Ortofon MC X50
A friend just returned from High End Vienna and has mailed myself and a friend to let us know they had a tremendous experience with an Ortofon Engineer who stated the MC X50 has shown itself to be a Cartridge that really does create sound with substantial qualities. I won't elaborate on what was actually in the mail, but will state my friends being compelled to pass on this information.
An X40 and X50 were being demo'd with the same TT>Tonearm>Headshell.
My friend and those with him were extremely impressed by the MC X50 and stated it is quite bit beyond the X40 in the finesse able to be perceived.
The X50 was causing excitement and was being whispered about as being very close to the best on offer from ortofon, not that my friends were given that comparison.
For myself, the use of a Silver Coil is a big Tick in the box, especially now Orton has vastly improved their winding methodology on these new Cartridges. Eddy influences are substantially reduced as a result. The new damper compound selected for this Cartridge is very, very interesting; I already know the benefits of improving an Ortofon Rubber compound in a Cartridge, I have to believe the X50 compound is a superior rubber to my own damper in use. New materials selected for the structure are also very, very interesting; a lot can be done with the Cartridge Voicing by changing the mass of the structure. It would be good to know if the X50 has been designed as a heavier or lighter design to other earlier produced models?.
My friend couldn't make it clear enough that my friend and I need to arrange to hear this Cartridge.
I could easily fall for this one, using the owned Cadenza Black as a trade-in.
The Video in the Links made me go all gooey, like a new baby was being met.
https://ortofon.com/products/mc-x50?srsltid=AfmBOoqvah0sifPVOzo36fE7y7zlrrC3PFt3UBTyGrcArDFQ6P20wcQO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwzZW95sT_o&t=18s
The use of the Micro Ridge Stylus also has the difficult to avoid attachment of it to the 'X' range, which suggests these are the models that are designed to generate a large sales turnover. The MR is found across a range of models from competitors on their MC's. Ortofon does not have a history with the MR as an outsourced part. |
The MR Stylus or ML Stylus is a popular selection for a stylus in the MC Market in general. To have a version of this option on an Ortofon at a certain price range for a Cart', has the potential to make the Ortofon models with a MR. A model to be investigated further by a Customer not usually showing an interest in Ortofon. It is the stylus form, not how Ortofon acquires the stylus that is the inference.
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I believe he's just saying that while MR is a common stylus shape within cartridge price tiers, it's unusual for Ortofon to utilize it. So the fact they have chosen it for this cartridge, against their traditional choices, deserves a closer look. Who knows why Ortofon have steered away from this stylus shape, maybe its simply down to supply contracts? |
FWIW, the X50 now being listed by local retailers here in Aust - MSRP is A$2699, which is A$1000 more than the X40. Though already some retailers are discounting about $200. I just read Michael Fremer’s review of the X40 - seems to gel with my impressions: "Well, the X40 out of the box produced the sonic gut punch and more. I’d substituted it for the $5499 MC 90X which seemed like a good way to compare and hear what $1200 vs. $5499 gets one and it was! The X40 is no 90X in terms of image focus precision and macrodynamic subtlety, but it was also not the sonic letdown i was expecting and in fact it was surprisingly easy to "let go" of the 90X and just settle into the X40. That is how good it is, particularly in terms of timbral balance,, macrodynamics, image solidity, soundstage depth and three-dimensionality." "This cartridge’s sonic performance is world’s beyond the old Quintet Black" For the moment I’ll stick with the X40 which seems something of a bargain. |
