Grado Sonata4 Cartridge Exchange

The Grado Sonata4 Cartridge Exchange lets you trade in your worn or damaged Sonata4 and take $200 off a brand-new one. On Grado's Prestige cartridges you can lift off the stylus assembly and fit a fresh one yourself. On the wood-bodied Timbre and Lineage cartridges you cannot, which is the whole reason this program exists. A worn diamond, a tired suspension, a cantilever that lost a fight with a curious hand. Send the old Sonata4 back and a brand-new one comes the other way, same model, $200 less. Not a retip, not a rebuild.

How it works

1. Buy this trade-in. Pick your packaging option above.
2. Mail your old Sonata4 to our Chestertown showroom (or drop it off in person).
3. In around a week your brand-new Sonata4 ships to you.

Want to trade up instead?

If you'd rather move to a different Grado than replace the one you have, Grado allows that and Mike sets it up directly. Contact Mike and he'll work it out with you; the credit depends on the cartridge you send and the model you want.

Two ways to handle the packaging

I'll provide my own packaging. Package the cartridge well, use the original box if you still have it, then ship it to our Chestertown showroom.

Listening Room Packaging at $19.95. We'll ship you a box with a prepaid return label inside. Open it, follow the instructions for safely packaging your cartridge, then drop the box at any USPS location.

What qualifies as a trade-in

Any worn or damaged Grado Sonata4. A worn diamond, a tired suspension, a bent cantilever, a snapped stylus, cosmetic damage. It doesn't have to be broken. Even a good cartridge that has simply run its hours qualifies. What you buy on this page is a Sonata4, and the cartridge you send in is traded against it. Grado also allows a trade-in to go toward a different model in the range, up or down. To arrange that, contact Mike and he'll work it out with you.

Why this program exists

Most people buying a cartridge are replacing one that is worn or broken, not chasing an upgrade. This trade-in is built for them. The Timbre Series cartridges are hand-built in Brooklyn around Grado's flux-bridger moving iron generator, in wood bodies, and they are not the ones you re-stylus at the turntable. Instead of paying full retail on your next Sonata4, send the old one back and get a brand-new one with the same warranty you'd get buying new. The program runs the length of both series, from the Opus4 up to the Epoch4.

See our Cartridge Trade-In Terms and Shipping Policy for full details.

The Listening Room Difference

We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on exceptional service and relentless passion for hifi. Whether you're visiting in person or ordering online, we bring decades of experience, personalized service, and honest guidance to every interaction. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, answer your questions like real humans, and make sure every detail of your setup is right, from the cables to the final connection. Our passion is helping you get the most out of your gear, with support that lasts well beyond the sale.