RADAR is a price search engine. We link to the original listing — we never sell direct. Transactions happen on the source site.
Offered is „Statement Series Reference 1 OVP wenig Std.“ by Grado from the category „Pick-up“ on audio-markt.de - the online market place for high-end. The advert with the number 6162542196 ends on 21.12.2026 at 09:40 o'clock.
Compared with the obvious alternative of buying a newer mid-tier cartridge at this money, €575 is a fair price for a Grado Reference 1. It sits exactly at the 19-listing median, while the observed market is unusually tight at roughly €574–€583, so this is neither a bargain nor an ambitious ask—just properly positioned.
The Reference 1 remains worthwhile for its refined, warm-but-detailed presentation, strong bass control, low distortion, and capable tracking. Its 5 mV moving-iron output works with a conventional 47 kΩ MM input, making it easier to partner than the low-output version; the factory-replaceable stylus is also a meaningful advantage. At this price, confirm stylus wear and that the correct version is supplied, but a clean example with sensible hours is a sound buy.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Grado Labs, a family-owned American audio pioneer, traces its roots to 1953 when Joseph Grado, a former watchmaker and Audio Hall of Famer, founded the company in Brooklyn, New York. Starting in his family's kitchen—once a fruit store—he and his brother John developed the world's first moving coil stereo phono cartridge, patenting it in 1959 and earning a reputation for precision engineering that propelled millions of units into recording studios and homes worldwide. Still handcrafting products in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, under third-generation leadership, Grado embodies enduring Italian-American ingenuity in high-fidelity sound.
The brand focuses primarily on phono cartridges and headphones, categories where it has defined benchmarks for decades. Early ventures included speakers, turntables, and wooden tonearms before concentrating on cartridges in 1963; by the late 1980s, Joseph Grado pioneered high-end dynamic headphones that rivaled top speaker systems in dynamics, pitch control, and bass. Today, iterative lines like the Prestige, Signature, "E," and "X" series deliver open-back designs prized for their natural timbre and detail, all assembled by hand without venturing into amplifiers, DACs, or speakers.
Grado occupies a niche boutique position in the high-end market, revered by audiophiles for its uncompromised, value-driven performance and vintage-inspired warmth. Free from corporate gloss, its handmade Brooklyn products command loyalty among discerning buyers seeking authentic vinyl playback and headphone immersion, blending collector appeal with modern relevance in an era of digital dominance.
See all Grado listings on RADAR.
