Ortofon MC Quintet Bronze Phono Cartridge

"Top-to-Bottom Smoothness and Coherency"

Ortofon's Quintet Bronze moving coil phono cartridge delivers a sound that is very evenhanded in all aspects. Classical music will be reproduced with power and open space around each of the instruments. The slim profile of its Nude Fine Line diamond stylus will track even the highest frequency information, making it a must for discerning listeners. Additionally its larger footprint ensures reduced distortion and record wear.

"No matter the sonic extremes I threw its way, the Ortofon Quintet Bronze never lost its buttoned-down composure, reproducing a full frequency range performance every time," raves Ken Micallef in Positive Feedback magazine, January 2015. "It never favored one part of the spectrum over another, its top to bottom smoothness and coherency perhaps its most outstanding and noticeable trademark. This brother is smooth."

The Quintet Story

Nothing demonstrates Ortofon's long-standing resilience more than its commitment to the refinement of analog sound quality and its continued development of new cartridge models. Since 1948 Ortofon has introduced about 100 different moving coil models. Ortofon believes that the cartridges in this new series are more than worthy successors to the long line of models that has made Ortofon the global leader in the manufacture and supply of phono cartridges.

The MC Quintet Series is congruent with Ortofon’s unrelenting commitment to providing the most precise and accurate reproduction possible without coloration. A special ABS (Acrylonitrile/Butadiene/Styrene) thermoplastic material is used for manufacturing of the body. This lightweight, impact resistant material is very suitable for injection molding and provides a very durable scratch resistant surface. Neodymium magnets are implemented to achieve an optimal output. Low internal impedance makes the cartridge less sensitive to load and therefore ensures compatibility with the widest range of preamps and transformers.

The Quintet Product Line

Each of the five Quintet Series cartridges has its own individual sonic expression, and all five models together represent the ensemble of five classic variations.

The MC Quintet Mono is a true mono cartridge for playing mono microgroove vinyl records. The MC Quintet Red is an all-purpose cartridge that delivers open, dynamic sound with a slight touch of warmth. The MC Quintet Blue adds more dynamics and resolution, sounds more open and reproduces more details. The MC Quintet Bronze adds even more details and resolution but in a very evenhanded way that pays respect to all elements. The MC Quintet Black S is the best of everything, true to the groove with resolution and accurate insight into each recording.

Easy to Install and Use

Top mounting of the Quintet cartridges is easy and secure using the screws supplied. The aluminum frame has threaded mounting holes and is fitted easily with the 5mm or 7mm screws, depending on the thickness of the headshell.

The Quintet series’ right angles, straight lines, stylus visibility, and ample distance between the record surface and the cartridge’s bottom will make it easy to mount and align the cartridge and tonearm correctly. The Quintet Series gives excellent results with most widely used tonearms.

• Moving coil phono cartridge
• Nude Fine Line diamond stylus
• Neodymium magnets
• Low internal impedance
• Top mounting
• Cartridge body material: ABS/Aluminum
• Coil wire material: Pure 4-nines copper
• Cartridge color: Bronze

• Output voltage at 1 kHz: 5 cm/sec - 0.3 mV
• Channel balance: < 1.2 dB
• Channel separation at 1 kHz: > 23 dB
• Channel separation at 15 kHz: > 15 dB
• Frequency range at -3 dB: 20-25,000 Hz
• Frequency response 20-20,000 Hz: +/-1.5 dB
• Tracking ability at 315 Hz at recommended tracking force: 80 μm (typical value)
• Compliance, dynamic, lateral: 15 μm/mN
• Stylus type : Nude Elliptical
• Stylus tip radius: r/R 8/40 μm
• Tracking force range: 2.1-2.5 g (21-25 mN)
• Tracking force recommended: 2.3 g (23 mN)
• Tracking angle: 20º
• Internal impedance, DC resistance: 5 Ohm
• Recommended load impedance: >20 Ohm
• Cartridge weight - 9 g

"No matter the sonic extremes I threw its way, the Ortofon Quintet Bronze never lost its buttoned-down composure, reproducing a full frequency range performance every time. It never favored one part of the spectrum over another, its top to bottom smoothness and coherency perhaps its most outstanding and noticeable trademark. This brother is smooth."

"The Quintet Bronze presented harmonic textures naturally without drawing attention to itself. But while it definitely creates a first-row presentation of the music, its gentle demeanor places it in the laidback variety of moving coil cartridges. It has more energy and transparency than moving magnet carts I‘ve used, but its big, round, warm sonic portrayal of events is more buttery and compliant than breathtaking and bold."

"At its asking price, the Ortofon Quintet Bronze is reasonably priced, and it's certainly capable of expressing a wide frequency range performance with a large soundstage, natural textures, and spot-on tonality. While the Bronze was in my system I wanted for nothing more, save a better grip on low end fundamentals. The Bronze was never soft and fuzzy, but it tends to roll off upper treble, denying the fine detail that the less expensive Denon, and other moving coil carts, easily convey. If you have a solid state based system, the Ortofon Quintet Bronze cartridge may be the full bodied compliment you've been looking for."

- Ken Micallef, Positive Feedback magazine, January 2015

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