Ortofon MC Windfeld Moving Coil (MC) Cartridge

Presenting Ortofon's MC Windfeld, their flagship moving coil cartridge using state-of-the-art technology. This highly advanced design, which is the world’s most hi-tech analogue cartridge, is a tribute to Ortofon’s departing engineer Per Windfeld, who (for 30 years) has been a feature of the high-end culture as the head of development behind amazing cartridges such as the Ortofon MC 20, Concorde, Rohmann, Jubilee, and Kontrapunkt.

The MC Windfeld has been crafted utilising the finest materials available. From the intricately carved diamond (Ortofon's Nude Replicant 100), to aucurum coils of gold-plated 99.999999% oxygen free monocrystalline copper, an extremely strong and compact neodymium magnet with Field Stabilising Element, and fine gold plating of Per Windfeld's initials, it's easy to see why this cartridge has been presented as their submission for the "greatest cartridge in the world".

Specifications
Reviews
About Ortofon

Behind the MC Windfeld

Historically, Ortofon has always followed its own path with regard to the mechanical design of the cartridge housing, because mechanical rigidity and total freedom from resonance in the audible range is a precondition for optimal sound quality. In the MC Windfeld, Ortofon continues to build on the structure of the Kontrapunkt range, in which the cartridge housing’s contact with the pick-up arm takes place through three hard, well-defined points. This means that the mechanical integration of the cartridge and the pick-up arm are always absolutely perfect.

The MC Windfeld is Ortofon’s strongest and most resonance-free cartridge yet, with a direct mechanical connection between the motor and the tonearm. What this means for the dynamics, resolution and richness of detail in the sound simply has to be experienced. The underside facing the record is covered by a new shield, which reinforces the mechanical structure.

Per Windfeld’s characteristic initials in gold, which decorate the sides of the cartridge housing, stand as a signal to the outside world that this technologically advanced cartridge is Ortofon’s finest, most accurate and best-sounding design.

Neodymium Magnet with FSE

The magnet system combines Per Windfeld’s designs for the much-admired Kontrapunkt series and the MC Jubilee. It is based on an extremely strong, compact neodymium magnet, which makes the generator system both compact and through its minimal dimensions also lighter.

A so-called Field Stabilising Element, a small cylinder of conductive material strategically placed inside the magnet system, guarantees that the force field remains stable regardless of the movement of the armature. FSE improves the channel separation, while at the same time minimising dynamic distortion and intermodulation. The result: fantastic dynamics and even more elbow room between the musicians. You simply experience more drama and greater breadth, height and depth in the sound scenario between the high-end system’s loudspeakers!

WRD System

One of the important components is the patented WRD system (Wide Range Damping), in which a small, heavy disc of exotic metal is clamped between two rubber absorbers with different properties. This makes sure that the tracking performance is maintained simultaneously with the perfect damping in the whole frequency range, with the effect that distortion and resonance are avoided.

The WRD system, which was originally introduced in the MC 20 Mk II in 1979 and was also used in the MC Jubilee and many of Ortofon’s other top-class cartridges, is one contributory reason why the MC Windfeld, while achieving the most linear frequency response and the highest upper frequency limit ever, at the same time tracks a fantastic 100 µm at a vertical tracking force of 2.6 grams.

The Finest Diamond in the World

Another precondition for linear reproduction with a wide frequency range and optimal tracking performance is a diamond, the shape of which is as close as possible to the original cutting needle. To achieve this, the Ortofon MC Windfeld uses an ultra-fine polished version of the unique Ortofon Replicant Stylus 100.

This diamond, which is already known from products such as the MC 3000 Mk II and MC 5000, is incredibly small and light, but has an extraordinarily large vertical contact surface despite its minimal radius of rounding. Correctly fitted at a vertical angle of 23 degrees, an Ortofon Replicant Stylus 100 will read the musical information in the grooves of a record with a greater degree of accuracy than any other kind of needle.

New Coil Technology

Zero-loss transmission of the diamond’s movements to the expensive Aucurum coils of gold-plated, 99.999999% oxygen-free, monocrystalline copper is achieved in the Ortofon MC Windfeld via a cantilever in boron (just as in the MC Jubilee), which combines a low moving mass with a very high degree of mechanical rigidity.

A special design of armature makes it possible to position the coil turns extremely precisely in several layers. This technology achieves higher channel separation, lower distortion and better channel balance. A low output impedance of 4 ohm and a medium output voltage of 0.3 mV makes the Ortofon MC Windfeld a perfect partner for most step-up transformers as well as active MC pre-amps.

SPECIFICATIONS:

TOP

REVIEWS:

Stereophile magazine (Michael Fremer)
May 2008

"The Windfeld surprised me by sounding fundamentally correct with just about every record I played.... until the Windfeld I can recall hearing none that produced such perfect symmetry of tonality and texture at both ends of the audioband - without inducting boredom, or a sensation of wanting more of something.

...But the more I listened, and the more I compared what I was hearing to what I hear from live music, the easier it was to conclude that the Ortofon Windfeld might be the most tonally neutral cartridge I've ever auditioned.”

HiFi News
January 2008

"A new flagship sits proudly at the top of Ortofon's line of moving-coil cartidges, the culminastion of the brand's long history."

"A development of previous successes such as the Jubilee, the MC Windfeld builds on its predecessors with well-thought internal improvements. It’s a very accurate tracker of records, with stunning, honest bass, pure clean treble and superb soundstaging. A stand-out cartridge for getting the best out of vinyl."

"If I now had to choose one desert island cartridge, the Windfeld would be it."

TOP

Ortofon - The World Leader in the Cartridge Industry

With over 90 years at the forefront of the sound reproduction industry, Ortofon's excellence in design and technology is evident in their cartridge range.

Founded in Copenhagen in 1918, the company's first moving coil cartridge was developed in 1948. Over 300 different designs have flowed from the Danish company since that time - each one proudly displaying Ortofon's technical prowess.

Experienced workers operating automated machinery ensure an incredibly high standard across the quality range, with consumers and industry professionals across the world recognising them as the pinnacle of cartridge design.

From entry-level through to pure audiophile bliss, Ortofon has the perfect cartridge for your turntable.

TOP