Explore low-output cartridges

What is Moving
Coil cartridges?

The world's
finest cartridge

Moving Coil (MC) cartridges are highly regarded for their extraordinary detailretrieval, unparalleled musical sound, and unrivaled clarity and precision. The Moving Coil system embodies a general excellence, opening up significant opportunities to develop and refine the cartridge. This consistently earns MC cartridges acclaim as the world's finest, capable of reproducing every note with accuracy.

Ortofon's legacy of resilience and dedication to refining analogue sound quality is exemplified by its continuous innovation in the realm of cartridge development. A remarkable journey unfolded from the debut of the first Ortofon cartridge, the MC Mono-A, developed by Holger Christian Arentzen. This marked a pivotal chapter in Ortofon's pursuit of sonic perfection.

It began with
a Moving Coil

In 1958, the evolution continued with the introduction of the first SPU – Stereo
Pick Up, although its initial rendition fell short of expectations. The resonance occurred too low on the scale, and channel separation left room for improvement. However, this setback became a catalyst for innovation. In response to these challenges, Ortofon announced a redesign featuring a low tip mass of 1 mg. This new design incorporated two transformers within the Ortofon shell, enabling a direct connection to the medium impedance input of a control unit.

This transformative approach not only addressed the previous shortcomings but also paved the way for a new era of precision in audio reproduction. Ever since its
inception in 1948, Ortofon has been a pioneer in the field of Moving Coil cartridges, introducing over 300 different models that showcase their commitment to pushing the boundaries of audio technology.

Moving Coil cartridges

Principle of operation

In the Moving Coil cartridge, a powerful fixed magnet in a magnet system is used, and the coils are mounted on the cantilever itself. When the coils move in the field of the magnet, they cut the flux lines of the magnet, and voltage are generated in the coils. This is probably the best and most direct way to generate voltage in a cartridge.

High degree of craftsmanship

Made by hand

The moving coil principle is ill-suited for mass production due to its intricacies. Each coil, containing a low number of turns of wire, necessitates meticulous hand winding under a microscope, highlighting the high degree of craftsmanship involved. This manual precision is one of the "secrets" behind Ortofon's esteemed reputation.

This hands-on approach not only ensures the precision required for the intricate winding process but also facilitates a unique level of customization, particularly concerning the varied wire types and dimensions used in the coils. This nuanced manual precision proves challenging to replicate through automated methods. Ortofon's dedication to artisanal craftsmanship transcends conventional production—it transforms into an art form.

The advantages
of a Moving Coil

Moving Coil (MC) cartridges offer advantages such as minimal distortion and high-end performance, embodying an ideal generating system with low impedance that contributes to both linearity and clarity.

While MC cartridges may necessitate additional amplification to enhance their lower output voltage, their capability to reproduce music with precision, high accuracy, and fidelity makes them a popular choice among discerning HiFi enthusiasts and devotees.

The linearity advantage of Moving Coil Systems

Lower Moving Mass

In the realm of audio fidelity, the Moving Coil (MC) system distinguishes itself from the Moving Magnet (MM) counterpart by offering superior linearity.

The essence of this advantage lies in the very nature of the generator system, where the translation of movement into voltage is notably more ideal in an MC system
compared to a MM system. The MC system is showcasing this by a remarkable
clarity and precision that surpasses the capabilities of an MM system.

High level of fine-tuning

Load independence
through low output impedance

The design of most MC systems includes a coil with few turns and therefore a low internal impedance but also a low output voltage. The low voltage requires additional amplification in the phono preamp, but the low impedance makes it more immune to the influences of the input impedance of the phone preamp, especially when compared to its MM counterpart.

This load independence empowers the MC system to reveal the inherent qualities of the audio system, irrespective of the impedance or load it encounters. It's
important to highlight that, although load independence is a notable strength,
the MC system still benefits from specific load recommendations to achieve the
desired sound. This offers a level of fine-tuning that is not achievable with
the MM system.