Ortofon MC X30 Moving Coil Cartridge

Product Summary

The Ortofon MC X30 sits just below the flagship MC X40 in Ortofon’s MC X Series and offers a seriously capable moving coil performance for listeners who want more resolution, insight and polish than entry-level MC cartridges can usually deliver. It is a strong choice for anyone building a refined analogue front end and wanting a sound that feels open, articulate and highly controlled.

A big part of its appeal comes from the nude fine line diamond stylus. This profile is especially good at tracing fine groove information with greater precision than simpler stylus shapes, helping the cartridge uncover more low-level detail, stronger image focus and a more natural sense of flow. Combined with the aluminium cantilever, the overall presentation is clean, balanced and impressively resolving without tipping into hardness.

The MC X30 also benefits from the wider engineering behind the MC X Series, including high-purity silver coil wire, an optimised magnet system and a stainless-steel honeycomb core structure for greater rigidity and stability. For anyone wanting a premium moving coil cartridge with excellent transparency, fine detail and a genuinely high-end feel, the Ortofon MC X30 is a very compelling choice.

Key Benefits

• Upper-tier MC X Series moving coil design delivers excellent transparency, speed and refinement
• Nude Fine Line diamond helps retrieve finer groove information with lower distortion
• Aluminium cantilever supports a balanced, precise and controlled presentation
• High-purity silver coil system is designed to preserve more signal detail and clarity
• Optimised magnet structure helps support a clean, powerful and highly efficient signal path
• Custom-developed damping system is engineered to improve stability and tracking precision
• Strong image focus, tonal balance and soundstage depth make it a very capable choice for serious vinyl systems
• A compelling step below the MC X40 for listeners wanting premium MC performance with excellent all-round value

Technical Specifications

Cartridge Details

• Product Type: Moving coil phono cartridge
• Output Voltage: 0.4mV at 1kHz, 5cm/sec.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz +/-1dB
• Channel Separation: 26dB at 1kHz
• Channel Balance: 0.5dB at 1kHz
• Compliance, Dynamic Lateral: 15µm/mN
• Stylus Profile: Nude Fine Line
• Stylus Tip Radius: r/R 8/40µm
• Cantilever Material: Aluminium
• Stylus Suspension: Ortofon exclusive
• Coil System: High-purity silver coil wire, quad coils
• Recommended Tracking Force: 2.0g
• Internal Impedance, DC Resistance: 6 Ohms
• Recommended Load Resistance: Greater than 50 Ohms
• Cartridge Body Material: MIM stainless steel with honeycomb core structure
• Cartridge Weight: 8.6g

What’s in the Box

• Ortofon MC X30 cartridge
• Product documentation