Mobile Fidelity UltraGold MC Cartridge at Vinyl Sound Toronto Canada

The UltraGold MC is a dual moving-coil stereo phono cartridge from Mobile Fidelity (Chicago, USA), precision-crafted in Japan and available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. Voiced by Allen Perkins, founder of Spiral Groove, this audiophile MC delivers a frequency response of 20 Hz to 35,000 Hz, an output voltage of 0.4 mV, and a tracking force range of 1.8 to 2.2 g. Combining a nude Shibata stylus, boron cantilever, neodymium magnet, Permendur yoke, and PCOCC coils, the UltraGold MC brings true-to-the-source faithfulness, lifelike separation, and surgical accuracy to every vinyl playback session.

Nude Shibata Stylus and Boron Cantilever

The UltraGold MC pairs a nude Shibata diamond profile stylus with a rigid boron cantilever, a combination that delivers palpable low-end reproduction, high transient responsiveness, and a robust midrange. The Shibata profile traces the finest groove detail with exceptional precision, resulting in remarkable depth, immersion, and fullness from both standard LPs and demanding high-resolution pressings such as Mobile Fidelity Original Master Recordings. Because the stylus is nude rather than bonded, it sits directly on the cantilever with no adhesive layer to color the signal, preserving maximum integrity from groove to phono stage.

Neodymium Magnet, Permendur Yoke, and PCOCC Coils

Driving the UltraGold MC's generator is a neodymium magnet paired with a Permendur yoke, a magnetically efficient iron-cobalt alloy chosen specifically for its ability to concentrate and sustain high magnetic flux. This combination delivers powerful, consistent energy transfer to the Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting (PCOCC) coils. PCOCC copper is produced through a single-crystal drawing process that virtually eliminates grain boundaries in the wire, reducing signal distortion and preserving micro-detail. Together, these materials account for the cartridge's stunning dynamics and incredibly rich detail across the full frequency range.

Key Features

• Nude Shibata Stylus: A diamond stylus mounted without bonding adhesive for direct, low-coloration contact with the cantilever, optimizing transient accuracy and groove tracing.
• Boron Cantilever: Extremely stiff and lightweight, boron transmits stylus motion to the generator with minimal energy loss, resulting in fast, accurate dynamics.
• Neodymium Magnet and Permendur Yoke: A high-flux magnetic circuit that maximizes energy transfer to the PCOCC coils for exceptional output consistency and dynamic headroom.
• PCOCC Coils: Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting wire minimizes grain boundaries within the copper, reducing distortion and preserving low-level musical detail.
• Aluminum Cartridge Body with Threaded Inserts: An ultra-low resonance aluminum body with threaded mounting holes allows tool-free installation using just two screws, with no loose nuts or bolts required.
• Voiced by Allen Perkins of Spiral Groove: The UltraGold MC was tuned and voiced by Allen Perkins, a designer renowned for his work at Spiral Groove and his deep expertise in analog playback system design.
• Precision-Crafted in Japan: Manufactured under strict quality-control measures in Japan, ensuring consistency and exacting tolerances in every unit.

Technical Specifications

Awards and Critical Recognition

• Outstanding Product Award, Hi-Fi News (UK)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Mobile Fidelity UltraGold MC?

The Mobile Fidelity UltraGold MC is a dual moving-coil stereo phono cartridge precision-crafted in Japan, featuring a nude Shibata stylus, boron cantilever, and PCOCC coils. It covers a frequency response of 20 Hz to 35,000 Hz and outputs 0.4 mV, placing it firmly in the audiophile low-output MC category. It was voiced by Allen Perkins of Spiral Groove and is available in Toronto, Canada exclusively through Vinyl Sound.

How does the MoFi UltraGold MC compare to the Hana SL and Ortofon Quintet Black S?

The MoFi UltraGold MC competes directly with cartridges such as the Hana SL and Ortofon Quintet Black S in the low-output MC segment. Where the Hana SL uses a Shibata stylus on an aluminum cantilever and the Ortofon Quintet Black S pairs a Nude Shibata with a Boron cantilever at a similar output of 0.5 mV, the UltraGold MC distinguishes itself through its PCOCC coil wiring, Permendur yoke, and the direct voicing input of Allen Perkins, resulting in a particularly musical, warm, and dynamically expressive character that reviewers at Hi-Fi News have singled out for its trackability and tonal richness.

What phono stage load impedance does the UltraGold MC require?

The MoFi UltraGold MC requires a phono stage with a minimum load impedance of 100 Ohms. Most dedicated moving-coil phono stages and step-up transformers support this setting. Reviewer Ken Kessler of Hi-Fi News noted that the cartridge consistently performed best when loaded at exactly 100 Ohms across multiple phono stages during his evaluation.

What is a Shibata stylus and why does it matter?

A Shibata stylus is a line-contact diamond profile originally developed for four-channel quadraphonic vinyl in the 1970s, capable of tracing the fine inner groove detail of high-frequency recordings up to 50 kHz and beyond. Its elongated contact patch reduces groove wear and retrieves more information from the record groove compared to elliptical or conical profiles. In the UltraGold MC, the nude Shibata diamond is mounted directly on the boron cantilever without bonding adhesive, maximizing energy transfer and minimizing coloration.

Can the MoFi UltraGold MC be used with a moving-magnet phono input?

No, the MoFi UltraGold MC cannot be used directly with a standard moving-magnet phono input. Its 0.4 mV output is typical of low-output moving-coil cartridges and requires either a dedicated MC phono stage or a step-up transformer (SUT) before connecting to an MM input. Using it without proper MC gain will result in insufficient volume and a poor signal-to-noise ratio.

Where can I buy the Mobile Fidelity UltraGold MC in Toronto or Canada?

The Mobile Fidelity UltraGold MC is available in Toronto and across Canada through Vinyl Sound, an authorized Mobile Fidelity dealer located in Toronto, Canada. Vinyl Sound carries the full MoFi Electronics lineup and can assist with cartridge selection, setup guidance, and system matching for your turntable and phono stage.

Is the MoFi UltraGold MC compatible with most tonearms?

Yes, the MoFi UltraGold MC is compatible with a wide range of tonearms. Its dynamic compliance of 10 x 10e-6 cm/dyne is suited to medium-mass tonearms, which are the most common type found on contemporary audiophile turntables. The aluminum body features threaded inserts, so it mounts securely to a standard headshell or integral tonearm using only two screws, with no loose nuts required, making installation straightforward even for first-time MC users.

What makes the MoFi UltraGold MC a good match for Mobile Fidelity Original Master Recordings?

The MoFi UltraGold MC was specifically designed to extract the full sonic content of demanding, high-resolution pressings such as Mobile Fidelity Original Master Recordings and UltraDisc One-Step releases. Its extended frequency response to 35,000 Hz, the precision groove-tracing of the nude Shibata stylus, and the low-distortion PCOCC coils combine to retrieve ultra-fine groove modulations that standard MM cartridges and bonded-stylus MCs cannot fully resolve. The result is a listening experience with greater depth, air, and presence than most cartridges at this level can deliver.