Ortofon MC Cadenza Black Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

The flagship model of Ortofon's acclaimed Cadenza Series, delivering extraordinary transparency, speed, dynamics, and musical realism for the most demanding analog systems.

The Pinnacle of the Cadenza Series

The Ortofon MC Cadenza Black represents the highest expression of the company's Cadenza platform and serves as the culmination of decades of moving coil cartridge development.

Designed for serious audiophiles and vinyl enthusiasts who demand ultimate performance, the Cadenza Black combines advanced generator architecture, premium materials, and sophisticated damping technologies to achieve a level of resolution and musical accuracy that places it among the world's finest moving coil cartridges.

At All Elite Audio, the Cadenza Black is often recommended to listeners seeking reference-grade playback without moving into the ultra-exotic territory of Ortofon's Exclusives Series.

Ultimate Detail Retrieval

The defining characteristic of the MC Cadenza Black is its ability to reveal musical information that often remains hidden with lesser cartridges.

Its combination of advanced stylus geometry, low-mass moving system, and highly refined generator architecture allows it to uncover subtle textures, microdynamics, ambient cues, and recording-space information with remarkable ease.

Listeners frequently describe the presentation as:

• Exceptionally transparent
• Highly resolving
• Effortlessly dynamic
• Extremely precise
• Deeply immersive
• Remarkably lifelike

The cartridge retrieves extraordinary amounts of information while maintaining complete musical coherence.

Nude Replicant 100 Stylus

The MC Cadenza Black employs Ortofon's acclaimed Nude Replicant 100 stylus.

Widely considered one of the finest stylus profiles available, the Replicant 100 features an exceptionally thin contact radius and long contact surface designed to trace groove modulations with extraordinary precision.

Benefits include:

• Maximum groove contact
• Exceptional tracking ability
• Reduced tracing distortion
• Superior inner-groove performance
• Outstanding high-frequency accuracy
• Enhanced retrieval of low-level detail

The Replicant 100 is capable of extracting information that many conventional stylus profiles simply cannot reach.

Boron Cantilever Performance

Complementing the Replicant 100 stylus is an ultra-lightweight boron cantilever.

Boron is highly prized in premium cartridge design because it combines exceptional stiffness with extremely low mass. This allows stylus movements to be transmitted to the generator system with extraordinary speed and accuracy.

The sonic advantages often include:

• Faster transient response
• Improved dynamic expression
• Greater detail retrieval
• Better image stability
• Enhanced clarity
• Superior tonal accuracy

The boron cantilever plays a significant role in the cartridge's ability to reproduce music with exceptional realism.

Wide Range Damping Technology

One of the key technologies separating the MC Cadenza Black from other cartridges is Ortofon's Wide Range Damping system.

Wide Range Damping helps control unwanted resonances throughout the cartridge's operating range, improving tracking behavior while preserving transient speed and musical dynamics.

The benefits include:

• Improved resonance control
• Better tracking stability
• Enhanced dynamic precision
• Reduced coloration
• Greater transparency
• More accurate musical reproduction

This technology contributes significantly to the cartridge's remarkably composed and controlled presentation.

Exceptional Soundstage and Imaging

The Cadenza Black excels at recreating the spatial information captured within recordings.

Rather than simply presenting left and right channel information, it creates a convincing three-dimensional acoustic environment with remarkable depth, width, and image focus.

Listeners often experience:

• Expansive soundstages
• Precise instrument placement
• Exceptional layering
• Greater image density
• Realistic venue recreation
• Improved separation between performers

These strengths become particularly apparent on high-quality jazz, classical, vocal, and acoustic recordings.

Compared to the MC Cadenza Bronze

The MC Cadenza Bronze is widely regarded as one of the finest cartridges in its class and remains a favorite among experienced analog enthusiasts.

The Cadenza Black advances performance through:

• Boron cantilever technology
• Wide Range Damping system
• Greater low-level resolution
• Enhanced transient precision
• Improved dynamic contrast
• Higher overall transparency

The Bronze offers extraordinary musicality and refinement, while the Black pushes closer to absolute neutrality and maximum information retrieval.

Compared to Ortofon Exclusives Series Models

The Cadenza Black occupies the top position within the standard Cadenza lineup and shares many design philosophies with Ortofon's more expensive Exclusives Series cartridges.

While models such as the Windfeld Ti and Anna Diamond move further into state-of-the-art materials and generator technologies, the Cadenza Black delivers an astonishing level of performance and remains one of the most respected cartridges available in high-end analog playback.

System Matching Matters

The MC Cadenza Black is highly revealing and rewards careful system matching.

Ideal partners often include:

• Technics SL-1200G and SL-1000R Series
• Rega Planar 10
• VPI Prime and Avenger Series
• SME tonearms
• Clearaudio Innovation and Reference Series
• High-performance moving coil phono stages

Because the cartridge is capable of exposing every aspect of a system, supporting equipment quality becomes increasingly important.

Phono Stage Compatibility

The MC Cadenza Black produces 0.33 mV of output and requires a moving coil compatible phono stage or step-up transformer.

Recommended phono stage characteristics include:

• Low-noise MC gain capability
• Load impedance between 50 and 200 ohms
• High-quality analog circuitry
• Excellent dynamic headroom

Careful optimization of gain and loading can further improve overall system performance.

Built for Reference Listening

The MC Cadenza Black was designed for listeners who want to hear exactly what exists within a recording.

Its combination of Replicant 100 stylus technology, boron cantilever construction, Wide Range Damping, and advanced moving coil engineering allows it to reveal subtle details, dynamic contrasts, and musical textures with extraordinary precision.

For many analog enthusiasts, the Cadenza Black represents the ultimate destination within the Ortofon Cadenza family.

Key Specifications Block

• Product: Ortofon MC Cadenza Black
• Category: Reference Moving Coil Cartridge
• Cartridge Type:
  • Low Output Moving Coil
• Mounting:
  • Standard Half-Inch Mount
• Output Voltage:
  • 0.33 mV
• Stylus:
  • Nude Ortofon Replicant 100
• Stylus Radius:
  • r/R 5/100 µm
• Cantilever:
  • Boron
• Tracking Ability:
  • 90 µm
• Compliance:
  • 16 µm/mN
• Tracking Force Range:
  • 2.1 – 2.6 g
• Recommended Tracking Force:
  • 2.3 g
• Channel Balance:
  • <1 dB
• Channel Separation:

  • 27 dB at 1 kHz

• Frequency Response:
  • 20 Hz – 20 kHz ±1 dB
• Internal Impedance:
  • 5 Ohms
• Recommended Load:
  • 50–200 Ohms
• Coil Wire:
  • High-Purity Copper
• Technology:
  • Wide Range Damping (WRD)
• Cartridge Body:
  • Stainless Steel / Aluminum
• Cartridge Weight:
  • 10.7 g
• Color:
  • Black
• Warranty:
  • Manufacturer Warranty Included

Why Buy From All Elite Audio

All Elite Audio is an authorized dealer for Ortofon and every brand we carry. Every product we sell is sourced directly through authorized distribution channels and includes full manufacturer warranty coverage and support.

Our team specializes in cartridge selection, tonearm matching, phono stage optimization, cartridge alignment, and complete analog system tuning. Whether you're selecting your first reference moving coil cartridge or upgrading from a Cadenza Bronze, we can help ensure the MC Cadenza Black is perfectly integrated into your analog front end.

Call: 443-402-5055

Text: 443-402-5064

Visit: 1921 York Rd, Timonium, MD 21093