Ortofon MC Vertex
"Just a few years ago, the mere idea of a cartridge with a five-figure price tag would have made us gasp, but now it seems all the major players at the top end of the cartridge market offer at least one. Ortofon has rolled a lot of its latest thinking into the Vertex, and the results are remarkable. I've always found the Danes a straightforward bunch, and the Vertex, made by Danes in Denmark, follows that thinking. It shows no favoritism. It just tells you more about what's embedded in the grooves of your records. If you can swing just a penny shy of $24,000 to go there, I'm certain you won't be disappointed"
read the review in Stereophile
At the core of MC Vertex is a newly developed diamond, engineered by Ortofon and defined by an advanced line contact geometry. This new stylus design is introduced as the Vertex diamond, representing a new reference in Ortofon diamond technology.
The result is the Vertex diamond, combining advanced geometry, diamond-on-diamond construction, and precision manufacturing to deliver high resolution, clarity, and long-term consistency.
The Vertex Diamond
The stylus profile has been developed with a specific focus on how it engages the groove walls at a microscopic level, where both contact accuracy and mechanical stability are critical.
The Vertex diamond features a finely optimized scanning radius of 4 μm, combined with an extended contact radius of 110 μm. While the scanning radius is within the upper tier of advanced stylus designs, the contact radius represents an exceptionally large profile, enabling a significantly increased contact area along the groove walls.
This combination allows the diamond to trace fine groove structures with high precision, while distributing contact forces more effectively across the groove surface.
The Vertex diamond is mounted in a solid diamond cantilever, forming an extremely rigid and lightweight structure that supports efficient energy transfer from the stylus to the generator system.
The diamond-to-cantilever interface is manufactured using laser-cut processes with extremely tight tolerances. A precisely defined micro-bore is formed in the cantilever, allowing the diamond to be mounted with a highly controlled mechanical fit. This ensures accurate alignment and repeatability, while creating a rigid and stable interface for efficient energy transfer.
The cantilever is laser-polished to achieve a uniform surface finish, minimizing irregularities
that could introduce mechanical artifacts.
Structure Shaped
for Sound
The cartridge housing and internal core structure are produced in titanium using Ortofon’s established Selective Laser Melting technology. This advanced manufacturing method enables a level of structural control not possible with conventional techniques.
Material density, wall thickness, and internal geometry are precisely defined throughout the structure, allowing complex internal architectures to be formed directly within the titanium body. A special cavity is intentionally incorporated to enhance internal damping and reduce unwanted resonances.
The structure is finished with a DLC surface treatment, providing a refined black finish with enhanced durability. All logos are laser-engraved directly into the titanium surface, reflecting the precision of the manufacturing process.
The result is a mechanically inert structure that effectively suppresses unwanted vibrations, allowing the musical signal to emerge with greater clarity, purity, and accuracy.
Updated Wide Range Damping Technology
The Wide Range Damping system, developed and patented by Ortofon, is designed to control mechanical resonance across the entire audible frequency range.
At its core is a platinum disc positioned between two rubber compounds with distinctly different mechanical properties. The platinum disc acts as a rigid mechanical interface, allowing the two rubber compounds to operate both independently and in interaction, depending on frequency.
This dual-behavior damping structure enables precise control of resonance characteristics across the frequency spectrum, while maintaining dynamic responsiveness.
In-house Rubber Development
Ortofon’s in-house development and production of rubber compounds ensure consistent material quality, and allow fine-tuning of damping performance. Even minor adjustments in formulation or processing can significantly influence how energy is absorbed and controlled within the system.
The result is a more accurate and natural sound reproduction across the entire frequency range
Magnetic Precision and Control
MC Vertex features a refined generator system built around a non-magnetic armature, precision-wound coils, and a highly optimized magnet configuration.
The non-magnetic armature provides a stable mechanical structure for the coils, without introducing magnetic material into the moving system.
Audiofi is your Ortofon Vertex dealer. Call for info (604) 351-3485
