Sheet 05 · Head to head
GLD vs GR
Different machines that share a silhouette. 8 of 8 published figures differ. One classic-line, one revival. These share a silhouette and almost nothing else.
GLD
Three million sold, in black gloss and gold; 3,000 units on an M5G heart.
2004
GR
Grand Class for the rest of us: the G's ideas, 7 kg lighter and half the price.
2017–23
05.1Where they differ
- Years
- 2004
- 2017–23
- Motor
- Quartz-locked DC direct drive
- Coreless single-rotor direct drive
- Starting torque
- 1.5 kg·cm
- 2.2 kg·cm
- Wow & flutter
- 0.025% WRMS
- 0.025%
- Pitch
- Digital ±8% / ±16%
- ±8% / ±16%
- Speeds
- 33⅓ / 45
- 33⅓ / 45 / 78
- Weight
- 12.5 kg
- ~11.2 kg
- At launch
- Limited edition
- ~$1,700
05.3What each one changed
GLD
vs M5G: commemorative gold-hardware finish; otherwise an M5G.
Used market: Collector piece; trades well above M5G money
Full model sheet →GR
vs G: single-rotor motor instead of twin, one-piece platter, lighter build, less than half the price.
Used market: US askings $1,790–1,990 in Excellent (Aug 2026); the GR2's higher price pulled used GRs up, not down
Full model sheet →Figures from the same sources as each model sheet. A dash means the figure is not published in our sources; we do not invent specs.[1] Wikipedia[2] Crossfader