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DS Audio · Grand Master
$50,000
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 · Grand Master
The Grand Master Equalizer is DS Audio's two-chassis reference, with the power supply in its own case, three transformers, three pairs each of XLR and RCA outputs and six low-cut settings.
Two chassis: equalizer and separate power unit. Works with every DS Audio optical cartridge.
Authorized DS Audio dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
A DS Audio optical cartridge has no magnets or coils. A beryllium shading plate on the cantilever moves between an LED and a photodetector, with a separate pair for each channel, and the output is a current proportional to the stylus's position rather than its velocity. That signal cannot go into an ordinary phono stage: it needs an equalizer that powers the LEDs through the tonearm cable, converts the photodetector signal and applies the correct equalization. The Grand Master Equalizer is DS Audio's most elaborate answer to that job.
The audio circuits and the power supply sit in separate, matching chassis, so the transformers are kept well away from the signal. There are three of them, one for each channel and one dedicated to powering the cartridge. The equalizer delivers 700 mV at line level through three pairs of balanced XLR and three pairs of RCA outputs, and a selector offers six low-frequency cutoff points to match the bass to room, loudspeakers and records. Together the two boxes weigh about 55 kg.
Hi-Fi News reviewed it with the Grand Master cartridge and judged the combination possibly the best it had heard, for resolution, transparency, spatial reproduction and neutrality, noting that the filter choice clearly shapes the bass. The Absolute Sound's Jonathan Valin reviewed the same pair. It is the natural partner for the Grand Master and Grand Master Extreme cartridges, and it runs any DS Audio optical cartridge. Plan rack space for two full-size chassis.
| Type | Two-chassis solid-state equalizer and power supply for DS Audio optical cartridges |
| Rated output | 700 mV at 1 kHz |
| Output impedance | 120 Ω, XLR and RCA |
| Recommended load | More than 10 kΩ |
| Inputs | 1 pair RCA |
| Outputs | 3 pairs balanced XLR and 3 pairs RCA |
| Low-cut filter | Six selectable settings |
| Power supply | Separate chassis; three transformers |
| Compatibility | DS Audio optical cartridges only |
| Dimensions (W × H × D), each chassis | 17.8 × 6.0 × 19.1 in (452 × 152 × 486 mm) |
| Weight | Equalizer 55.3 lb (25.1 kg); power unit 65.7 lb (29.8 kg) |
DS Audio's equalizers for optical cartridges.
Partner it with the Grand Master Extreme, or buy the Grand Master System.
Plan your DS Audio system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized DS Audio dealer. We can match an equalizer to your DS cartridge and system, set the low-cut filter for your loudspeakers, and arrange an audition in our Portland showroom. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
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 Equalizer 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.
