Ortofon MC X20 Moving Coil Cartridge

With a nude elliptical diamond stylus on an aluminum cantilever

MC X20 features a nude elliptical diamond stylus mounted on a rigid and lightweight aluminum cantilever. It provides unparalleled transparency, speed, and responsiveness.

All MC X cartridges feature coils wound with high-purity silver wire to ensure exceptional signal clarity. The series introduces a newly developed magnet system with a one-piece pole cylinder integrated into a rear magnet yoke. Engineered for maximum magnetic efficiency and paired with pure silver coils, this configuration ensures a clean, powerful signal path.

In-house produced and developed rubber compounds form the core of the MC X Series’ mechanical damping system. The custom rubber dampers are essential for controlling the physical movement of the coils, maintaining stability, minimizing unwanted vibrations, and enabling precise coil motion. The result is superior tracking, reduced distortion, and musical accuracy.

At the core of the MC X Series is an advanced honeycomb-structured stainless-steel frame, created using Metal Injection Molding (MIM) technology. This refined construction ensures superior mechanical stability, providing an ideal foundation for precise and accurate sound reproduction.

After molding and sintering, a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) surface treatment is applied to enhance surface appearance and maintain material integrity over time.

Specifications

Cantilever Material: Aluminum

Stylus Type: Nude elliptical

Stylus Tip Radius (r, R): 8 μm, 18 μm

Channel Balance: 0.5 dB

Output Voltage: 0.4 mV

Channel Separation: 25 dB

Frequency Response (20 Hz - 20 kHz): +/-1 dB 

Dynamic Compliance: 15 μm/mN

Tracking Force: 2 g

Recommended Load Resistance: >50 Ω

Internal Impedance: 6 Ω

Weight: 8.6 g