Ortofon MC Vertex Moving Coil Cartridge

A 0.3 mV moving coil cartridge with Vertex diamond, solid diamond cantilever, SLM titanium body, silver coils, and Wide Range Damping

The Ortofon MC Vertex is the most advanced moving coil cartridge Ortofon has developed to date, created as a fully integrated system in which the diamond profile, cantilever, generator, damping, and body structure are designed to work in balance. It is built for high precision groove tracing, stable tracking, and low-distortion signal generation.

At the heart of the MC Vertex is Ortofon’s newly developed Vertex diamond, an advanced line-contact profile with a 4 µm scanning radius and an extended 110 µm contact radius. The enlarged contact area improves pressure distribution along the groove walls, helping the stylus retrieve fine groove detail while reducing localized wear. The diamond is mounted in a solid diamond cantilever, creating a rigid, low-mass structure for efficient energy transfer from stylus to generator.

The cartridge housing and internal core are produced in titanium using Selective Laser Melting, allowing Ortofon to precisely control geometry, mass distribution, and internal damping. A DLC surface treatment provides the black finish, while laser-engraved logos reflect the precision of the manufacturing process.

Diamond-on-Diamond Construction

The Vertex diamond is mounted into a laser-cut micro-bore in the solid diamond cantilever, creating a highly controlled mechanical interface. The cantilever is laser-polished for a uniform surface finish, helping reduce mechanical irregularities that could affect tracking and signal transfer.

Refined Generator System

The MC Vertex uses a non-magnetic armature, quad coils, and high-purity silver coil wire. By keeping magnetic material out of the armature, the moving system avoids unwanted magnetic interaction while supporting stable signal generation, strong channel separation, and precise tracking across the frequency range.

Wide Range Damping

Ortofon’s patented Wide Range Damping system uses a platinum disc positioned between two proprietary rubber compounds with different mechanical properties. This structure is designed to control resonance across the audible frequency range while maintaining dynamic responsiveness.

Specifications

Cartridge Type: Moving coil

Output Voltage: 0.3 mV

Cantilever Material: Solid diamond

Cantilever Surface: Laser polished

Stylus Profile: Vertex diamond

Stylus Type: Nude

Stylus Tip Radius: r/R 4/110 µm

Stylus Suspension: Ortofon exclusive

Stylus Suspension System: Wide Range Damping

Coil System: Quad coils

Coil Wire: High-purity silver

Channel Balance at 1 kHz: 0.1 dB

Channel Separation at 1 kHz: 30 dB

Frequency Response: 20 Hz–20 kHz, ±1 dB

Dynamic Lateral Compliance: 9 µm/mN

Recommended Tracking Force: 2.5 g

Tracking Angle: 23°

Recommended Load Resistance: >100 Ω

Internal Impedance, DC Resistance: 19 Ω

Cartridge Body Material: SLM titanium

Cartridge Surface: DLC coating

Weight: 15 g