With the MC Vertex Diamond , Ortofon set out to rethink how a cartridge interacts with the groove at the most fundamental level. By developing a new diamond geometry and combining it with advanced materials and precise mechanical control, Ortofon created a design where every element works in balance. The result is a cartridge that delivers both accuracy and musical coherence at the highest level.
Titanium Structure & Control
The cartridge housing and internal core are produced in titanium using Selective Laser Melting, allowing precise control of geometry, mass distribution, and internal damping. The result is a mechanically stable structure that reduces unwanted resonances and supports clean, accurate signal reproduction.
The Ortofon MC Vertex Exclusive Series Masterpiece Cartridge represents the pinnacle of moving coil cartridge design, combining groundbreaking engineering, advanced materials, and precision manufacturing to deliver extraordinary analog playback performance. Developed as a fully integrated system, the MC Vertex features Ortofon’s newly engineered Vertex diamond with an advanced line contact profile, mounted to a solid diamond cantilever for exceptional groove tracing accuracy, low distortion, and remarkable detail retrieval.
Its precision-crafted titanium body and internal core are produced using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology, creating a rigid, resonance-controlled structure that preserves musical purity and accuracy. A refined generator system featuring a non-magnetic armature, high-purity silver coils, and an optimized magnetic circuit ensures superior channel separation, precise imaging, and natural tonal balance. Ortofon’s patented Wide Range Damping system, utilizing a platinum disc and proprietary rubber compounds, controls resonance across the entire audible spectrum while maintaining dynamic responsiveness.
Designed for reference-grade turntables and high-end analog systems, the MC Vertex delivers breathtaking transparency, expansive sound-staging, and lifelike musical reproduction for the most demanding audiophiles.
Main Features
- The Vertex Diamond: The stylus profile has been developed with a specific focus on how it engages the groove walls at a microscopic level, where both contact accuracy and mechanical stability are critical. The Vertex diamond features a finely optimized scanning radius of 4 μm, combined with an extended contact radius of 110 μm. While the scanning radius is within the upper tier of advanced stylus designs, the contact radius represents an exceptionally large profile, enabling a significantly increased contact area along the groove walls. This combination allows the diamond to trace fine groove structures with high precision, while distributing contact forces more effectively across the groove surface.
- Solid Diamond Cantilever: The Vertex diamond is mounted in a solid diamond cantilever, forming an extremely rigid and lightweight structure that supports efficient energy transfer from the stylus to the generator system. The diamond-to-cantilever interface is manufactured using laser-cut processes
with extremely tight tolerances. A precisely defined micro-bore is formed in the cantilever, allowing the diamond to be mounted with a highly controlled mechanical fit. This ensures accurate alignment and repeatability, while creating a rigid and stable interface for efficient energy transfer. The cantilever is laser-polished to achieve a uniform surface finish, minimizing irregularities that could introduce mechanical artifacts.
- Structure Shaped for Sound: The cartridge housing and internal core structure are produced in titanium using Ortofon’s established Selective Laser Melting technology. This advanced manufacturing method enables a level of structural control not possible with conventional techniques. Material density, wall thickness, and internal geometry are precisely defined throughout the structure, allowing complex internal architectures to be formed directly within the titanium body. A special cavity is intentionally incorporated to enhance internal damping and reduce unwanted resonances. The structure is finished with a DLC surface treatment, providing a refined black finish with enhanced durability. All logos are laser-engraved directly into the titanium surface, reflecting the precision of the manufacturing process. The result is a mechanically inert structure that effectively suppresses unwanted vibrations, allowing the musical signal to emerge with greater clarity, purity, and accuracy.
- Updated Wide Range Damping Technology: The Wide Range Damping system, developed and patented by Ortofon, is designed to control mechanical resonance across the entire audible frequency range. At its core is a platinum disc positioned between two rubber compounds with distinctly different mechanical properties. The platinum disc acts as a rigid mechanical interface, allowing the two rubber compounds to operate both independently and in interaction, depending on frequency. This dual-behavior damping structure enables precise control of resonance characteristics across the frequency spectrum, while maintaining dynamic responsiveness.
- In-house Rubber Development: Ortofon’s in-house development and production of rubber compounds ensure consistent material quality, and allow fine-tuning of damping performance. Even minor adjustments in formulation or processing can significantly influence how energy is absorbed and controlled within the system. The result is a more accurate and natural sound reproduction across the entire frequency range.
Technical Specifications
- Output Voltage: 0.3 mV
- Cantilever Material: Solid Diamond
- Stylus Profile: Vertex Diamond
- Stylus Type: Nude
- Stylus Tip Radius: r/R 4/110 μm
- Stylus Suspensions: 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 grams
- Recommended Load Resistance: > 100 Ω
- Internal Impedance, DC Resistance: 19 Ω
- Cartridge Weight: 15 grams