ScooterMcTav
I know less than I think
Hi All,
Just picked up a very slightly used Ortofon Quintet Red cartridge recently, and wanted to pass on some information for those who might be considering this as an entry-level moving coil cartridge. Although there is some information online, I thought sharing my impressions may have value for others.
My instinctive thought is to write my review for someone who already has used a better MM cartridge (i.e. Shure M97xe, Grado Green), and who is looking for that next step up in vinyl sound.
First of all, this is a mid mass cartridge, and Ortofon provides an excellent chart for matching to your tone arm, based on weight. I put the cartridge on a Dual 1249, which is at the lower end of recommended mass for the cartridge (16g) but did use a heavier sled to get the arm mass up. This necessitated attaching some weight to the arm's counterbalance, as the heavy sled/cartridge combo exceeded what could be accommodated by the counterbalance.
It has two screw holes in the top of the cartridge, and is not bolt-through which made mounting easy. Its square profile also made the cartridge easy to align. However, I did note that this is a tall cartridge, and sat in a very neutral position on the Dual. I have occasionally needed to play with mats of varying thickness to get the VTA correct on the 1249, so this was a treat. Tracking was set to 2.3g.
First off, I played my aged copy of Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" which has some warping on the outside, and the cartridge tracked as well as anything I've used. Compared to my Shure M97xe, bass was reduced, but was also tightened up. Vocals gained some presence while losing some graininess, while HF frequency was superb, with less roll-off, better definition, and sharper clarity than the Shure. Compared to my Grado Green, low frequencies were better defined, while high frequencies were sharpened. The midrange differences were interesting, as the Ortofon had a bit less warmth, but much better space and air.
Next was a fairly well-worn copy of Def Leppard's "High and Dry". I find this recording to be very pushy and harsh in the mids, something common between the various formats I have it in. With some cartridges (i.e. an AT-10), this album is almost unlistenable. With the Ortofon, the recording suffered somewhat, as a "warmer" cartridge like the Shure M97xe softens this harshness. That being said, the Ortofon clearly extracted more detail, even if it somewhat detracted from the overall presentation of the music.
Lastly was a pristine copy of the Monks “Bad Habits”. A great send-up of punk music by a bunch of less-than-punk musicians, the album has clean and sparse production, and a great 80s new wave vibe to it. The Ortofon clearly extracted more detail again, but did so without trending towards analytical. In fact, it was one of the most honest and balanced presentations I have heard of the album. In comparison, the Grado’s presentation seemed dull, while the Shure’s seemed muddy.
So in summation, this cartridge represents a clear step up from a “good” MM cartridge. It resolved much more detail than my M97xe and Grado Green, especially up top, where cymbals received sharpness and clarity, and in the mids, where vocals gained better presence and focus.
Like other Ortofons I have used, it’s bass isn’t as full or round as some other bass-friendly cartridges. However, the bass it delivers is balanced, tonally defined, and in no way boomy or thumpy.
General presentation was neutral and balanced, meaning this cartridge would make an excellent all-rounder for someone wanting to try a step up to LOMCs. Considering it’s affordablity, it also represents an excellent buy for the new or reborn vinyl enthusiast who is looking for a significant step up in sound without breaking the bank.
One one final note, this was used in my secondary system with a modest Yamaha AX-400u integrated with on-board MC phono stage, and Wharfedale Diamond 10.6 speakers. Based on its performance in this modest system, I am curious as to how it would sound hooked to my Musical Fidelity a3.2 with my Monitor Audio Silver 6, or possibly my Jolida tube amp paired with my Smaller Advents.
Just picked up a very slightly used Ortofon Quintet Red cartridge recently, and wanted to pass on some information for those who might be considering this as an entry-level moving coil cartridge. Although there is some information online, I thought sharing my impressions may have value for others.
My instinctive thought is to write my review for someone who already has used a better MM cartridge (i.e. Shure M97xe, Grado Green), and who is looking for that next step up in vinyl sound.
First of all, this is a mid mass cartridge, and Ortofon provides an excellent chart for matching to your tone arm, based on weight. I put the cartridge on a Dual 1249, which is at the lower end of recommended mass for the cartridge (16g) but did use a heavier sled to get the arm mass up. This necessitated attaching some weight to the arm's counterbalance, as the heavy sled/cartridge combo exceeded what could be accommodated by the counterbalance.
It has two screw holes in the top of the cartridge, and is not bolt-through which made mounting easy. Its square profile also made the cartridge easy to align. However, I did note that this is a tall cartridge, and sat in a very neutral position on the Dual. I have occasionally needed to play with mats of varying thickness to get the VTA correct on the 1249, so this was a treat. Tracking was set to 2.3g.
First off, I played my aged copy of Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" which has some warping on the outside, and the cartridge tracked as well as anything I've used. Compared to my Shure M97xe, bass was reduced, but was also tightened up. Vocals gained some presence while losing some graininess, while HF frequency was superb, with less roll-off, better definition, and sharper clarity than the Shure. Compared to my Grado Green, low frequencies were better defined, while high frequencies were sharpened. The midrange differences were interesting, as the Ortofon had a bit less warmth, but much better space and air.
Next was a fairly well-worn copy of Def Leppard's "High and Dry". I find this recording to be very pushy and harsh in the mids, something common between the various formats I have it in. With some cartridges (i.e. an AT-10), this album is almost unlistenable. With the Ortofon, the recording suffered somewhat, as a "warmer" cartridge like the Shure M97xe softens this harshness. That being said, the Ortofon clearly extracted more detail, even if it somewhat detracted from the overall presentation of the music.
Lastly was a pristine copy of the Monks “Bad Habits”. A great send-up of punk music by a bunch of less-than-punk musicians, the album has clean and sparse production, and a great 80s new wave vibe to it. The Ortofon clearly extracted more detail again, but did so without trending towards analytical. In fact, it was one of the most honest and balanced presentations I have heard of the album. In comparison, the Grado’s presentation seemed dull, while the Shure’s seemed muddy.
So in summation, this cartridge represents a clear step up from a “good” MM cartridge. It resolved much more detail than my M97xe and Grado Green, especially up top, where cymbals received sharpness and clarity, and in the mids, where vocals gained better presence and focus.
Like other Ortofons I have used, it’s bass isn’t as full or round as some other bass-friendly cartridges. However, the bass it delivers is balanced, tonally defined, and in no way boomy or thumpy.
General presentation was neutral and balanced, meaning this cartridge would make an excellent all-rounder for someone wanting to try a step up to LOMCs. Considering it’s affordablity, it also represents an excellent buy for the new or reborn vinyl enthusiast who is looking for a significant step up in sound without breaking the bank.
One one final note, this was used in my secondary system with a modest Yamaha AX-400u integrated with on-board MC phono stage, and Wharfedale Diamond 10.6 speakers. Based on its performance in this modest system, I am curious as to how it would sound hooked to my Musical Fidelity a3.2 with my Monitor Audio Silver 6, or possibly my Jolida tube amp paired with my Smaller Advents.
