Ortofon MC X40 Cartridge Review

The hi-fi world is full of wondrous inventions. From electrostatic speaker panels and 300B triode tubes to ribbon tweeters and air-bearing tonearms, a lot of clever technology has raised the sonic bar over the years. However, one of audio's more unsung heroes is the moving coil pick-up cartridge – the first of which was brought to us by Ortofon in 1948. Its Type A Mono Cartridge arrived in the same year as the microgroove record – known to its friends as the vinyl LP. It was a hugely significant development in the embryonic world of high-fidelity music reproduction.

Although the Type A didn't sell especially well, Ortofon's SPU (Stereo Pick-Up) did. Launched ten years later, just as the first stereophonic LPs went on sale, it set the bar for all other cartridge manufacturers to reach. Although a cult cartridge in Japan, it has been quietly forgotten by much of the audiophile world. Yet it proves the Danish company's excellent provenance in pick-ups – not only does it still make them, it invented the breed! That's why all analogue addicts should sit up and pay attention when Ortofon launches a brand new series of affordable, entry-level moving coils – in the shape of the MC X range.

Moving coils are the best way of converting record groove undulations into electrical signals – which are then, of course, amplified and turned into sound by the loudspeakers. The idea is that coils of wire are fitted to the upper end of the cantilever – with the stylus at the lower end – and these move within a fixed magnetic field to generate a signal. As their name suggests, moving magnet cartridges instead have magnets fitted to the upper end of the cantilever, which are much heavier and move within a fixed set of coils. The super-light coils let the stylus and cantilever trace the record groove more intricately than magnets do, resulting in better detail, more delicacy and superior tracking.

Moving coil cartridges are theoretically a great idea then, but in practice, it's not so clear-cut. First, they're more expensive and labour-intensive to manufacture. Second, they have a far lower output than conventional moving magnet cartridges, typically around 0.5mV compared to 5mV. This, in turn, means they need an extra gain stage – either an additional active one or a step-up transformer. These aren't without their problems, as they can be noisy and/or strip the sound of its purity. Finally, by virtue of how they work, moving coils do not have user-replaceable styli – so you need to send the cartridge back to the manufacturer when the stylus wears out. This is more costly than simply buying a new stylus assembly as per moving magnets.

Ortofon's new MC X range addresses several downsides of moving coil ownership while still delivering an authentic listening experience. Firstly, the range begins at just £269/ €299 for the elliptically tipped MC X10, while the range-topping MC X40 reviewed here, with its exotic nude Shibata stylus, is a very reasonable  £875/ €999. The middle-ranking MC X20 and MC X30 sit neatly between the top and bottom models in terms of pricing and offer a nude elliptical and nude fine line stylus, respectively. These are mounted to the same aluminium cantilever the MC X10 uses, whereas the MC X40 gets a stiffer, lighter boron type. Unlike Ortofon's impressive range of 2M moving magnets, which are similarly priced incidentally, users cannot change the stylus.

Like any true moving coil design, the MC X40 cannot solve the low output issue – and so, like its siblings in this range, it puts out a modest 0.4mV. This means you'll need an MC phono stage or step-up. To be fair, though, the vital statistics of the MC X range are very good indeed – the 40 has a quoted frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz (–1dB) and a stereo separation figure of 26dB. It weighs a modest 8.6 grams, tracks at a middle-of-the-road 2 grams, and has a sensible compliance figure of 15µm/nM. This makes it a modern moving coil that should work well in most tonearms.

In design terms, the MC X range is a brand new, clean-sheet design, using what Ortofon calls its MIM honeycomb-structured core. This lattice-like stainless frame is created using metal injection moulding technology, which then gets physical vapour deposition surface treatment. The coils are hand-wound under a microscope with high-purity silver wire, and a newly developed magnet system is fitted with a one-piece pole cylinder integrated into a rear magnet yoke. The rubber dampers that control the physical movement of the coils are produced in-house, so Ortofon has complete control of the mechanical suspension. The body itself is made of high-quality plastic.

THE LISTENING

The MC X40 is an affordable moving coil that thinks it's an exotic one. It has all the basics in terms of its performance to snap at the heels of far more expensive high-end designs – even if it doesn't quite get there. Cue up Buffalo Springfield's Expecting to Fly, a classic late-sixties slice of psychedelic rock, and you're instantly struck by its expansive, even and intricate sound. It sets up a suitably large-scale recorded acoustic, and inside, this offers a smooth yet insightful sound that handles Neil Young's distinctive vocal timbre with great subtlety. It's a brittle, sometimes tortured-sounding voice that can easily sound bland and whining, but the MC X40 reproduces it in a nuanced way. Instrumental texture is excellent, with a lovely string sound. All of this is set into a wide and open soundstage, with plenty of air and space.

This unexpectedly suave sound continues with classic electropop from just over a decade later. Thomas Dolby's Flying North, with its infectious synthesiser-driven groove, is deftly handled by the Ortofon – this cartridge shows a lithe and nimble nature that loves recreating the music's natural rhythm. Interestingly, though, the MC X40 isn't a tonally forward cartridge – it's quite reserved, especially when compared to the lower models in the MC X range. It has a subtle and refined sound, which is likely greatly helped by its inert boron cantilever. So you get a propulsive, driving beat from this cartridge, yet it's not shouty and crude. It makes this Ortofon less immediately impressive, yet more satisfying to listen to long term than lesser designs.

You really get to hear what this cartridge can do with a modern, full-bandwidth analogue recording such as 4hero's Spirits in Transit. This beautiful late-nineties 'new soul' track is dynamic and punchy, with sparkling hi-hat cymbal work, growling bass playing, and some lovely Fender Rhodes keyboard action set against gorgeous soaring strings. The MC X40's delicacy lets the listener dip deep into the recording; compared to its slightly cheaper X30 little brother, it's as if a thin curtain has been pulled out of the way. Audio-Technica's AT33Sa rival, also costing a tad less, is super detailed but lacks life and punch compared to this Ortofon.

Of course, in absolute terms, the MC X40 is not beyond criticism, as you'd expect at this modest price. Deadmau5 & Kaskade's I Remember shows it to be a little lacking in inner detail compared to more expensive Ortofon moving coils. Yet it still delivers a lovely rendition of this classic slice of synthwave – with a chugging groove, tuneful bassline and expansive, dreamy lead vocals. You can hear the basic quality of the MC X generator at work alongside its classy stylus/cantilever package. In my view it's so good that you'll need a considerably more expensive turntable and tonearm to make it sound wanting – one that costs five times or so more.

THE VERDICT

The top model of Ortofon's new MC X range proves to be by far the best in absolute terms and sacrifices some of the 'rough and ready' quality of the lesser models for a super polished sound that simply doesn't befit a lower mid-price moving coil. Many will regard it as a handy new stepping stone into the world of genuine, high-quality phono pick-up cartridges without the crushing financial outlay that usually comes with it. Well worth an audition if you're already running a good mid-price or high-end turntable and crave some inexpensive moving coil magic.

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