Ortofon MC Cadenza Black Moving Coil Cartridge

The Ortofon MC Cadenza Black is the flagship high-end moving coil (MC) cartridge in the Cadenza series, designed for music lovers who demand ultimate resolution, neutral sound, and true-to-life reproduction. It features a Nude Shibata stylus paired with a Boron Cantilever and incorporates the WRD (Wide Range Damping) system. This combination achieves the highest level of detail, consistency, and soundstage performance in the series, delivering a sound as close as possible to "accurate and uncolored."

Product Information and Design Features

The MC Cadenza Black features a standard 1/2-inch mounting design and weighs approximately 10.7g, making it compatible with most modern tonearms. The cartridge body combines aluminum and stainless steel for a stable structure that effectively suppresses resonance, offering a refined and tactile appearance.

Technology and Materials

• Stylus Type: Nude Shibata (Nude Shibata diamond stylus), stylus tip radius r/R 6/50 µm
• Cantilever Material: Boron
• Output Voltage: 0.33 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec)
• Channel Separation: > 27 dB (1 kHz)
• Channel Balance: < 0.8 dB (1 kHz)
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+1.5 / 0 dB)
• Tracking Ability: 90 µm (315 Hz)
• Dynamic Compliance: 16 µm/mN
• Recommended Tracking Force: 2.3 g (range 2.0–2.5 g)
• Internal Impedance: 5 Ω
• Recommended Load Impedance: > 10 Ω
• Coil Material: Aucurum (gold-plated 6NX copper wire)
• Cartridge Weight: 10.7 g
• Cartridge Body Material: Aluminum / Stainless Steel

Key technologies of the MC Cadenza Black include:

• Nude Shibata Stylus: The stylus profile closely resembles the original cutting stylus, providing a wide and elongated contact area, enabling high-frequency detail reproduction and effective distortion reduction.
• Boron Cantilever: Boron material is extremely lightweight and highly rigid, significantly reducing the effective mass of the stylus/cantilever system, improving response speed and transparency.
• WRD (Wide Range Damping) System: Separately controls high and low-frequency damping, optimizing overall dynamics and stability (this technology is also applied in high-end models like MC Windfeld, MC A90, and MC Anna).
• Aucurum Coils: Utilizes gold-plated 6NX copper wire to enhance signal transmission quality, resulting in a clearer, more delicate sound.
• Aluminum and Stainless Steel Composite Body: Provides excellent rigidity and damping characteristics.

Sound Performance

The MC Cadenza Black's sound signature is highly neutral, pure, and resolving. It clearly reveals the most subtle details and dynamic changes in music, with a solid and controlled bass, natural and palpable midrange, and transparent and delicate treble. The overall listening experience is stable, precise, with a wide soundstage and accurate imaging, allowing listeners to delve into the intricacies of the recording. Whether it's classical, jazz, vocals, or complex arrangements, it reproduces the details and emotions of the recording with exceptional resolution and realism.

User Reviews

Professional media outlets have given the Cadenza Black extremely high praise. The official statement notes that it "is the finest of all, allowing every recording to be presented with high resolution and accurate insight." Hi-Fi News lauded its "stable, precise and intimately detailed presentation, with an open and deep soundstage, and a relaxed and controlled sound." SoundStage! Ultra described its "treble as silky and pure, and midrange as clean and palpable, further eliminating blur and firming up image edges." Many users also affirm that it offers truly reference-grade performance at a reasonable high-end price point.

The Ortofon MC Cadenza Black is suitable for users seeking ultimate detail, neutral sound, and true-to-life reproduction. It represents the highest standard of the Cadenza series, an excellent flagship moving coil cartridge that combines technological sophistication with musical expression.