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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 1943024130 ends on 25.12.2026 at 09:10 o'clock.
New, the Grado Reference 1 was a roughly €1,299 cartridge, so €575 used is an excellent price rather than merely fair. It sits exactly at the 25th-percentile mark in the 21-listing comparison, with a €576 median and €584 upper quartile; that makes this a strong market-level buy, assuming the condition description is accurate.
The Reference 1 remains attractive for its open, dynamic presentation, wood body, low-mass OTL cantilever, and unusually capable bass and tracking. The 5 mV high-output version works into a normal MM phono stage, while the 0.5 mV low-output version needs suitable MC gain, so confirm which variant is offered. At this money, stylus wear and proof of a healthy cantilever matter more than cosmetic marks; with reasonable remaining stylus life, this is a very worthwhile pickup.
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.
