{"product_id":"ortofon-mc-x20-phono-cartridge","title":"Ortofon - MC X20 Phono Cartridge","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe same tip geometry as the X10, mounted nude — and a decibel more separation for it.\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\u003eThe X20 steps up from the X10 by mounting the diamond nude rather than bonding it to a carrier, keeping the same r\/R 8\/18 µm geometry and aluminium cantilever. That is the whole of the difference in the diamond, and it is worth being precise about — copy implying a sharper or finer profile would be wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat it buys, on Ortofon’s published numbers, is a decibel of channel separation (25dB against 24dB), a tightening of frequency response to ±1dB, and compliance up to 15 µm\/mN. Ortofon’s own page cites a Product of the Year 2025\/26 award from LP Magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNude elliptical diamond, r\/R 8\/18 µm, on an aluminium cantilever\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe step over the X10 is nude mounting, not a different tip geometry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e25dB channel separation; ±1dB frequency response\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\u003cli\u003eProduct of the Year 2025\/26, LP Magazine\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 25dB\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 elliptical\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStylus Tip Radius:\u003c\/strong\u003e r\/R 8\/18 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 Aluminium\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoil Wire:\u003c\/strong\u003e High-purity silver\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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCartridge Body Material:\u003c\/strong\u003e Metal-injection-moulded stainless steel with a honeycomb core structure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour:\u003c\/strong\u003e Black\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCartridge Weight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.6g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAward:\u003c\/strong\u003e Product of the Year 2025\/26, LP Magazine, cited by Ortofon\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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Ortofon","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43110971900110,"sku":"5705796271294","price":539.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0558\/5027\/0926\/files\/Ortofon_MC-X20_image_01_LeftTiltTop_16bb0fa7-cbc0-4906-a506-eccc76aea863.webp?v=1753399786","url":"https:\/\/www.theingroove.com\/es\/products\/ortofon-mc-x20-phono-cartridge","provider":"The 'In' Groove","version":"1.0","type":"link"}