Ortofon

Ortofon was founded in Denmark in 1918, and the company has been making phono cartridges longer than almost anyone else in the business. That century of experience in micro-mechanical engineering — developing the stylus, cantilever and generator systems that translate the movement of a groove into an electrical signal — is what gives Ortofon their authority at every level of the range, from the entry-level 2M Red to the reference MC Diamond.

The range divides into two broad families. The 2M Series are moving magnet cartridges — easier to drive, compatible with the phono stage built into most amplifiers, and offering a level of performance that scales impressively as you move up through Red, Blue, Bronze and Black. The MC Series are moving coil designs, producing a lower output signal from a lighter, faster generator assembly that retrieves low-level detail and dynamic nuance that moving magnet cartridges find harder to resolve. The Quintet Series brings moving coil performance to a more accessible price point, while the Cadenza and MC X Series represent the full expression of Ortofon's moving coil engineering. At the top of the range, the MC Diamond and MC Verismo are reference cartridges built without compromise.

Choosing the right cartridge depends on your turntable, your tonearm, your phono stage, and what you want from your vinyl replay. At Martins Hi-Fi we have been fitting and aligning cartridges for decades, and our team can help you identify the right Ortofon for your system — and set it up correctly so it performs as it should. Come into our Norwich showroom and speak to Dave or Chris.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.