's wood body cartridges.

Performance

Reference4 is available in both high and low output configurations, allowing for compatibility across a wide range of phono stages.

Its presentation is defined by clarity, refinement, and control. Detail is resolved with precision while maintaining a smooth and composed top end. The midrange carries natural presence and texture, and low frequencies are delivered with definition and authority.

Complex passages are handled with ease, maintaining separation and spatial stability. The overall balance remains even and composed, allowing the structure of the recording to come through naturally.

Moving Iron Design

Reference4 features a nude Shibata diamond mounted to a machined boron cantilever.

The Shibata profile is highly effective at retrieving detail from the groove, offering exceptional contact and resolution while maintaining a natural, unforced presentation. Paired with a machined boron cantilever—known for its low mass and responsive behavior—the system delivers clarity, speed, and stability across the frequency range.

Diamond, Cantilever & Stylus

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 5N OCC copper, selected for its conductivity and consistency.

Each cartridge undergoes cryogenic treatment and internal damping to reduce unwanted resonance and preserve signal integrity. The result is a presentation that remains coherent, balanced, and dynamically responsive.

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.

Technical Specifications

Non-Sensitive to Capacitive Load
Body	American Osage Wood
Cantilever	Machined Boron/Shibata 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	9.6 grams
Tracking Force	1.6–1.9 grams
Compliance	20µm/mN
Channel Separation	Average 30dB – 10–30kHz
Controlled Frequency Response	10–60kHz
Builds	High Output, Low Output, Mono