A Briefing on Ortofon Moving Coil Cartridges

Ortofon has been a leader in cartridge design and manufacturing for decades. Their phono cartridges have enhanced the sonic reproduction of turntables ranging from the vintage Dual and Thorens machines to even the most extravagant of high-end audiophile decks (not to mention DJ turntables as well).

They make a cartridge for every turntable and every audio enthusiast, not matter their specific area of interest. Few other manufactures offer top-notch p-mounts, budget standard mounts, budget MM and MC cartridges, and high-end, high-precision moving coil cartridges. They have something, for everyone, and they've left many ecstatic consumers in their wake. We're Ortofon experts here, so don't hesitate to call us if you'd like a little guidance.

Nothing demonstrates more convincingly Ortofon´s commitment to be the world’s last cartridge manufacturer than the ongoing development of new state-of-the-art models, and Ortofon will continue to refine upon the level of sound quality attainable from analogue recordings.

Since 1948 Ortofon has introduced about 100 different moving coil models, and more are to follow. Contrary to other types of phono cartridges, the moving coil principle is not suited for mass production. Each of the four coils contains between 11 an 24 turns of wire, depending on model, and has to be wound by hand under a microscope. The wire itself is much thinner than a human hair. The high degree of craftsmanship involved is one of the "secrets" behind Ortofon's reputation.

ORTOFON MM CARTRIDGES

Ortofon 2M Blue MM cartridge (OCTMBL) The 2M Blue uses the same structure as the Red but reaches deeper into the groove with its new highly polished nude elliptical stylus. The result is far better tracing and quieter reproduction. The 2M Blue easily outperforms the older OM30 by a significant margin. PRICE: AUD$275.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon 2M Bronze MM cartridge (OCTMBR) The 2M Bronze features a nude fine line stylus, polished to the highest standards. The slimmer profile of this stylus will track even the highest frequency modulations, making this cartridge better suited for extremely demanding material. Distortion and record wear are substantially reduced. PRICE: AUD$489.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon 2M Black MM cartridge (OCTMBK) Hi-Fi World 2007 awards winner! This prestigious award is not handed out lightly. The judges assess all products reviewed throughout the year to bestow this coveted accolade. The flagship 2M Black utilizes the finest ever stylus to appear on a MM cartridge - the legendary Shibata, a profile never before seen on a cartridge costing comparatively so little. Featuring a heavily upgraded generator and a proprietary body material, 2M Black is exceedingly fast, detailed and supremely musical. Excellent value and comes with our highest recommendation. PRICE: AUD$840.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

ORTOFON MC CARTRIDGES

Ortofon MC Salsa cartridge (OCMCSAL) MC Salsa features a Super Fine Line stylus mounted on a very light and rigid cantilever, resulting in a low equivalent stylus tip mass and cantilever compliance of 15 μm/mN. Salsa will therefore give excellent results with virtually any tonearm. The armature has been designed as a tiny lightweight cross, and the coils are mounted at exactly 90 degree to each other (just like the walls of the record groove), which improves the channel separation. The output is a high 0.38 mV. The improved magnet and damping system have allowed the natural pivot point to be placed immediately behind the armature, thus giving an extremely precise moving system with impressive channel separation. PRICE: AUD$450.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (OCMCRONRE) The very finely polished Ortofon nude elliptical diamond is mounted on a cylindrical aluminium cantilever. Rondo Red is a very homogeneous all round cartridge with a sound image tending to less dynamic strength and more smooth reproduction ensuring wonderful all round results with all sorts of music. PRICE: AUD$680.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon Kontrapunkt A moving coil cartridge (OCMCKONA) Kontrapunkt A showcases an aluminium cantilever mounted with a super polished Nude Fine Line stylus. The fine coils are made from 6-Nines pure Silver wire, and the output is a high .45 mV. The sound picture of this cartridge is relaxed, homogeneous and dynamic. The A produces great space and depth in the stereo image, depending on equipment, room and music. Kontrapunkt A works well in combination with various rooms and loudspeakers. PRICE: AUD$1050.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon Kontrapunkt B moving coil cartridge (OCMCKONB) Kontrapunkt B is special with its very thin ruby cantilever mounted with a super polished Nude FG 80 stylus. The internal coils are wound from 6-Nines pure silver wire and the output is a high .47 mV The sound picture is open, grandiose and dynamic with a very present perspective. The musical performance of Kontapunkt B is dependent on the equipment, room and music programme. The cartridge seems to work well in small, soft rooms with loudspeakers having "soft" tweeters. With its stainless steel body, the B weighs 10 grams and specifies a higher-than-usual recommended tracking force of 2.5gm. The B had Sam Tellig from Stereophile on the edge of his seat: "I was astonished by how much musical information the Kontrapunkt B retrieved from record to record... I could hear better what individual instruments were doing." Sam also found that the Kontrapunkt B may have accentuated surface noise, clicks, and pops. Thus, he advised: "For super recordings in pristine condition, I give the nod to the Kontrapunkt B." Knocking on the door of Class A and "Proof that vinyl and analog still rule," says Sam (Stereophille Vol.25 No.8). PRICE: AUD$1650.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon Kontrapunkt C moving coil cartridge (OCMCKONC) Continuing the Bach theme, Kontrapunkt C is named from the second last letter in his name. The C incorporates Ortofon’s newly developed FSE (Field Stabilizing Element) to achieve optimal frequency response linearity by stabilizing the magnetic field. This ensures consistently fine channel separation across the frequency band and becomes especially clear during complex crescendo passages. An output of 470 µV ensures an extremely high signal-to-noise ratio with any MC input. Ortofon Kontrapunkt C's conical aluminium cantilever is fitted with a Nude FG 80 diamond stylus. Our listening panel concluded that Kontrapunkt C is a true high end reference cartridge, conveying music with supreme precision, impact and dynamics. Its stereo imaging capabilities illuminate the furthest corners of the soundstage in all three dimensions. A high-resolution audio system is required to fully realize the information retrieval potential of this cartridge. Recommended load impedance is between 50 – 100 Ohms. For enhanced openness, as high as 1,000 Ohms is recommended. PRICE: AUD$2180.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon Rohmann cartridge (OCMCROH) With an aluminum body and Orto-line stylus, this is one of the finest sounding Ortofon MC cartridges ever. Named after Ortofon's former managing director, in honor of many years of service, this cartridge is milled from a solid block of aluminum. The dark blue anodized body exploits aluminum’s special damping characteristics to suppress resonance. The slim-line Nude Orto-Line diamond ensures flawless tracking of even the most dynamic passages. MC Rohmann conveys the full range of detail and subtle nuance, even when a powerful brass section competes with the fine nuances of quieter instruments such as the flute or harpsichord. MC Rohmann is fitted with 2.5 mm screw threads in the mounting base. A high performance MC preamplifier or transformer such Ortofon Verto MC is recommended. Load impedance should be greater than 100 Ohms. PRICE: AUD$1990.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon MC Jubilee cartridge (OCMCJUB) Featuring a boron cantilever, nude Shibata stylus, stainless steel housing and 0.34mV output. Listener Magazine's Art Dudley wrote in his five star July/August '02 assessment, 'Sheer sensual, tactile, intoxicating beauty is what infused every listening session with the Ortofon Jubilee. The Jubilee is a joyous cartridge to listen to! The Jubilee is one of the three or four best cartridges I've ever heard." "..the Jubilee finds the melody, and flows with it in a naturally musical, exquisitely expressive manner." Art Dudley, Vol 8, No. 4 July/August 2002. Need we say more? Probably not. PRICE: AUD$2600.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

Ortofon Windfeld moving coil cartridge (OCMCWIN) State-of-the-art absolute high-end moving coil cartridge. Tribute to Per Windfeld (Ortofon’s legendary chief engineer). The finest diamond in the world - Ortofon's Nude Replicant 100. Latest moving coil technology. Only the most expensive materials used. Aucurum coils of gold-plated 99.999999% oxygen free monocrystalline copper. Extremely strong and compact neodymium magnet with Field Stabilising Element. Zero resonance cartridge housing. Boron cantilever. PRICE: AUD$4000.00 EMAIL TO ORDER

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