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DS Audio · Optical
$25,000
Not currently in our rooms. For a serious buyer we will often bring a piece in from the manufacturer for a private session — tell us about your system and what you are weighing it against, and we will advise.
DS Audio · Optical
DS Audio's flagship optical cartridge, with a cantilever and stylus cut from a single piece of diamond.
Requires a DS Audio equalizer; cartridge only. Master-level DS dealers only.
Authorized DS Audio dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
The Grand Master Extreme takes the Grand Master and changes one critical part. Instead of a stylus glued to a diamond cantilever, the cantilever and Micro Ridge tip are made from one piece of diamond, with no adhesive between them. That way the stylus's motion reaches the generator more directly. The generator is DS Audio's third-generation optical design. A small beryllium shading plate moves between an LED and a photodetector for each channel, so there are no magnets or coils and the output is a high 70 mV. The body is ultra-duralumin with a stainless steel cantilever holder.
Hi-Fi News found that the one-piece diamond assembly made a clear, audible improvement over the standard Grand Master, even though the two measured almost identically. It also found the Extreme still beat the Grand Master when both ran on DS Audio's entry-level equalizer, which supports the reviewer's view that the cartridge matters more than the equalizer. Like every DS cartridge, it needs a DS Audio equalizer to power its LEDs and equalize the signal, and it will not work with a conventional MM or MC phono stage. At 7.7 g it suits most medium-mass, high-quality tonearms.
The Grand Master Extreme is the top of DS Audio's range, above the Master3, and it is sold alone or as the Grand Master EX System with the two-chassis Grand Master equalizer. DS Audio re-tips it at the factory for $13,750, and any DS Audio cartridge traded in takes 20% off a new one, bringing it to $20,000.
| Type | Optical (photo-electric) cartridge; requires a DS Audio equalizer |
| Output | 70 mV |
| Channel separation | 27 dB or more at 1 kHz |
| Tracking force | 2.0–2.2 g (2.1 g recommended) |
| Weight | 7.7 g |
| Stylus | Micro Ridge, integral with cantilever |
| Cantilever | One-piece diamond (0.22 mm square) |
| Body | Ultra-duralumin; stainless steel cantilever holder |
| Equalizer | Not included; works with any DS Audio equalizer |
DS Audio Grand Master Extreme product page and specifications
DS Audio upgrade program (Musical Surroundings). Trade in any DS Audio cartridge and take 20% off a new Grand Master Extreme ($20,000 instead of $25,000). Musical Surroundings also takes 10% off any DS cartridge with a trade-up from another cartridge it distributes (Clearaudio, Hana) or with one of its turntables.
| DS Audio factory re-tip — Grand Master Extreme | $13,750 (new cantilever and stylus assembly fitted in Japan; requires an RA number through us; 4–6 weeks) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS-E1 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS-E3 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS-002 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS 003 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS-W1 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS-W2 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS-W3 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Trade in your DS Audio DS Master1 | $20,000 after trade-in (credit $5,000) |
| Other DS Audio cartridges | 3 more models qualify; use the trade-in selector on this page or ask us |
DS cartridges are the only ones here that can be factory re-tipped rather than exchanged. Trade-ins of Musical Surroundings brands need an RA number and must arrive within 30 days of the invoice; trade-ins of other brands need an emailed photograph first. Verified 2026-10-28. Source: DS Audio dealer price list, January 2026 (Musical Surroundings).
The DS Audio cartridges Pearl Audio stocks, from least to most expensive:
Plan your DS Audio system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized DS Audio dealer. Arrange an audition in our Portland showroom; we will match the cartridge to the right DS equalizer. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
Ownership
Trade in any DS Audio cartridge and take 20% off a new Grand Master Extreme ($20,000 instead of $25,000). Musical Surroundings also takes 10% off any DS cartridge with a trade-up from another cartridge it distributes (Clearaudio, Hana) or with one of its turntables.
Credit is 20% of the new cartridge’s price for any DS Audio cartridge. DS cartridges are the only ones here that can be factory re-tipped rather than exchanged. Trade-ins of Musical Surroundings brands need an RA number and must arrive within 30 days of the invoice; trade-ins of other brands need an emailed photograph first. Verified 2026-10-28.
Ask us about this trade-in| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| DS Audio factory re-tip — Grand Master Extreme | $13,750 |
Pricing per DS Audio - 2026-01 - Dealer Price List (Musical Surroundings, January 2026) and musicalsurroundings.com/faq. Programs are set by the manufacturer and may change.
The Reference Collection
The Pearl Audio experience
A system at this level should be heard, thoughtfully matched, and properly set up. From the first audition to long-term ownership, you work with the same people, in person.
The Grand Master Extreme Optical Phono Cartridge is not in our rooms at present. When it is the right piece for a client we arrange a demonstration unit from the manufacturer and set it up for a private session.
We deliver and install throughout the Portland area, taking care of placement, connections, ventilation and system configuration ourselves.
We support everything we sell for as long as you own it, whether the answer comes by phone, in your home, or through factory service.
Trade-in assistance and qualifying 100% Trade-Up options give you flexibility when your listening priorities or your system change.
