Ortofon Quintet Black S Cartridge

Here we have a member of the Quintet Family of cartridges from specialists Ortofon. The Black S currently resides as the top of the range model and features the Nude Shibata diamond. Our example is in excellent condition and full working order although the number of hours used is unknown.
Ortofon Say….
Nothing demonstrates Ortofon’s long-standing resilience more than its commitment to the refinement of analogue
sound quality and its continued development of new cartridge models.
Since 1948 Ortofon has introduced about 100 different moving coil models, with our latest being the Quintet Series.
We believe the cartridges in this new series are more than worthy successors to the long line of models that has made
Ortofon the global leader in the manufacture and supply of phono cartridges.
The MC Quintet Series is congruent with Ortofon’s unrelenting commitment to providing the most precise and accurate reproduction possible without coloration.
A special ABS (Acrylonitrile/Butadiene/Styrene) thermoplastic material is used for manufacturing of the body. This light-weight, impact resistant material is very suitable for injection-moulding and provides a very durable scratch resistant surface.
Neodymium magnets are implemented to achieve an optimal output.
Low internal impedance makes the cartridge less sensitive to load and therefore ensures compatibility with the widest range of preamps and transformers.
Top-mounting of the Quintet cartridges is easy and secure using the screws supplied. The aluminium frame has threaded mounting holes and is fitted easily with the 5mm or 7mm screws depending on the thickness of the headshell.
The Quintet series’ right angles, straight lines, stylus visibility and ample distance between the record surface and the
cartridge’s bottom will make it easy to mount and align the cartridge and tonearm correctly. The Quintet Series gives excellent results with most common tonearms.
Nothing demonstrates Ortofon’s long-standing resilience more than its commitment to the refinement of analogue sound quality and its continued development of new cartridge models. Since 1948 Ortofon have introduced about 100 different moving coil models, with their latest being the Quintet Series.
Ortofon believes the cartridges in this new series are more than worthy successors to the long line of models that have made Ortofon the global leader in the manufacturing and supplying of phono cartridges.
The Quintet Black S is graced with a Nude Shibata diamond, considered one of the best stylus profiles available, mounted on a high-performance Sapphire cantilever. The Shibata’s slim, highly polished profile allows an exceedingly wide contact area to the walls of the groove and ensures detailed and pure reproduction throughout the spectrum, including even the most high-frequency groove details.
The Quintet Black S is unfettered by musical genre and will give the closest approach within the Quintet series to Ortofon’s true accuracy in sound.
The MC Quintet Series is congruent with Ortofon’s unrelenting commitment to providing the most precise and accurate reproduction possible without colouration.
Key Features:
Lightweight and durable cartridge body made from a special ABS (Acrylonitrile/Butadiene/Styrene) thermoplastic material
Neodymium magnets are implemented to achieve an optimal output
Produces detailed and pure reproduction though-out the spectrum, volume and soundstage
Low internal impedance makes the cartridge less sensitive to load and therefore ensures compatibility with the widest range of preamps and transformers
Supplied with 2 screws (M2.5 x 5)
Nude Shibata stylus profile
Specifications:
Output Voltage (at 1kHz, 5cm/sec): 0.3mV
Channel Balance at 1kHz: <1.0dB
Channel Separation at 1kHz: >23dB
Channel Separation at 15kHz: >15dB
Frequency Range (at -3dB): 20 Hz – 25 kHz
Frequency Response 20Hz – 20kHz: ± 1.5dB
Tracking Ability at 315Hz: 80μm
Compliance, Dynamic, Lateral: 15μm / mN
Stylus Type: Nude Shibata
Stylus Tip Radius r / R: 6 / 50μm
Tracking Force Range: 2.1 – 2.5g (21 – 25mN)
Recommended Tracking Force: 2.3g (23mN)
Tracking Angle: 20º
Internal Impedance / DC Resistance: 5Ω
Recommended Load Impedance: >20Ω
Cartridge Body Material: ABS/Alu.
Coil Wire Material: Aucurum
Cartridge Colour: Black
Cartridge Weight: 9g

For a review from US publication “The Absolute Sound!” please click here