Reference Sonata I

About the Reference Sonata I

The Grado Reference Sonata I phono cartridge is a moving iron design that incorporates a specially designed nude elliptical diamond stylus and a modified four-piece OTL cantilever technology, achieving a 10% tip mass reduction over the Prestige series. It features ultra-high purity long crystal oxygen-free copper wire coils and a machined Australian Jarrah wood body, which is denser and harder than previous Mahogany housings, providing greater stability. The coil design was reconfigured to reduce the number of turns and internal resonance, lowering the noise floor and improving sound quality. The effective moving mass of the generating system was reduced by 17%, allowing quicker and more accurate music reproduction. It has a frequency response of 10Hz to 60kHz, output voltage of approximately 5mV, channel separation of 40dB, and recommended tracking force of 1.5 grams. The cartridge is hand-assembled and praised for its rich midrange, controlled bass, and sweet treble, making it suitable for extended listening sessions. It is sensitive to setup adjustments such as vertical tracking angle (VTA) and alignment, rewarding careful installation with superior sound quality. The Reference Sonata I is considered a leap in performance beyond Grado's Platinum series and is highly regarded for vocal reproduction and musical flow.