DS Audio Grand Master Extreme
The Grand Master Extreme uncovers vinyl’s finest textures with startling micro-detail, a silent background and expansive, stable imaging. Its one-piece diamond cantilever brings exceptional precision, while HiFi News heard remarkable spatial realism and The Absolute Sound praised its rich speed, deep bass and effortless treble. It is an elite optical cartridge for systems built to reveal everything in the groove.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
97/100
Build Quality
93/100
Features Usability
74/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Exceptional low-level retrieval exposes vocal textures, string contact and other fine groove information.
Stable, spacious imaging delivers convincing width, depth, air and clearly located instruments.
One-piece diamond cantilever and integral Micro Ridge stylus support highly precise tracking without an adhesive joint.
Smooth, lustrous presentation combines deep bass, effortless treble and notably quiet backgrounds.
Cons
Requires a dedicated optical phono equalizer and cannot connect to a conventional phono preamp.
Its extreme transparency and hyper-precision may be less forgiving of system matching or listeners seeking a warmer balance.
The cartridge and appropriate equalization represent a very substantial investment.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 97/100
Reviews portray an unusually refined optical cartridge with a rich, fast and highly palpable presentation, exceptional low-level resolution, and a notably spacious, stable image. Its quiet groove behavior and freedom from audible strain are recurring themes, though realizing this performance depends on the dedicated DS Audio equalizer system.
Overall Sound
97/100
The Absolute Sound calls the presentation smooth, lustrous and remarkably free of grunge or strain, while also describing musicality at an exceptionally elevated level. Its reviewers find it richer, faster and more lifelike than the prior Grand Master, with deep bass, effortless treble and an ease that makes even less impressive recordings enjoyable.
Tracking Retrieval
97/100
The one-piece diamond cantilever and Micro Ridge stylus are credited with exceptionally accurate transmission of groove information. Reviewers hear uncanny micro-detail, including cello bowing, slide-to-string contact and vocal textures, alongside a very quiet background that leaves little to mask low-level information.
Soundstage Imaging
95/100
The Absolute Sound reports a substantially more stable soundstage with instruments easy to locate, while Hi-Fi News hears convincing width, depth and air. Ken Kessler says it has very few peers at placing performers in the listening space.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 74/100
Tonearm fit is straightforward in physical terms, but this optical design requires dedicated DS Audio electronics rather than a conventional phono preamp. It is therefore a specialized system component whose setup and budget must include appropriate equalization.
Tonearm Compatibility
74/100
At 7.7g with a recommended 2.1g tracking force, the cartridge should be physically manageable on many suitably adjustable tonearms. However, reviewers stress that it cannot be used with traditional phono stages and is best partnered with DS Audio's dedicated Grand Master equalizer and power supply, making system matching more demanding than with MM or MC cartridges.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
93/100
The defining construction feature is the 0.22mm one-piece diamond cantilever with an integral Micro Ridge stylus, eliminating the usual stylus-to-cantilever adhesive joint. Multiple reviews describe this unusual execution in detail and associate it with more precise transmission, although they offer little direct comment on long-term durability or finish quality.
Value for Money
85/100
At roughly $22,500/£18,995 for the cartridge alone, this is an uncompromising luxury purchase, and the dedicated equalizer adds substantially to the total system cost. The reviews do not directly compare its value against rivals, although Hi-Fi News notes a meaningful package saving when bought with the Grand Master Equaliser and regards the listening experience as compelling.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
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Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Signal output
- Photo-electric Conversion
- Channel separation
- 27db more（1kHz）
- Weight
- 7.7g
- Output signal level
- 70mV more
- Canti-lever & Needle
- ONE PIECE DIAMOND
- Body material
- Ultra duralumin
- Cantilever holder material
- Stainless
- Needle pressure
- 2.0g～2.2g(2.1g is recommended)
- Stylus
- Micro Ridge
Manufacturer's Description — DS Audio
Cartridge
One-piece diamond cantilever
The Grand Master Extreme employs a 0.22mm square one-piece diamond cantilever, where the diamond cantilever and the needle tip are crafted from a single diamond. Typically, the diamond tip of the cantilever and the needle tip are bonded together using adhesive. However, with the one-piece diamond cantilever, the cantilever and the needle tip are integrated into a single unit, enabling a more direct transmission of information from the needle tip.
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
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Authorized dealers for DS Audio Grand Master Extreme
- 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
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