Ortofon
Ortofon Cadenza Black
Best high-end moving coil cartridge for serious audiophiles seeking sonic precision.
Experience unparalleled audio fidelity with the Ortofon Cadenza Black Moving Coil Cartridge. This premium cartridge is meticulously engineered to deliver exceptional tonal neutrality, dynamic range, and pristine sound purity. Its advanced design features a Nude Shibata stylus paired with a boron cantilever, minimizing effective mass for superior tracking and detail retrieval. The use of gold-plated 6NX copper wire and the WRD system further enhance performance by reducing distortion and optimizing damping across frequencies. Designed to replace the acclaimed Kontrapunkt Series, the Cadenza Black offers a significant leap in detail and dynamics for discerning audiophiles.
$2729.00
Owner Satisfaction
4.8
/ 5
Category Rank
7
/ 1637
#7 in Turntable Accessories
Price vs Category Average
+117%
Above average
Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec
0.3
/ mV
Who it's for
- Audiophiles seeking maximum resolution from their vinyl collections
- Classical music lovers wanting realistic orchestral spatial imaging
- Listeners who prefer a balanced, lively, and accurate sound
Who should skip it
- Budget-conscious buyers looking for more affordable entry points
- Casual users who prefer a simple, plug-and-play setup
- Owners of systems lacking high-gain phono amplification
Performance breakdown
Detail Retrieval
The Shibata stylus extracts microscopic nuances from even the most complex grooves.
Tracking Precision
Advanced boron cantilever design ensures stable performance across demanding high-frequency passages.
Tonal Neutrality
Delivers an honest, uncolored sound profile that honors the original recording intent.
Soundstage Depth
Creates an expansive, immersive acoustic environment with impressive instrument separation.
Dynamic Range
Effortlessly handles sudden shifts from quiet whispers to powerful orchestral crescendos.
Build Quality
Premium materials and meticulous engineering reflect a high-end, durable construction.
Key Specs
Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec
0.3 mV
Channel balance at 1 kHz
< 0.8 dB
Channel separation at 1 kHz
> 27 dB
Frequency range at - 3dB
20 - 60,000 Hz
Tracking ability at 315Hz at recommended tracking force
90 µm
Compliance, dynamic, lateral
16 µm/mN
Stylus tip radius
r/R 6/50 µm
Internal impedance, DC resistance
5 Ohm
Features
- Nude Shibata stylus for exceptional detail
- Boron cantilever for extremely low mass
- Gold-plated copper wire minimizes distortion
- WRD system optimizes frequency damping
- Optimized for tonal neutrality and dynamics
- Immense detail, consistency, and sound staging
- Improved armature winding and special magnets
- Superior detail retrieval and greater dynamics
What customers say
Audiophiles widely regard the Ortofon Cadenza Black as a benchmark reference cartridge in its price range. Users consistently praise its breathtakingly transparent and resolving sound, noting its ability to reveal previously unheard micro-details from vinyl. The soundstage is expansive and three dimensional, supported by an exceptionally quiet background that enhances dynamic clarity across the entire frequency spectrum. Highs are smooth, mids are articulate, and the bass remains deep and controlled. Although the initial cost is significant, many listeners feel the performance rivals much more expensive cartridges. Once properly set up, the resulting musicality and detail retrieval solidify its status as a top tier component, delivering exceptional satisfaction for those prioritizing sonic accuracy.
Know before you buy
As a low-output Moving Coil (MC) cartridge with an output of 0.3 mV, you will need a phono preamplifier or step-up transformer capable of handling low-output MC cartridges. Ensure your phono stage supports a load impedance of at least 10 ohms to get the best performance from this unit.
The Nude Shibata stylus has a larger contact area with the record groove, which allows it to retrieve significantly more high-frequency detail and nuance. This shape is particularly effective at tracking complex passages and reducing inner-groove distortion.
With a weight of 10.7 grams and a dynamic compliance of 16 µm/mN, the Cadenza Black is a medium-compliance cartridge that pairs well with most modern, medium-mass tonearms. We recommend checking your tonearm's effective mass to ensure it falls within the ideal range for this cartridge's suspension.
Boron is an exceptionally stiff and lightweight material, which helps minimize the effective mass at the stylus tip. This allows the cartridge to react faster to groove modulations, resulting in improved transient response and clearer, more accurate sound reproduction.
The Wide Range Damping (WRD) system is a proprietary Ortofon technology that helps control the damping of the cantilever across a wide frequency spectrum. It ensures consistent tracking and tonal neutrality, preventing the cartridge from sounding overly bright or dull at different frequencies.
Yes, like most high-end moving coil cartridges, the Cadenza Black requires a break-in period of approximately 20 to 50 hours of playback. You will likely notice the soundstage opening up and the bass becoming more defined as the suspension settles.
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