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Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze Phono Cartridge
$3,624.00
Product Details
Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze Moving Coil Phono Cartridge — Reference MC
Available at Vinyl Sound, Toronto's specialist hi-fi and vinyl retailer, the Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze is a reference-grade moving coil phono cartridge built around Ortofon's celebrated Replicant 100 stylus and Aucurum 6N gold-plated copper coil wire. A Stereophile Recommended Component and The Absolute Sound Editors' Choice Award winner, the Cadenza Bronze sits third in Ortofon's prestigious five-model Cadenza series — above the Red and Blue, below the Black — and occupies a distinctive position in the lineup: more resolution and three-dimensional imaging than its siblings, delivered with a deliberate touch of warmth and tonal richness that makes it one of the most musically engaging MC cartridges available at its price point.
The Cadenza Bronze sound character
Where many reference MC cartridges prioritise clinical neutrality, the Cadenza Bronze is deliberately voiced for musicality. Ortofon's engineers tuned the Bronze to add a subtle sense of body, presence, and warmth to recordings — reducing listening fatigue without sacrificing resolution or dynamic impact. Surface noise rejection is particularly strong, a result of the Replicant 100 stylus's precise groove contact. Reviewers consistently describe the Cadenza Bronze as a cartridge that rewards extended listening: one that reveals fine detail without ever sounding analytical, and conveys the emotional content of a recording with ease and conviction.
Key technologies
- Replicant 100 stylus — nude-mounted, 5/100 µm r/R tip radius, precision-ground for minimal record wear and maximum groove contact accuracy
- Aucurum coil wire — 6N-purity copper with 24-carat gold plating, minimising resistance and signal degradation from coil to output pins
- Field Stabilizing Element (FSE) — proprietary technology that maintains optimal magnetic linearity during complex, high-amplitude passages such as orchestral crescendos
- Cobalt-iron pole pieces — improved magnetic circuit linearity compared to previous Ortofon Kontrapunkt and Jubilee models
- Stainless steel and aluminium body — rigid, non-resonant chassis construction in Bronze/Black finish
- Low output (0.4 mV) — true low-output MC design requiring a MC-capable phono stage with 60–65 dB of gain
Technical specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Moving Coil (MC) |
| Output voltage (1kHz, 5cm/sec) | 0.4 mV |
| Channel balance at 1kHz | <1 dB |
| Channel separation at 1kHz | >24 dB |
| Channel separation at 15kHz | >20 dB |
| Frequency range at −3dB | 20–55 kHz |
| Frequency response 20Hz–20kHz | ±1.5 dB |
| Tracking ability at 315Hz | 80 µm (typical) |
| Compliance, dynamic lateral | 12 µm/mN |
| Stylus type | Nude Ortofon Replicant 100 on conical aluminium cantilever |
| Stylus tip radius | r/R 5/100 µm |
| Tracking force range | 2.2–2.7 g (22–27 mN) |
| Recommended tracking force | 2.5 g (25 mN) |
| Tracking angle | 23° |
| Internal impedance (DC) | 5 Ω |
| Recommended load impedance | 50–200 Ω |
| Cartridge body material | Stainless steel / aluminium |
| Colour | Bronze / Black |
| Weight | 10.7 g |
| Origin | Denmark |
Awards & press recognition
"If you want an Ortofon with a dash of warmth, the Bronze might be just the ticket."
— The Absolute Sound, Editors' Choice Award
"The Bronze certainly has the ability to extract all the fine detail contained in a recording and excels at all the audiophile approved tasks."
— Positive Feedback, Issue 51
"The Ortofon simply sounded more natural than many moving coil cartridges and bested every cartridge he'd heard in one important respect: its ability to reject surface noise."
— Stereophile (Recommended Component 2025)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze?
The Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze is a low-output moving coil (MC) phono cartridge, the third model in Ortofon's five-cartridge Cadenza series. It features a nude Replicant 100 stylus (r/R 5/100 µm) on a conical aluminium cantilever, Aucurum 6N gold-plated copper coil wire, and a Field Stabilizing Element (FSE) for improved linearity. It outputs 0.4 mV and is made in Denmark. It is a Stereophile Recommended Component and The Absolute Sound Editors' Choice Award winner.
What phono stage do I need for the Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze?
The Cadenza Bronze is a low-output MC cartridge with 0.4 mV output and 5 Ω internal impedance. It requires a phono stage with a dedicated MC input providing 60–65 dB of gain and a load impedance set between 50–200 Ω. It is not suitable for use with standard MM phono inputs unless a step-up transformer (SUT) is used.
How does the Cadenza Bronze compare to the Cadenza Black?
The Cadenza Black is the flagship of the series and uses a Shibata stylus on a boron cantilever for the highest resolution and neutrality. The Cadenza Bronze uses a Replicant 100 stylus on an aluminium cantilever, with a deliberately warmer, more musically forgiving tuning. The Bronze is the preferred choice for listeners who want high resolution with a touch of tonal richness; the Black suits those who prioritise absolute neutrality and maximum detail retrieval.
What tonearm is recommended for the Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze?
With a dynamic lateral compliance of 12 µm/mN and a recommended tracking force of 2.5 g, the Cadenza Bronze is best suited to medium- to high-mass tonearms (typically 10–25 g effective mass) to achieve a tonearm-cartridge resonance frequency in the ideal 8–12 Hz range. It is widely used with tonearms from SME, Rega, Ortofon (AS-212S, RS-212D), and similar mid-to-high mass designs.
What is the Replicant 100 stylus?
The Ortofon Replicant 100 is a precision line-contact stylus with a front radius of 5 µm and a side radius of 100 µm. Its narrow front contact point traces high-frequency groove modulations with exceptional accuracy while the larger side radius minimises groove wear. It is nude-mounted — bonded directly to the cantilever with no shank — for lowest possible moving mass.
What is the Ortofon Aucurum wire used in the Cadenza Bronze?
Aucurum is Ortofon's proprietary coil wire: 6N-purity copper (99.9999% pure) with a 24-carat gold plating. The high copper purity minimises signal path resistance and micro-distortion at the coil level. Ortofon has used Aucurum wire across their upper MC cartridge lines for its measured contribution to lower noise and more transparent signal transfer.
Where can I buy the Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze in Toronto, Canada?
The Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze phono cartridge is available at Vinyl Sound, Toronto's dedicated hi-fi and vinyl specialist (Richmond Hill, ON). Shop online at vinylsound.ca or visit the showroom for expert setup advice and system matching.
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