{"product_id":"ortofon-mc-x40-phono-cartridge","title":"Ortofon - MC X40 Phono Cartridge","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA boron cantilever under a nude Shibata diamond — the specification that made this range’s reputation.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery MC X shares one architecture: a honeycomb-structured stainless steel frame produced by metal injection moulding, a magnet system built around a one-piece pole cylinder and rear magnet yoke, custom-developed rubber dampers and high-purity silver coil wire. All five share 0.4mV output, 0.5dB channel balance, 6 ohm internal impedance, a 2.0g recommended tracking force and an 8.6g body. What separates the models is stylus profile, cantilever material, channel separation and compliance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the X50 arrived in June 2026 the X40 was the top of the range, and Ortofon still describes it as designed for the most discerning audiophile. It pairs a nude Shibata diamond at r\/R 6\/50 µm with a boron cantilever, and the boron is the headline — Ortofon’s own engineer put it to a magazine as introducing a boron cantilever in a moving coil cartridge below a thousand pounds, and called it pretty magic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBe clear about what changes and what does not. Published channel separation (26dB), frequency response (±1dB) and compliance (15 µm\/mN) are identical to the X30 below it. The gain is entirely in the stylus profile and the rigidity of the cantilever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrtofon publishes a load above 50 ohms. Reviewers running it on the bench have found 100 ohms optimal in practice, which is worth knowing if your phono stage offers the choice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNude Shibata diamond, r\/R 6\/50 µm, on a boron cantilever\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoron cantilever at a price point where it is genuinely unusual\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e26dB channel separation; ±1dB frequency response; 15 µm\/mN compliance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHoneycomb-structured stainless steel frame made by metal injection moulding\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh-purity silver coil wire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e0.4mV output, 6 ohm internal impedance, 8.6g, 2.0g tracking force\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moving coil stereo cartridge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOutput Voltage:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.4mV at 1kHz, 5cm\/sec\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChannel Balance at 1kHz:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.5dB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChannel Separation at 1kHz:\u003c\/strong\u003e 26dB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency Response:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20Hz – 20kHz, ±1dB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompliance:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15 µm\/mN, dynamic lateral\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStylus Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nude Shibata\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStylus Tip Radius:\u003c\/strong\u003e r\/R 6\/50 µm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStylus Suspension:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon exclusive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCantilever:\u003c\/strong\u003e Boron\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoil Wire:\u003c\/strong\u003e High-purity silver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoil System:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon’s specification table reads “quad coils” for this model where the other MC X models read “high-purity silver coil wire”. The separately published coil wire material is high-purity silver across the whole range, so this looks like inconsistent wording rather than a different design — but we cannot resolve it from Ortofon’s own data\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMagnet System:\u003c\/strong\u003e One-piece pole cylinder with rear magnet yoke\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended Tracking Force:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.0g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInternal Impedance, DC Resistance:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6 Ω\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended Load Resistance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Greater than 50 Ω. Independent bench testing has found 100 Ω optimal in practice — that is a reviewer finding, not an Ortofon specification\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCartridge Weight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.6g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStylus Replacement:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon states plainly that the styli in moving coil cartridges are non-replaceable, so there is no swap-in stylus for this cartridge. What Ortofon runs instead is an Exchange Service through participating authorised dealers: a worn or damaged MC cartridge — any condition, bought anywhere — is taken in at 25% of the current list price against the purchase of a new Ortofon cartridge of equivalent or better model. Note that is a credit against a new purchase, not a repair price. Ortofon also runs a separate Repair Service for out-of-warranty MC cartridges\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTonearm Matching:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon publishes no recommended tonearm effective mass for this model. Its general guidance is that an arm of 10g effective mass or below counts as low mass and 11 to 25g as moderate mass, that high mass requires low compliance and vice versa, and that the target is a cartridge and arm system resonance between 7 and 12Hz, with 10Hz recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStylus Life:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon rates its styli at up to 1000 hours with proper care. This is a general figure across the range rather than a per-model specification\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon A\/S of Nakskov, Denmark. Ortofon states that all its cartridges are designed and crafted in Denmark\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWarranty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ortofon publishes no warranty period for its moving coil cartridges on its own site. Ortofon Inc. covers cartridges bought from an authorised US dealer for one year against defects in workmanship and materials, excluding expendable items\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNot Published:\u003c\/strong\u003e Channel separation at 15kHz; frequency range as distinct from frequency response; tracking ability at 315Hz; tracking angle; and any tracking force range — Ortofon gives a single recommended figure only. The MC X specification tables are materially shorter than those for Ortofon’s older ranges, and any listing quoting those figures for an MC X is using invented or third-party data. Ortofon also omits cartridge body material and colour from the X40 page specifically, though its series page states all MC X models share the metal-injection-moulded honeycomb stainless steel frame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Ortofon","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43110988546254,"sku":"5705796271317","price":1149.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0558\/5027\/0926\/files\/Ortofon_MC-X40_image_01_LeftTiltTop_c1825e08-8c44-4d03-a91c-696bc53c59fb.webp?v=1753402173","url":"https:\/\/www.theingroove.com\/de\/products\/ortofon-mc-x40-phono-cartridge","provider":"The 'In' Groove","version":"1.0","type":"link"}