Grado Timbre Opus4 Phono Cartridge - Mono
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Grado Timbre Opus4 Phono Cartridge - Mono
Grado Timbre Opus4 Mono Moving Iron Phono Cartridge
What You Need to Know
Grado’s Wood-Body Sound, Built for Your Mono Records
The Grado Timbre Opus4 Mono Moving Iron Phono Cartridge brings the rich, organic character of Grado’s hand-carved maple-body Opus4 to dedicated mono playback. Hand-built in Brooklyn, it shares every material and construction detail with the stereo Opus4—but its generator is purpose-built for mono records.
If your collection includes mono jazz, classical, or the great mono reissue series, this cartridge will transform how those records sound.
Why a Dedicated Mono Cartridge?
Mono records carry music in the groove’s side-to-side motion only. A true mono cartridge reads exactly that—so the surface noise, wear, and vertical artifacts a stereo cartridge picks up simply disappear. As Grado puts it, a mono cartridge makes your records quieter and more musical.
Phase anomalies vanish, the center image locks in, and no mono switch is needed—both channels carry the identical signal.
True Mono Generator, Not a Shortcut
Grado doesn’t simply bridge a stereo cartridge. The Opus4 Mono uses a revised version of Joseph Grado’s patented flux-bridger moving iron generator, engineered for mono operation while keeping the same ultra-low moving mass.
Hand-Carved American Maple Body
Like the stereo version, the Opus4 Mono’s body is carved from American maple, a tonewood prized for its warm, balanced resonance character—paired with an elliptical diamond on an aluminum cantilever and Grado’s OCC copper signal path with cryogenic treatment.
High Output, Hand-Built in Brooklyn
With 4.0mV of output, the Opus4 Mono works with any standard MM phono input. Each one is built to order and hand-assembled at Grado’s family-owned Brooklyn factory, est. 1953.
Building Your System
The Opus4 Mono suits any quality turntable with a standard MM phono input. Many collectors keep it mounted on a second headshell or tonearm, switching to it whenever a mono pressing hits the platter.
Please note: mono versions are built to order by Grado—allow additional lead time.
Features & Specifications
True Mono Moving Iron Generator
Reads only the mono groove for quieter, more musical playback.
Hand-Carved American Maple Body
Natural tonewood damping for rich, organic, full-bodied sound.
Elliptical Diamond Stylus
Ideal for original mono LPs and modern mono reissues.
High-Output Design
4.0mV works with any standard MM phono input—no mono switch needed.
Wood Cartridge Upgrade Program
Trade in any Grado wood cartridge toward a new one—regardless of condition.
Hand-Built in Brooklyn, USA
Built to order at Grado’s family-owned factory, est. 1953.
Specifications
• Type: Mono Moving Iron (MI)
• Stylus: Elliptical Diamond
• Cantilever: Aluminum
• Body: Hand-Carved American Maple
• Output: 4.0mV
• Load Impedance: 10k–47k ohms
• Mounting: Standard ½-inch
• Tracking Force: 1.6–1.9 grams
• Weight: 8.3 grams
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a mono switch or special phono preamp?
No. The 4.0mV output works with any standard MM phono input, and both channels carry the identical mono signal—no switch required.
Can I play stereo records with it?
The mono version is purpose-built for mono pressings. For stereo records, use the stereo Opus4—many collectors keep one of each.
How does it differ from the stereo Opus4?
Materials and construction are identical—the generator is revised for true mono operation, so mono pressings play quieter, cleaner, and with a rock-solid center image.
Who is the Opus4 Mono designed for?
It’s ideal for collectors of mono jazz, classical, and mono reissues who want an affordable entry into dedicated mono playback with Grado’s wood-body warmth.
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- True mono generator reads only the horizontal groove movement in mono records — vertical noise is eliminated at the source, not filtered downstream.
- Moving iron (Flux-Bridge) design — fixed magnets and coils, tiny iron element at cantilever tip provides low moving mass and accurate groove tracking.
- American Maple wood body naturally damps cartridge resonances for a cleaner, more controlled presentation than plastic-bodied cartridges.
- Updated housing geometry improves cantilever visibility for easier, more precise alignment during setup.
- Bonded elliptical diamond on aluminum cantilever for accurate groove contact and reliable tracking.
- 5N OCC copper internal signal path — ultra-high purity copper with reduced grain-boundary distortion.
- Cryogenic treatment and internal damping applied to each cartridge to reduce resonance and preserve signal integrity.
- Works with any standard MM phono input (10k–47k ohm loading).
- Non-sensitive to capacitive loading — no cable capacitance matching required.
- Compatible with Grado’s Wood Cartridge Upgrade Program.
- Standard ½” mount — compatible with virtually any tonearm headshell.
- Hand-built in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
- Type: Moving iron (Grado Flux-Bridge) — Mono
- Series: Timbre
- Body: American Maple wood
- Cantilever: Aluminum
- Stylus: Bonded elliptical diamond
- Configuration: Mono
- Frequency response: 10 Hz–60 kHz (controlled)
- Input load: 10k–47k ohms
- Cartridge weight: 8.3g
- Tracking force: 1.6–1.9g (recommended)
- Compliance: 20 μm/mN
- Mounting: Standard ½”
- Internal wire: 5N OCC copper
- Country of origin: USA (Brooklyn, NY)
- Output voltage and DC resistance: Verify with Grado before publishing
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