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[Test Note] Check Empire 2000E/III on my setup
Grado M1+
The Grado M1+ uses the American workshop's house MI generator design. Its 5 mV output feeds any standard MM phono input. The elliptical stylus runs at a rated tracking force of 1.5 g. The replaceable stylus shares the M1+ name, and Phono Culture lists 3 compatible replacement styli.
The Grado M1+ leans into a warm, forgiving signature rather than clinical precision. Vocals come through natural and emotionally engaging, backed by a dense, tuneful low end that gives rock and acoustic material real body, while imaging and dynamics keep things exciting without fatigue on lesser-matched arms. Listeners who value musicality and easy tracking over forensic detail get exactly that. The elliptical stylus is replaceable, keeping upkeep simple.
Replacement styluses for Grado M1+
Grado
Gold-3
Elliptical
Grado
Silver-3
Elliptical
Grado
Prestige Gold
Elliptical
Sound × Setup
Detail
72%
IGD Control
68%
Noise Suppression
70%
Dynamics—Attack
76%
Soundstage/Imaging
75%
Bass Density
72%
Vocals/Midrange
78%
Forgiving Character
82%
Tonearm mass light 67%
medium 33%·heavy 0%
Capacitance up to 100 pF 60%
100-200 pF 30%·from 200 pF 10%
Phono gain 35–38 dB 50%
39–42 dB 50%·43–46 dB 0%
Grado M1+ (IM) requires light tonearm (<8g effective mass) to avoid tracking issues. Gain 39–42 dB suits MM phono stages. Low capacitance design minimizes treble peaks—use short, quality cables (<1m). Ideal for high-compliance arms. Avoid heavy decks; prioritize proper VTF tracking for optimal performance.