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DS Audio DS Master3
Cartridge
Independent LED and photo-detector arrangement for the left and right channels
The new Master 3 optical cartridge system has been optimized, by implementing an independent LED and photo-detector arrangement for the left and right channels. As a result, the cartridge output voltage has dramatically increased from 40mV to 70mV. The Master 3 cartridge offers a greatly improved S/N ratio compared to its stablemates, resulting in an even lower noise floor and far greater musical clarity.
The weight of the shading plate is reduced by more than 50%
The implementation of independent left and right channel LEDs allows for the positioning of the optical system to be optimized as well as necessitating the use of a new shading plate that has been significantly reduced in size compared to our earlier designs. In addition to this reduction in size, the material used to produce the shading plate has changed from aluminum (as used in the second-generation cartridges) to 99.9% pure beryllium.
Diamond cantilever
A first for DS Audio, the Master 3 cartridge features the combination of a square pillar diamond cantilever with a Micro Ridge stylus. The cartridge body structure has been designed in such a way as to promote maximum rigidity. In addition to these features, the Master 3 utilizes internal wiring 1.6 times thicker than used in the second-generation cartridges in order to reduce impedance.
Equalizer
Dual monaural circuit design with three transformers and six selectable output patterns
The DS Master3 equalizer is a dual monaural circuit design with three transformers and completely independent L-channel and R-channel circuits. The power supply has been overwhelmingly strengthened to enable deeper, richer low-frequency expression. The DS Master3 equalizer has balanced and unbalanced outputs, and the low-frequency cutoff frequency can be selected from six different options.
Hand-made in Japan circuit board
Every component part used in our products is tested and evaluated by our expert Japanese technicians. In addition to using a specially printed circuit board, the twist-connection of the component legs is further evidence of DS Audio’s excellent attention to detail. Each and every product is hand-made and quality assured by our skilled engineers.
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Professional Reviews 92/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
91/100
Features Usability
89/100
Value for Money
86/100
With vast soundstage, bottomless bass and a naturally silky, transparent balance, the DS Master3 sounds like a statement optical cartridge. HiFi News praised its scale, warmth and quiet background, while Fidelity Magazine highlighted the effortless authority and room-filling depth that make long listening sessions so absorbing.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Delivers huge scale with exceptionally deep bass and a wide, convincing soundstage.
Combines transparency with a silky, warm tonal character that avoids sounding clinical.
Produces a very low noise floor and reveals detail naturally without sounding forced.
Tracks demanding material with impressive punch, clarity and control.
&
Cons
Requires DS Audio’s dedicated equalizer and power supply, making the system more specialized than a conventional cartridge setup.
The matching equalizer is large and heavy, which may complicate placement and integration.
Its price is firmly in ultra-high-end territory.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviewers describe the Master3 as exceptionally immersive and musically convincing, with Kessler calling it 'cosseting,' 'silky,' and 'cashmere' in its presentation, while also stressing its absolute transparency and warmth. The sound is praised for big, authoritative scale and a notably natural, unforced character that keeps detail and emotion intact.
Overall Sound
95/100
Kessler says the cartridge has 'cosseting silkiness,' 'absolute transparency,' and a 'cashmere dressing gown' quality, while also preserving warmth and richness without becoming clinical. The result is a very refined, natural-sounding cartridge that combines body, detail, and musical ease in a way reviewers clearly admire.
Tracking Retrieval
93/100
The reviews point to excellent groove handling and retrieval, with Kessler explicitly saying it can 'worry a Shure V15' for tracking and praising its clean handling of demanding musical material. Brockmann also notes that it reveals fine detail naturally, and neither review reports mistracking or obvious inner-groove issues.
Soundstage Imaging
95/100
Spatial performance is one of the strongest themes in the reviews: Kessler repeatedly mentions 'the scale of the soundstage,' life-sized performers, and a convincing studio-like presentation, while Brockmann describes huge, wide, deep spaces that 'light up' the room. The imaging sounds expansive, stable, and highly three-dimensional.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 89/100
This is a specialized optical cartridge system, so it is best suited to users willing to pair it with the matching DS Audio equalizer and the right setup. The reviews suggest it is not difficult in sonic terms, but the ecosystem is inherently more specific than a conventional cartridge/phono-stage combination.
Tonearm Compatibility
89/100
At 7.9g with a 2.0–2.2g recommended tracking force, it should integrate into many standard tonearms, but it remains a system that depends on the matching DS Audio equalizer. The reviews do not describe major setup headaches, yet the need for the companion electronics makes it more specialized than a typical plug-and-play cartridge.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
91/100
The Master3’s execution gets strong implied support from the reviews, especially in the discussion of its precision, quiet operation, and the carefully described optical system. Reviewers do not dwell on long-term durability or construction details, but the cartridge clearly comes across as a well-engineered, premium product rather than a merely exotic one.
Value for Money
86/100
At roughly £3830 for the cartridge alone, it is undeniably expensive, but Kessler frames it as a serious disruptive contender rather than a mere luxury indulgence. The reviews praise it as a major leap forward and a compelling alternative within DS Audio’s own range, though they do not make a broad case that it undercuts rival cartridges on price.
Reviews
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Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for DS Audio DS Master3
- The Audio Association — in-store — Anaheim, California, United States (website)
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- 3mA Audio — online and in-store — Houston, Texas, United States (website)
- A/V Solutions — in-store — Pleasanton, California, United States (website)
- Absolute Audio - Canada — in-store — Calgary, Alberta, Canada (website)
- Absolute Hi End — in-store — Ormond, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Alma-Audio — in-store — Majadahonda, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
and 90 more verified dealers
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