Epoch4

Epoch4 is a moving iron cartridge built on Grado's flux-bridger principle, in which the coils stay fixed and only a very light moving mass generates the signal. It is the highest model in the Lineage Series and is supplied in stereo and mono configurations, both as special-order items.

A nude Shibata diamond is mounted on a sapphire cantilever. The internal signal path uses ultra-high purity OCC copper with gold plating, and the components and final assembly receive cryogenic treatment. The internal structure is damped to limit resonance. The Brazilian ebony body is shaped to reduce mass, suit a wider range of tonearms and keep the cantilever easier to see during alignment.

Being a low-output design (1.0 mV), it needs a high-gain phono stage. Input load is 10-47k ohms, and the cartridge weighs 10.5 grams with a tracking force of 1.6-1.9 grams. Owners of other Grado wood-body cartridges can use the maker's Wood Cartridge Upgrade Program when moving to another model.