All in all, the Grado Opus3 is a first-class cartridge that I can heartily recommend to anyone setting up a medium to high-end turntable ensemble or upgrading an existing system.
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 we learned with our 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.
Specifications:
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
Good synergies with Grado Labs's Opus3