Grado Epoch4 Cartridge Exchange

Ships in 5-7 days

$7,000.00

Exchanges require mailing in your old cartridge. See full details in the description.

Choose your packaging

Need advice? Want a price match?

Talk to Mike

Third-generation owner

Call or text: 410-239-2020

Yes, that's literally his cell

Availability

Your factory-renewed cartridge ships 5-7 business days after we receive your old cartridge at the Listening Room.

See our Terms & Conditions for details.

Family-Owned Authorized Dealer

We're an authorized dealer for every brand listed on this site, so your warranty is valid and fully supported. We're a real brick-and-mortar shop in Chestertown, MD with shelves of actual inventory, not a drop-shipper. Family-owned and run for three generations, since 1978.

Delivery and Shipping

Free shipping for most items over $100! Local delivery up to 500 miles more with minimum qualifying purchase.

See our shipping policies for details. We will contact you after your order.

The Grado Epoch4 Cartridge Exchange lets you trade in your worn or damaged Epoch4 and take $2,995 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 Epoch4 back and a brand-new one comes the other way, same model, $2,995 less. Not a retip, not a rebuild.

How it works

Buy this trade-in. Pick your packaging option above.
Mail your old Epoch4 to our Chestertown showroom (or drop it off in person).
In around a week your brand-new Epoch4 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 Epoch4. 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 an Epoch4, 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 Lineage 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 Epoch4, 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.

Is this really a brand-new cartridge?

Yes. You're getting a factory-sealed, brand-new Grado Epoch4 with full warranty. The same cartridge you'd find on the regular Epoch4 product page, just $2,995 off because you're trading in your old one. Not a retip, not a rebuild.

Do I get my own cartridge back?

No. Your old Epoch4 stays with us and goes back to Grado. What comes to you is a brand-new one. If you want to keep the cartridge you have, this isn't the right page, and the wood-bodied Grados aren't user-serviceable the way the Prestige line is.

Does it have to be broken, or does worn count?

Worn counts. A worn diamond or a tired suspension qualifies just like damage does. It doesn't have to be broken. If your Epoch4 has simply run its hours, it's eligible.

Can I put my trade-in toward a different Grado?

Yes. Grado lets a trade-in go toward a different model in the range, up or down. This page is set up for a same-model replacement, so a trade-up is something Mike arranges directly. Contact Mike and he'll work it out with you. The credit depends on the cartridge you send and the model you want.

What about the mono version?

Mono Grado cartridges are a special order, so Mike handles those trade-ins directly. Contact Mike and he'll sort it out with you.

What if I change my mind after I mail the old cartridge?

Once your old cartridge is in the mail to us, the trade-in is final. Cancel before you ship and we'll refund the order in full.

How long does it take?

Around a week. Five to seven business days from when we receive your old cartridge at our Chestertown showroom. The clock starts when your old cartridge arrives here, not when you place the order, so the sooner you ship it the sooner your brand-new Epoch4 is on its way back to you.