Van den Hul The Grail MK III.1
The Grail MK III.1 is a high-gain phono stage built to make low-output moving-coils feel at home, spanning 56dB to 73dB of gain and using automatic impedance matching across a broad MC-friendly range. HIFI KNIGHTS considers it an exceptionally competitive premium proposition—an alluring choice for vinyl systems seeking long-term pedigree.
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Just Okay
Sound Quality
75/100
Cartridge Compatibility
86/100
Build Quality
75/100
Value for Money
91/100
Pros
Regarded as difficult to better against competing phono stages in its premium price bracket.
Broad gain range and automatic 10–400-ohm loading support very low-output moving-coil cartridges.
Cons
Premium pricing is a clear consideration.
Available review evidence does not detail tonal balance, noise performance, dynamics, or imaging.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 75/100
The supplied review does not discuss the Grail MK III.1's tonal character, background silence, dynamic expression, or spatial presentation. Its listening performance therefore remains insufficiently documented here, despite the reviewer's strong overall view of its competitiveness.
Transparency Noise Floor
75/100
The review provides no direct listening observations about hiss, hum, background silence, or transparency. The published signal-to-noise specification is encouraging, but the supplied review does not establish how quiet the unit is in use.
Tonal Balance Musicality
76/100
No supplied review passage describes tonal balance, timbre, warmth, neutrality, or musical involvement. The reviewer's view that competitors will be hard to find is positive overall, but it does not identify a particular tonal character.
Dynamics
75/100
The available review excerpt says nothing specific about transient speed, punch, microdynamics, or rhythmic drive. Further listening commentary would be needed to characterize how energetically the Grail MK III.1 reproduces records.
Soundstage Imaging
75/100
The supplied evidence does not address soundstage width, depth, image focus, or layering. There is therefore no reviewer-based basis for a stronger claim about its spatial presentation.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Cartridge Compatibility
86/100
Three gain settings—56dB, 64dB, and 73dB—cover cartridges from 0.4mV down to very low-output 0.05mV moving coils. Automatic input-impedance matching across approximately 10 to 400 ohms should make it especially accommodating for MC cartridges, although the supplied material gives limited detail on MM loading flexibility.
Build Quality
75/100
The supplied review contains no direct comments on chassis construction, internal layout, shielding, grounding, or long-term reliability. The specifications confirm modest power consumption and selectable mains voltage, but they do not by themselves describe the quality of execution.
Value for Money
91/100
HiFi Knights acknowledges that the Grail MK III.1 is expensive, yet says it would be difficult to find a worthy competitor in its price range. That is a clear endorsement of its competitiveness among similarly priced phono stages, rather than a claim that it is inexpensive.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
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Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Mains Power
- 110-120Volts, 50/60 Hz and 240Volts, 50/60Hz (toggleable)
- Power consumption
- appr. 10 Watts
- Temperature operation range
- from 15deg. Celsius up to 35deg. Celsius room temperature. No condensing on item allowed\nUse the amplifier only in dry environments
- Max. undistorted output voltage
- 15Vss for MM signal path
- Output impedance
- 330 Ohms at RCA Cinch output
- Input sensivity values
- given for 250mV RMS resp. 0,707Vss output level on amplifier output
- Signal to noise
- >= 77dB dB(A)
- Amplification factor 56dB
- 0,4 mV
- Amplification factor 64dB
- 0,15 mV
- Amplification factor 73dB
- 0,05 mV
- Input impedance
- autom. matching from appr. 10 Ohms up to 400 Ohms
Manufacturer's Description — Van den Hul
The successor improved.
Always striving for the best. That has always been our goal. With that philosophy in mind, we have taken the already highly regarded Grail MKIII and refined it even further into the MKIII.1. At the heart of this evolution lies a newly improved and better stabilized power supply, allowing the entire design to perform with greater precision, stability, and musical ease.
“The Grail” is a truly dulcet phonograph preamplifier, created with ultimate performance and long-term reliability as its guiding principles. From its uniquely designed phonograph stage, unlike any other in the world. to its carefully engineered signal path, every aspect has been developed to preserve musical purity.
Available in both silver and black, The Grail MKIII.1 is designed to complement any high-end system, both visually and sonically.
Feature list:
- A specifically designed phonograph preamplifier section, unique in the world
- Phonograph RIAA equalization with coils only, no sound-impairing capacitors in filters
- Special printed circuit board material with gold conducting paths
- Printed circuit board with dedicated seating to prevent microphonics
- Low-noise moving coil input stage, even with low-output cartridges
- Automatic adapting input stage for moving coil cartridges, no matching resistors needed
- Possibility to compensate phonograph cartridge sensitivity (level adjustment)
- Strictly separated amplifier sections and circuit layout for a very natural soundstage
- All-over ground plane minimizing crosstalk and ground loops
- Two phonograph inputs for moving coil cartridges
- Shielded transformer in an external housing to avoid hum and EMI noise
- Power supply with gyrators for each amplifier section, ensuring very high noise cancellation
- External power supply supports 120V and 240V mains voltage (internally switchable)
- Very sturdy cabinet construction, milled from a solid block of special aluminium
Designed to provide true high-end audio performance, The Grail MKIII.1 delivers outstanding sound quality with nearly every modern phonograph cartridge.
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Authorized dealers for Van den Hul The Grail MK III.1
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Artisan Fidelity — in-store — Dyer, Indiana, United States (website)
- Audio Advisors — in-store — West Palm Beach, Florida, United States (website)
- Audio Centrum — Hungary (website)
- Audio Evolution — online and in-store — Volla, Campania, Italy (website)
- Audio Influence — online and in-store — Fitzroy North, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Audio Sound Music — online and in-store — Paris, Île-de-France, France (website)
- AUDIOPHILE HIFI — online and in-store — Tours, Centre-Val de Loire, France (website)
and 55 more verified dealers