Ortofon - MC X50 MC Phono Cartridge

Drop the Needle and Experience Breathtaking Control, Stability, and Detail: Ortofon MC X50 Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge Features Micro-Ridge Stylus, Boron Cantilever, and Rubber Suspension System 

Ortofon never stops short when it comes moving-coil cartridges, particularly when it comes to series flagship models. As the kingpin of the MC X Series, MC X50 boasts a refined combination of stylus and cantilever that achieve extremely elevated levels of control and consistency in groove tracing.

The core of MC X50 is a nude micro-ridge diamond, engineered for precise contact with the groove and accurate tracing of fine modulations, particularly at high frequencies and across inner grooves. It pairs with a boron cantilever, providing high stiffness with low moving mass for fast and controlled response to signal variations. A rubber suspension, designed and produced in-house by Ortofon using a compound specific to MC X50, as well as coils wound with high-purity silver wire further play central roles in the cartridge's breathtaking performance. 

Housed in a MIM-molded honeycomb-structured steel frame to ensure the sort of mechanical stability required for analog accuracy, the core of MC X50 is further aided by a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) surface treatment to maintain material integrity over a long period of time. Inside, a newly developed magnet system with a one-piece pole cylinder integrated into a rear-magnet yoke is paired with silver coils, a combination that produces a powerful, clean signal path and tremendous efficiency. Last but not least, in-house-made rubber compounds comprise the core of the mechanical damping system, acting to minimize unwanted vibrations and enable desired coil motion — both of which pay dividends when it comes to tracking, low-distortion playback, and focus. 

Completed with a minimalist silhouette, MC X50 outputs 0.4mV and offers 0.5dB channel balance at 1kHz. Weighing 8.6 grams, MC X50 offers listening experiences awash with studio-like detail, grand dynamics, and visceral definition.