The Grado name is synonymous with great phono cartridges. Grado's top-end Reference and Signature lines garner the most praise, but the Prestige series provides a fine mix of performance and value. An excellent example is the Prestige Red, which lies midway in the Black/Green, Blue/Red, Silver/Gold line-up.

In each pairing, the two products (such as the Blue and Red) share the same design parameters, but when tested for particular audio specifications, the second member of the pair tests in the top 10 to 15 percent of the production run. Essentially, the Prestige Red is the cream of the Prestige Blue crop.

The Prestige Red utilizes a small moving-iron disc that is mounted on a cantilever. As the disc moves in response to the stylus' path over an album, it changes the magnetic field in fixed magnets, which induces voltage changes in a coil.

This design is relatively lightweight, low mass, and rugged, and it provides high audio quality. The Prestige Red uses an elliptical diamond stylus mounted on a four-section cantilever constructed according to Grado's OTL (optimized transmission line) principle. The stylus is user-replaceable, and the special tool needed to do this is supplied.

The recommended tracking force is 1.5 grams, and sensitivity is rated at 5 millivolts. The frequency response extends to 55,000Hz, and the cartridge weighs 5.5 grams. The shell uses standard two-hole mounts. The Prestige Red cartridge is a good choice for a replacement in a high-quality turntable and phonograph playback system.

It gives an essentially flat frequency response, low noise, and low distortion in all but the most esoteric criteria, and the Grado Prestige Red provides performance that is satisfactorily comparable to that of higher-priced phono cartridges.

Warranty
1 year