DS Audio DS Master3
The DS Master3 pairs bottomless bass and explosive scale with an unusually silky, warm transparency. HiFi News found its imaging startlingly lifelike, with life-sized performers, precise placement and exceptional low noise. Its square-pillar diamond cantilever and Micro Ridge stylus make this a lavishly revealing optical front end that stays musical rather than clinical.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
95/100
Build Quality
86/100
Features Usability
81/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Delivers exceptionally deep, controlled bass with impressive mass, scale and dynamic impact.
Combines high transparency and precision with a notably warm, silky, non-clinical tonal character.
Produces expansive, highly realistic imaging, including life-sized performers and convincing positional depth.
Very low noise and excellent tracking complement its strong clarity and attack.
Cons
Requires a dedicated DS Audio power supply/equalizer rather than a conventional MM or MC phono stage, adding system complexity and cost.
The matching Master 3 Equalizer is a large, heavy 23kg component and a significant additional investment.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 95/100
HiFi News found the Master3 unusually complete: transparent and silky rather than clinical, with immense bass scale, forceful dynamics and a remarkably convincing spatial presentation. Its character combines warmth and richness with the speed, control and clarity expected of DS Audio's optical design.
Overall Sound
96/100
Ken Kessler describes absolute transparency as a family characteristic, but calls the Master3 the more luxuriant and "cosseting" expression of that quality. He praises its authentic piano tone, emotional vocal delivery, rich tonal balance and powerful yet controlled low frequencies, finding it more seductive and less clinical than the flagship Grand Master EX.
Tracking Retrieval
93/100
The Micro Ridge-equipped Master3 is described as exceptionally quiet and as retaining the precision of the higher model without a clinical edge. HiFi News also praises its clarity and attack on brass, and makes the striking comparison that its tracking could worry a Shure V15, though the review offers limited further detail on difficult inner-groove passages.
Soundstage Imaging
96/100
Spatial performance is one of the review's clearest strengths. Kessler reports a soundstage of startling scale, life-sized performers in a convincing studio-like acoustic, and chorus placement behind the singer that felt exceptionally realistic.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 81/100
Tonearm compatibility / system fit.
Tonearm Compatibility
81/100
At 7.9g with a recommended 2.1g tracking force, the Master3 should be physically manageable in many conventional tonearms. However, this is an optical cartridge that requires a dedicated DS Audio equalizer rather than a normal MM or MC phono input, making system matching more specialised; HiFi News notes it can also be used with the less costly DS-003 Equaliser.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
86/100
The Master3 uses an ultra-duralumin body, stainless cantilever holder, square-pillar diamond cantilever and Micro Ridge stylus, all consistent with a carefully specified premium cartridge. The available review focuses on listening rather than fit, finish or long-term durability, so there is little direct commentary on ownership quality.
Value for Money
85/100
At £8,330 for the cartridge alone, the Master3 is firmly a luxury purchase. HiFi News does not make a direct value judgement, but notes that it can deliver its seductive presentation through the £3,660 DS-003 Equaliser rather than requiring the most expensive matching unit.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
Specifications
- DS Master3 Optical Cartridge
- Signal output : Photo-electric Conversion Channel separation: 27db more（1kHz） Weight : 7.9g Output signal level : 70mV more Canti-lever : Square Pillar Diamond Body material: Ultra duralumin Cantilever holder material : Stainless Needle pressure: 2.0g～2.2g(2.1g is recommended) Stylus : Micro Ridge
- DS Master3 Equalizer for Optical Cartridge
- Output voltage: 700mV(1kHz) Output impedance : RCA 120Ω XLR 120Ω Pre amp input impedance: More than 10kΩ Input terminal: RCA terminal Output terminal: RCA terminal×3, XLR terminal×3 Size: W45.2cm×H15.3cm×D48.4cm Weight : 23kg
Manufacturer's Description — DS Audio
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.
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
All Dealers
Zoom out the map to see more dealers
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 — online and in-store — Majadahonda, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
and 94 more verified dealers
Featured Partners
