Ortofon MC X40 Moving Coil Cartridge

About The Ortofon MC X40 Moving Coil Cartridge

MC X40 is the flagship of the MC X Series, designed for the most discerning audiophile. Featuring a nude Shibata diamond stylus mounted on a rigid and lightweight boron cantilever, this cartridge provides unparalleled transparency, speed, and responsiveness.

A New Benchmark in Analogue Perfection: In the world of vinyl playback, the cartridge is where the journey begins. A pivotal point where music rises from the groove and transforms into immersive soundscapes. With the MC X Series, Ortofon sets a new benchmark in MC cartridge design, pushing premium Moving Coil technology to unprecedented levels of performance.

Pure Silver Coil System: All MC X cartridges feature coils wound with high-purity silver wire. The use of premium materials is to ensure exceptional signal clarity, delivering sound with unmatched precision and preserving every detail without interference.

Magnet System: The MC X 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 that elevates overall performance.

Custom-Developed Rubber Dampers: In-house produced and developed rubber compounds form the core of the MC X Series’ mechanical damping system. 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.

Experience the Depth, Hear every Detail: At the core of the MC X Series is an advanced honeycomb-structured stainless-steel frame, created using Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) technology. This refined construction ensures superior mechanical stability, providing an ideal foundation for precise and accurate sound reproduction. After moulding and sintering, a Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) surface treatment is applied to enhance surface appearance and maintain material integrity over time.

The Shape of Sound: The MC X Series embodies modern elegance with a distinctive design that seamlessly complements the tonearm. From afar, its silhouette speaks of minimalist refinement; up close, its intricate detailing reveals craftsmanship at every level. True to Ortofon’s signature aesthetic, it’s a sophisticated fusion of form and function.

Our Review

Sitting proudly at the top of Ortofon’s MC X Series, the MC X40 is a true statement piece for the discerning vinyl enthusiast. With its nude Shibata stylus perched on a boron cantilever, it tracks with exceptional speed, detail, and finesse, capturing the full emotional depth of every recording. Under the hood, high-purity silver coils and an advanced magnet system work in perfect harmony to deliver a signal that's astonishingly clean and vivid. Add to that its precision-engineered stainless-steel frame and custom rubber damping, and you’ve got a cartridge that’s not just technically impressive - it’s musically captivating. It looks the part, too, with a sleek, modern aesthetic that blends effortlessly into any high-end setup. The MC X40 doesn’t just play records - it elevates them.

Main Features & Specifications

• Design: Moving Coil Phono Cartridge
• Channel Balance at 1 kHz: 0.5 dB
• Output Voltage at 1 kHz, 5cm/sec: 0.4 mV
• Channel Separation at 1 kHz: 26 dB
• Frequency Response 20 Hz - 20 kHz: +/-1 dB
• Compliance, Dynamic, Lateral: 15 μm/mN
• Cantilever Material: Boron
• Stylus Type: Nude Shibata
• Stylus Tip Radius: r/R 6/50 μm
• Stylus Suspensions: Ortofon exclusive
• Coil System: Quad Coils
• Recommended Tracking Force: 2.0 grams
• Internal Impedance, DC Resistance: 6 Ω
• Coil Wire Material: High-Purity Silver
• Recommended Load Resistance: > 50 Ω
• Cartridge Weight: 8.6 grams
• Warranty: 12 Months - Cartridge Only

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.