The Ortofon MC Quintet Bronze is a moving coil cartridge designed to enhance the vinyl listening experience through improved sound quality and performance. It features a new ABS thermoplastic body allowing for easier installation without the need for nuts, utilizing included 2mm and 3mm screws for fixation. Weighing 9 grams, it is compatible with various tonearms and supports a tracking force range of 2.1g to 2.5g. The cartridge is equipped with a nude Fine Line stylus, which excels at tracing inner grooves with minimal distortion and offers a more detailed representation compared to simpler elliptical designs. The cantilever is a parallel-sided aluminum tube, promoting a controlled and accurate sonic performance. Aimed at delivering balanced audio, the Quintet Bronze produces a smooth, full-bodied sound, optimizing the depth of the soundstage while performing well across various musical genres. The output measures at 0.6mV at 5cms/sec rms and is generally suited for systems with a gain of over 20 Ohms. While its dynamics and smoothness are often praised, it has been noted that the cartridge lacks some of the bite and speed favored by certain users, particularly in rock music. Overall, it provides a pleasurable listening experience, especially in classical and vocal performances, defined as engaging and refined without sharp edges.
