Ortofon MC 20 Super II cartridge

A Completely New Design  - Inside and Out

As the fourth generation of Ortofon's best selling Moving Coil cartridge ever, the MC 20 Super II has a tradition as well as a reputation to live up to. Very conscious of this, the Ortofon engineering team has carefully evaluated every detail and available technology, to create a cartridge which, will deline the standard of sound reproduction in its class.

 

Fritz Gyger Type 1 Stylus With Improved Geometry and Ultra Stable Imaging

The FG Type 1 stylus benefits from the latest technological advances within diamond cutting and polishing. It is now possible to produce a very slim profile which will track even the highest frequency groove information. This is particularly important for the innermost turns of the groove. At the same time, the FG Type 1 stylus is distinguished by a larger than normal footprint for reduced distortion and record wear.

The audible results are crystal clear - a convincing and natural reproduction with a very stable definition or width and depth in the musical perspective.

 

The Ortophase Concept Adds a New Dimension to Analogue Sound

The inherently phase linear characteristics of the FG Type 1 stylus are further emphasised by the proprietary Ortophase concept which was introduced in Ortofon's famous MC 2000 cartridge.

Statistically reliable listening tests and extensive laboratory studies have demonstrated the importance of phase linearity in the reproduction of high quality audio.

But it has taken Ortofon's experience and manufacturing technology to make cartridges phase linear. Since a cartridge is a bandwidth limited transducer, a ruler-flat frequency response will not produce phase linear characteristics. Ortofon's research has shown that a very carefully calculated shaping of the amplitude response will result in a linear phase response.

This is the reason why frequency charts for the MC 20 Super II , show a slightly rising level above 5 kHz. Normally, such a response would be interpreted as a result of uncontrolled resonances. In fact, the natural resonances are under full control, and every Ortofon Moving Coil cartridge has been tuned by hand to ensure that it precisely meets the specifications of the Ortophase concept.

 

Non-Resonant Aluminium Cartridge Housing Prevents Sonic Colouration

The sound of the MC 20 Super II also benefits from Ortofon's new aluminium cartridge housing.

Internally, the magnetic assembly is securely screwed and glued to the body, and the precision fit of the two anodised extrusions makes the entire housing acoustically inert.

The large, solid upper plate makes it easy to achieve a perfect mechanical coupling to any high quality shell.

 

Specifications:

Output Voltage:  0,2 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec)

Channel Balance:  less than 1,0 dB

Channel Separation:  better than 25 dB

Frequency Response:  20 - 40,000 Hz +4 dB -1 dB

Compliance Dynamic:  16 µm/mN

Stylus:  FGT 2 type

Tracking Force:  1,6 - 2,0 g

Tracking Ability:  better than 90 µm

Recommended Load Impedance:  better than 100

Weight:  10 grams

 

Ortofon MC10 Super II cartridge

A Level of Quality You thought you Couldn't Afford

 

Compatible with most High quality amplifiers - Like the other higher output Moving Coil cartridges from Ortofon, the MC 10 Super II produces sufficient output voltage for the MC inputs of better audio amplifiers.

 

For more than 50 years music lovers and audiophiles all over the world have appreciated the unique sound quality generated by Ortofon's Moving Coil cartridges. Music lovers have chosen this particular design for the simple reason that it gives them greater listening pleasure. And audiophiles have praised the portrayal of space, and precise image location, plus the richness and purity of detail.

Many have asked the question: why is the sound of a Moving Coil cartridge so superior to that of a traditional magnetic design?

The answer, in one world, is linearity. The patented Ortofon low-impedance, low-output design is inherently linear over the entire audible range. And over the years, numerous enhancements developed by Ortofon have further increased the linearity of Moving Coil cartridges and eliminated still more sources to sonic colouration.

Even the least expensive member of the new MC Super II generation - the MC 10 Super II - incorporates a highly advanced diamond stylus, the Wide Range Damping System, the Ortophase concept and several other advantages, originally developed for top-of-the-line Ortofon cartridges. These technologies are also described in more detail in connection with the MC30 and MC20 Super II.

 

Outstanding Tracking Ability at All frequencies and levels

The tracking ability of a cartridge begins at the point of the stylus. In the case of the MC 10 Super II, the stylus is a nude Fritz Gyger Type 2 diamond which features a very slim profile, and a relatively large footprint.

These qualities mean that even high frequency modulation in the innermost turns of the groove will be reproduced accurately - at a lower tracking force than normally associated with Moving Coil cartridges.

Furthermore, the ingenious metal disc that is the heart of Ortofon's Wide Range Damping System ensures optimum damping of the Cantilever movements at low as well as very high frequencies. This is one more reason why the MC10 Super II will accurately track the violent modulation from a bass drum, as well as reproduce the delicate timber of a harpsichord.

 

Specifications

Output Voltage:  0,2 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec)

Channel Balance:  less than 1,0 dB

Channel Separation:  better than 25 dB

Frequency Response:  20 - 40,000 Hz +4 dB -1 dB

Compliance Dynamic:  15 µm/mN

Stylus:  FGT 2 type

Tracking Force:  1,6 - 2,0 g

Tracking Ability:  better than 80 µm

Recommended Load Impedance:  better than 100

Weight:  10 grams

Ortofon MC20 Super cartridge

 

Higher Output Moving Coil Cartridge

This new cartridge incorporates the very latest developments to come out of our research laboratories and also employs the acclaimed van del Hul stylus shape in the MkII version

The Stylus

The special van del Hul  stylus chosen fro the MC20 Super, is an improvement of the original shape. In addition to providing excellent tracking capability, this new slim shape is more robust and places far less critical demands on the cartridge/headshell mounting.

The van del Hul shape is , in fact, the shape that most closely resembles the actual cutting sapphire.  The slim, highly polished profile of the stylus allows a wide contact area to the groove wall and permits:

Tracking of even the highest frequency groove information (especially in the innermost turns of the record groove)

Reduced record and stylus wear

Reduced distortion and phase error, as a result of the diamond's improved tracking geometry.

 

Aluminuim Housing

In order to gain the maximum benefit from this new diamond, it was necessary to construct an extremely rigid cartridge body that was virtually free from undesired resonances. We have achieved this by engineering the cartridge housing from extended aluminium profile, whilst ensuring that the cartridge weighs no more than 9 grams.

With this cartridge we have also achieved dynamic compliance of 16 µm/mN, which means that the MC20 Susper can be mounted in all medium to heavy mass tonearms.

 

Carbon Fibre Plate

By introducing a special carbon fibre plate to the bottom of the MC20 Super we have resolved the problem of static electricity that normally appears from records as small sparks on the projecting points of the cartridge's metal parts. This plate picks up the static electricity across the entire record surface and thus reduces these sparks considerably.

At the same time the charcoal fibre plate, which is made of very hard material, connects the basis of the moving system to the housing and this too prevents undesired resonances.

 

The Advances that made the MC20 Super possible

We have again broken new ground in the development of the MC20 Super, overcoming problems that previously seemed impossible.

In order for us to achieve a higher output voltage then normal, it was necessary to place more windings on the armature. Previous attempts at this have resulted in an increase in mass and therefore a loss of performance.

However, with the new MC20 Super we have been able to keep a low equivalent stylus tip mass of just 0,5 mg with the introduction of unique Ortofon developments.

The first, is a new armature which was originally designed for Ortofon's state of-the-art. Ortophase MC2000. this new armature has been designed as a tiny, lightweight cross, which allows the number of minute windings to be increased without affecting the performance of the moving mass. As a result, the cross sectional area of the windings is identical on both coils, thereby improving channel balance. And the coil are mounted at exactly 90 to each other improving channel separation.

To meet the higher output the basic magnetic system has also been re-designed to include a stronger magnet and more efficient pole pins thus keeping the necessary number of windings to a minimum. Furthermore, the entire magnetic system is glued to the cartridge body, giving greater rigidity and mechanical stability. This also prevents internal resonances which in turn permits cleaner high frequency response.

In order to exercise complete control over all the moving parts, particularly in the high frequency range where the properties of the diamond influence reproduction most we have incorporated the extremely stable Wide Range Damping system.

The advances that we made in linear phase technology on the Ortophase Concept have also been applied to the MC20 Super. The resulting linear phase and Frequency Response  characteristics ensure an extremely high standard of stereo reproduction.

 

Specifications

Weight:  9 gram

Type of Stylus:  Van den Hul model II nude

Stylus Tip Radius:  r/R 5/70 µm

Equivalent Stylus Tip Mass:  0,49 mg

Frequency Response:  20 - 40,000 Hz =4 -1 dB

Output Voltage at 1 kHz, (5 cm/sec):  >0,2 mV

Channel Balance at 1 kHz:  >1,0 dB

Channel Separation at 1 kHz: >25 dB

Channel Separation at 15 kHz: >19 dB

Dynamic Compliance, Horizontal/Vertical:  15/15 µm/mN

Vertical Tracking Angle:  20°

Recommended Tracking Force:  18 mN/1,8 g

Tracking Force Range:  16 - 20 mN; 1,6 - 2,0 g

Tracking Ability at 315 Hz (Lateral):  >80 µm

Internal Resistance:  3 Ω

Recommended Load Impedance:  ≥10 Ω

FIM Distortion: ≤0,8%

Ortofon MC10 Super cartridge

 

Higher Output Moving Coil Cartridge

Ever since Ortofon introduces the world's first moving coil cartridge, back in 1948, it has been accepted that the finest sound reproduction comes from this type of pick-up.

But this higher quality has always gone hand-in-hand wwith greater expense. Because buying a moving coil has entailed an extra outlay on a transformer or pre-preamplifier to boost the moving coil's lower voltage outputs.

Until now. And the new Ortofon MC10 Super.

With this cartridge we have succeeded, for the first time, in producing a moving coil cartridge that has all the quality traditionally associated with the Ortofon name, but has no need for a steo-up device.

The Moving Coil Principle

Moving coil cartridges are based on the use of twin coils of microscopically fine wire (one for each stereo channel), acting as miniaturised power generators. Each generating its own electrical current as it moves within a magnetic field.

Ortofon use a patented construction method , which allows the coils to adopt two positions.

In neutral, the coil is by-passed by the magnetic field and no signal is generated. But when the stylus and cantilever shift it into the second position, the coil conatcts the magnetic field and a signal is induced.

So, as the stylus traces the record's grooves, the variations in its movement are transmitted to the coils via the cantilever. The coils are than moved from their neutral position, cutting the lines of force between the magnetic poles and producing tiny voltages.

These voltages are replicas of the signals placed in the groove when the record was cut. And it is because the moving coil principle is also used in this cutting, that the most accurate reproduction of the signals is achieved by the same method.

The higher output MC10 Super

Because normal moving coil cartridges use such miniaturised coils, their voltage output is very low (0,1 mV or less). Necessitating the use of additional amplification. But by increasing the number of windings on the MC10 Super's coils we have increased its output voltage to 0,3 mV. Which means it will provide a perfect match for any up-to-date amplifier with a built-in  MC input, without the need for an external step-up device. Yet because it has an internal impedance of 3 Ω , it can still be used successfully with any of our step-up transformers it further improvement in sound is deemed desirable, or even possible.

The advances that made the MC10 Super possible

Previous attempts at putting more windings on a moving coil, while increasing the cartridge's voltage output, have also increased its mass. With a resulting loss of performance. But with the MC10 Super we have been able to keep a low eqivalent stylus tip mass of just 0,5 mg, thanks to three further developments by Ortofon technicians.

The first is a new armature, which was originally designed for Ortofon's state-of-the-art. Ortophase MC2000. this new armature has been designed as a tiny, lightweight cross, which allows the number of minute coil windings to be increased without affecting the performance of the moving mass.

As a result, the cross-sectional area of the windings is identical on both coils, improving channel balance. And the coils are mounted at exactly 90° to each other, improving channel separation.

The second development is a new magnet and improved damping system. This has increased the strength of the cartridge's magnetic field. And has allowed its natural pivotal point to be placed immediately behind the armature giving an extremely precise moving system.

Finally, the MC10 Super has a tiny, nude Elliptical diamond, mounted on a very light and rigid cantilever. The resulting low equivalent stylus tip mass and the cantilever compliance mean that the MC10 Super will give excellent results with virtually any modern tonearm.

Ortofon's linear phase technology, the Ortophase Concept, has been applied to the MC10 Super. The result being that the phase and Frequency Response characteristics are as linear as possible, therefore, achieving an extremely high standard of stereo reproduction.

 

Specifications

Output Voltage at 1000 Hz, 5 cm/sec:  0,3 mV

Channel Balance at 1000 Hz:  1,5 dB

Channel Separation at 1000 Hz: 25 dB

Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz +4 dB/ -1 dB

FIM Distortion at Recommended Tracking Force, DIN 45-542: ≤1%

Tracking Ability at 315 Hz at Recommended Tracking Force:  >60 µm

Dynamic Compliance, Horizontal/Vertical:  14/14 µm/mN

Vertical Tracking Angle:  20°

Type of Stylus:  Elliptical Nude

Equivalent Stylus Tip Force:  0,5 mg

Recommended Tracking Force:  15 mN/1,5 g

Tracking Force Range:  13 - 18 mN; 1,3 - 1,8 g

Weight of Unit:  7 g

Internal Impedance DC Resistance per Channel:  3 Ω

Recommended Load Impedance per Channel:  ≥10 Ω

Ortofon MC 10

There are as many expert opinions on HiFi as there are experts. With all the variables, an incredible range of systems can be produced and all have their different advantages but almost all experts agree that moving coil is superior to magnetic construction for cartridges.

Moving coil's  detailed reproduction of spaciousness, three dimensional imagery and startling transient response surpasses that of even the best magnetic cartridge.

There is really only one choice if you wish to take full advantage of the capabilities of your HiFi system. Until now the high cost of the hand built moving coil cartridge has kept peak performance beyond the reach of all but the most wealthy.

Now Ortofon who have continuously developed moving coil technology since 1948, are able to produce a moving coil cartridge at a price which compaares to the cost of medium quality magnetic cartridges.

Ortofon's long experience of cartridge design and manufacture make the finest reproduction available to all discriminating listeners with the MC 10 moving coil cartridge.

The MC 10's caantilever has been designed on new principles, making it easier and faster to produce. It is as light and as rapid as possible, utilizing a new aluminium alloy. The new cantilever design, together with a tiny, specially polished diamond, gives a very low stylus tip mass,excellent tracking ability, easy handling of transients and minimal record wear.

Owing to their small output voltage and low inner resistance, moving coil cartridges cannot be connected directly to a conventional phono input and it is therefore necessary to boost the signal.

MC 10 Cartridges are available separately or in a cost saving pack complete with the specially developet STM 72 step-on transformar for perfect matching to your amplifier.

Specifications

Weight:  7 g

Output Voltage (per channel at 1000 Hz, 5 cm/s):  0,1 mV

Output Voltage (per channel at 1000 Hz, 5 cm/s with STM 72 or MCA 76):  5,0 mV

Internal Impedance DC Resistance per Channel:  3 Ω

Vertical Tracking Angle: 20

Frequency Range:  10 - 50,000 Hz

Frequency Response:  10 - 20,000 Hz, +3 dB -2 dB

Channel Separation at 1000 Hz:  >22 dB

Channel Balance:  <2 db="" p="">

Compliance:

Horizontal : 15 µm/mN

Vertical : 15 µm/mN

Tracking ability at 3000 Hz at recommended tracking force:  >50 µm

FIM Distortion at recommended Tracking force:  ≤1%

Type of Stylus: Elliptical

Stylus Tip Radius:  18/8 µm

Equivalent Stylus Tip Mass:  0,5 g

Tracking Force Range:  17 - 23 mN (1,7 - 2,3 gm)

Recommended Tracking Force:  20 mN (2,0 gm)