Cadenza Black

The Ortofon Cadenza Black is a high-end moving-coil cartridge and the top model in the Cadenza Series. The name Cadenza comes from the Italian word for cadence, referring to the passage in a concert where the orchestra stops and the soloist plays alone in free time, without a strict, regular pulse. A cadenza may be written or improvised, and is usually the most elaborate and virtuosic section performed by the solo instrument. The name reflects the capability and nuance intended for this cartridge series.

The Cadenza Series uses cobalt-iron pole pieces, improved armature winding processes and an extruded aluminium housing, among other changes. The range follows Ortofon’s colour-tier nomenclature, with Red, Blue, Bronze, Black and Mono (White) variants available for different budgets and preferences.

Ortofon Cadenza Black uses a Nude Shibata stylus with a boron cantilever. The very thin boron rod gives the stylus and cantilever system a low effective mass, while boron is stiffer and lighter than aluminium. Its coils are wound with Ortofon Aucurum wire, a gold-plated version of 6NX copper wire.

The cartridge also incorporates Ortofon’s Wide Range Damping (WRD) system, which controls high- and low-frequency damping separately. Originally developed in 1979 for the MC 20 MK II, WRD has since been used more commonly in Ortofon’s high-end cartridges, including the MC Windfeld. The system clamps a small, heavy disc of exotic metal between 2 rubber absorbers with different properties. In the Cadenza Black, this provides tracking ability of 90µm, damping across the frequency range, and control of distortion and resonance. WRD also gives the cartridge a wider frequency range than the other Cadenza Series models.

The Cadenza Black has been optimised for tonal neutrality, dynamics and purity. It is designed to provide high levels of detail, consistency and sound staging, with accurate insight into each recording and a close response to the groove.

• Optimised for tonal neutrality, dynamics and purity of sound
• True to the groove, with resolution and accurate insight into each recording
• Internal coils from Ortofon Aucurum wire, a gold-plated 6NX copper wire
• Stainless steel aluminium cartridge body
• Nude Shibata stylus profile with boron cantilever