Ortofon Quintet Cartridges Series Overview

You may not know it, but Ortofon has been in the business of great sound for over 100 years.  In the year 1918, two Danish engineers started experimenting with a method to synchronize sound with this new technology called moving pictures.  Their tech was used by almost all of the major studios in the 1920s and forward.  

Move ahead to 1946 and Ortofon as a company was founded under the FonoFilm Industry umbrella.  Two years later, Ortofon released the world’s first moving coil phono cartridge which was designed to reproduce the wider frequency range of recordings being developed after WWII.

The Ortofon name comes from two Greek words.  “Orto” means “correct” and “Fon” means “sound”.

Since the introduction of that first moving coil cartridge, Ortofon has produced over 100 different moving coil models.  And in this age of globalization, it's really great to know that all Ortofon products are still made at their factory in Denmark.  

Ortofon is also the only audio company we can think of that other audio brands use in their own products.  There is no higher compliment than having a turntable brand use your products as they think it is a great value. You’ll find Ortofon cartridges on turntables from Pro-Ject, to U-Turn, to EAT to Mark Levinson and more.

If you have made the decision to try an Ortofon phono cartridge, you will soon see they have a huge variety of models to choose from.  As of the writing of this article, it totals 55!

In this overview, we will take a look at their most popular series of moving coil cartridges, the Quintet models.

Is a Moving Coil Cartridge the Right Choice for my System?

Before we start going over the series, you probably need to ask yourself, if your system would benefit from a moving coil-type cartridge.  Most cartridges sold on entry to mid-level turntables are of the moving magnet type.  These have a pretty high output and are suitable for the basic phono preamps included in many of today’s (and vintage) receivers and integrated amps. 

Moving coil cartridges have a lot of advantages, but the one disadvantage of their design is they produce very little output.  The phono preamp needs to be much quieter and have far more gain to handle a moving coil.  This means you not only need to consider the cost of a moving coil but also the fact you will probably need to purchase a separate moving coil phono preamp to even use your new cartridge.

However, we have to say, if you enjoy great sound, it is very well worth it.  A well-designed moving coil extracts far more information from the record grooves and gets you closer to a live performance.  You will hear subtle dynamic changes, deeper bass and get this uncanny sense of liveness that only the best cartridges can produce.  

To learn more about cartridges or turntables in general, please check out our turntable buying guide.

Technology Shared by the Quintet Models

There are 5 Quintet models in the series and they all share some of the same tech.

ABS Cartridge Body

Unless you are attempting to slightly color the sound of your phono cartridge through the materials it is made of, ideally, it should be as anti-resonant as possible.  Ortofon is always on a constant R&D effort to improve this factor and has developed several different materials over the years.  The Quintet models are all made with Acrylonitrile/Butadiene/Styrene (ABS) thermoplastic material.  This combination is very lightweight, rigid, and antiresonant.  

Properly aligning your moving coil cartridge in the tonearm will make a big difference in performance.  This means you are lining up the cartridge with some tiny lines on a setup grid that came with your turntable.  If you have ever tried this, you may know, having a cartridge with a large and square body makes the job much easier than a body with a small or non-square profile.  We also like a cartridge with a perfectly square and large front. This makes it really easy to see when it is at a 90-degree angle to the record to get your vertical tonearm height set perfectly.  

The ABS material allowed them to make the body large and square without adding excess weight as all of the models are on the low weight side (9 grams) as moving coil models go. If you want to really get your alignment perfect, it is best to actually look at the cantilever.  We love the fact the body on the Quintet leaves the cantilever very well exposed for precise alignment.

All of the models also have a square aluminum mounting surface on the top with threaded inserts. The top of this plate has 3 small square contact plates where it touches the headshell.  These are for resonance management to reduce the surface contact area, pretty neat!

Neodymium Magnets

A cartridge maker has a pretty wide range of choices for the magnets used in the cartridge assembly.  Many use Alnico magnets as they are very cost-effective.  However, some magnets lose their power over time and you certainly would not want that in your phono cartridge if you paid a decent amount for it.

Ortofon chooses Neodymium for three reasons.  They have the highest power to weight ratio of about any magnet out there, they do not lose their magnetism over time, and they are lightweight.  The only disadvantage is their cost, but when you are in this range of cartridges, we feel going this way is by far the best choice. 

Low Internal Impedance

All of the Quintet models have a low internal impedance.   The advantage this offers is the ability to mate them up with a wide variety of moving-coil phono preamps and moving coil step-up transformers.

The Quintet Models

MC Quintet Red

Normally when you think of a moving coil cartridge, you are looking at a starting price point well north of $500.  With the Quintet Red, you can discover the sonic advantages of moving coils and be under $400!  This entry-level Quintet model packs in a lot of bang for the buck, just like the 2M Red MM model does

The Quintet Red has an elliptical stylus mounted on an aluminum cantilever.  The internal wiring is copper.  With this model, Ortofon tried to give people the best value possible. They also tuned the sound to be compatible with a wide variety of systems.   The Quintet Red has the warmest sound of all the models but still gives you that open, effortless character much more expensive moving coils are known for.

MC Quintet Blue

The difference between the Red and the Blue is pretty substantial.  You get a nude mounted elliptical stylus with improved internal wiring.

When you study a phono cartridge up close, you will observe a tiny round piece coming out of the cartridge body. This part is called the cantilever. The stylus, which traces the grooves of your record, is mounted to the end of the cantilever. 

On the Quintet Red, the diamond is mounted on a small metal shank, which is then mounted to the cantilever. With the Quintet Blue and up, the diamond is mounted directly onto the cantilever. This is called nude mounting. By mounting the stylus directly to the cantilever, tip mass is reduced.  The whole assembly can respond faster to tiny changes in the record grooves.  

Ortofon also moves up to a more pure type of wire for the internal wiring they call Pure 4-nines silver.

What you will hear from these two tech improvements is very noticeable. The Blue tracks better and will bring in more detail and space than the Red.  It is those small details the Blue can reveal that make the music seem more alive. Its better tracking ability gives it a slightly smoother sound than the Red, and with more top-end extension.  

Dynamic contrasts are also better than with the Red, but if you want even more dynamics, the Quintet Bronze takes the cake there!

MC Quintet Bronze

When you move up to the Quintet Bronze, you might notice the output level changes on the spec sheet.  The reason for this is a different internal engine.  A moving coil cartridge is just that, it has a small coil on the end of the cantilever that moves within a magnetic field. Ortofon reduced the number of coil winds on the Quintet Bronze and Black. This offers improvements in two areas.  The cartridge has a more extended top end and picks up even more subtle changes in the record grooves.

With the different internal engines, Ortofon chose Pure 4-nines copper wiring to match up best sonically.  The stylus used is also improved to a Nude Fine line elliptical.  This type of stylus profile gets even deeper into the grooves and extracts more information.

An interesting benefit of this is the potential for reduced surface noise.  If you keep your records clean and in good shape, we find you will definitely experience a quieter background than the Blue or Red. 

Many times when you read between the lines and hear talk of more extension, resolution, and open sound, you might think the product leans towards the shrill or bright side.  The Quintet Bronze is just the opposite. It is super smooth, yet with a silky extended top end and a huge improvement in resolution over the Quintet Blue.  We feel like the Quintet Bronze is one of the best values out there in moving coil designs.  

MC Quintet Black S

The Quintet Black S is quite different from the Bronze in many respects.  The all important cantilever goes from being made from aluminum to sapphire. The stylus is upgraded to a highly polished Shibata diamond.  Finally, the internal wiring is upgraded from copper to Aucurum.

In our geek due diligence of trying to find out exactly what Aucurum was, it turns out it is a term Ortofon invented to describe the wiring.  The wiring is technically gold plated copper, and if you know the periodic table AU is gold and CU is copper. 

As you move into the super exotic moving coil cartridges on the market, you will see many use a different material than aluminum for the cantilever.  The fact that you get a high end material like sapphire on a model the price of the Quintet Black S is pretty incredible.  A sapphire cantilever will transfer energy better to the coil assembly than an aluminum type.

The biggest deal though is probably the stylus tip.  A Nude Shibata type is the same type Ortofon uses on their very high end Cadenza series.  This kind of stylus has a much wider area of contact with the record grooves than others. This enables it to pull even more information from the grooves of your records.  

Comparing the Quintet Black to the Bronze, you will hear a faster and more open sound.  Dynamic contrasts also improve.  On a really good and clean pressing, you will feel like the music becomes much more alive.   You also get the same surface noise improvements as the Quintet Bronze if your records are clean and in good condition.  

Of course all things great, usually come with a hitch. In the case of the Quintet Black, that issue is set up. A Shibata type stylus is pickier about a perfect setup. If you have a good tonearm with the adjustability and skill to really dial it in, you will love the Black. And the good news is, with its large body that is all square, setup is much easier than others. Or, if you purchase a table from Audio Advice, we mount and align all cartridges in our shop. 

MC Quintet Mono

As we said in the beginning, Ortofon has a huge range of choices. They do not want to leave any music lover behind and actually have a few mono cartridges.

For those of you with a mono record collection, the Quintet Mono may be the perfect choice. You will get that great sound of a moving coil, with mono reproduction that is faithful to the source.  

Technically wise, it is a cross between a Blue and Bronze with a Nude Elliptical stylus paired with the Bronze type engine with its lighter coil and silver plated copper wiring. The profile of the elliptical stylus is different though and designed to track worn or even damaged records with less surface noise. 

Another pretty neat feature is the way Ortofon set the Mono up internally. They use a strapped output which sends the same output signal to both sets of pins.  This means you do not need mono equipment to hear mono sound on a stereo system. 

It is pretty clear to us, if you want a serious mono cartridge, the Quintet Mono is a perfect choice.

Recommendations

The MC Quintet series will let you discover the reason audiophiles and music lovers typically prefer the moving coil sound.  Each time you step up, you will get better performance, but you also want to be sure to match things up properly for your system.

You’ll need to consider your tonearm and in many cases your phono preamp.  The Red and Blue models have a pretty decent output for most MC phono preamps, but the others will need more gain.  

We are here for you though and our experts can help you pick the best Quintet for your turntable as it really does come down to finding the best choice for your system.  Once we have helped you find the best one, we can either mount it in our shop or offer phone or video support to help you with any setup questions.   

Rega owners who want to try out an Ortofon Quintet will be happy to know you can now source the special Acoustic Signature Spacer Set Ortofon recommends for Rega tables from Audio Advice.  Installation is super simple as you do not need to remove the tonearm; they simply slide right under it after you loosen the arm collar. And with a Quintet it is easy to see when you have the right one with its very square front.  

We hope this article has helped you understand the differences in the Ortofon Quintet models, and that you have gotten some insight into this great Danish company that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary!

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact us via phone, chat, email, or drop into one of our stores in Raleigh or Charlotte NC.  

HIGH NOTES UNPACKED

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Great Value Moving Coil Cartridges

With over 110 years of experience, Ortofon delivers some of the best value cartridges on the planet. These truly offer astounding sound for their very reasonable price.

A look inside the Focal Celestee Closed Back headphone's ear cup exploded.

From the Inventors of the Moving Coil

When you consider Ortofon invented the moving coil in 1948 and has since delivered over 100 new models, you know you are getting some great experience behind your purchase.  Plus they are all made at their factory in Denmark.

close up shot of Focal Celestee Anti-Resonant Semi-Aniline Leather Earpad.

Easy Installation and Compatibility

With a large totally rectangular body, the Quintet models are all very easy to align on your tonearm.  Plus their low internal impedance makes them suitable with a wide range of moving coil phono preamps. 

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