Grado Prestige BLUE-3
Grado moving magnet cartridge, fitted with an OTL diamond stylus and hand-assembled in Brooklyn, for demanding vinyl enthusiasts.
Description
The Prestige Blue3 is a moving magnet (MM) cartridge from Grado, designed to fit a turntable tonearm. It belongs to the same manufacturing family as the Red3, the latter being hand-selected from Blue3 production units meeting stricter testing criteria.
The diamond stylus is mounted on a brass ring using Grado's own OTL (Optimised Transmission Line) technology, a four-piece design intended to transfer the signal from the record surface to the generator while limiting unwanted resonances. This approach aims to reduce distortion while preserving the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the musical signal, with the intended effect of a quieter background and a more clearly defined soundstage in height, width and depth.
The cartridge relies on a dual magnet system, common to all Grado cartridges, designed to balance the two stereo channels. The internal magnetic circuit components are manufactured to tight tolerances, and the brand's patented Flux-Bridger design equips the moving coil generating system in pursuit of a consistent balance across the entire frequency range.
The coils are made from ultra-pure copper wire, using winding techniques inherited from the development of the Lineage series, with the aim of achieving precise matching between the four coils of each cartridge and a coherent stereo image between channels. Assembly is carried out by hand at Grado's Brooklyn workshop, by a team including experienced craftsmen.
This model is aimed at vinyl enthusiasts wishing to fit their turntable with a carefully made MM cartridge, seeking tonal balance and precise stereo imaging, for listening to both voices and instruments.
What to check before buying used
The stylus wears with prolonged contact and this alters groove tracking: check the condition of the diamond and its alignment on the suspension before purchasing. The moving coil and connecting wires, being very fine, are prone to loose contacts and shocks when removing a tonearm; a weaker channel or a hum often indicates a worn or poorly repaired cartridge. Also check the mounting on the cartridge body, as a cracked housing or loose screws will throw off the tracking angle.
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