Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze

The Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze is a low-output moving-coil cartridge with a Replicant 100 stylus on a conical aluminium cantilever and a field-stabilising FSE element.

It's the character head of the Cadenza series: Ortofon deliberately voiced it a touch warmer – not a measuring instrument, but a musician. If you like MC sound but have had enough of thin, wiry highs, this is the one for you.

Why the Cadenza Bronze?

The Replicant 100 stylus is among the finest profiles there are and reads the groove with minimal contact area – that noticeably lowers wear and surface noise. The coil wire is Aucurum, gold-plated 6NX copper. The field-stabilising element (FSE) keeps linearity stable even through complex crescendos. Ortofon openly admits that the Bronze is deliberately voiced with some "colour" – more honest than the sober neutrality promise of many competitors.

What you hear

Weight, dynamics and a pleasant warmth, without losing detail. The Bronze lights up the furthest corners of the soundstage in three dimensions, plays powerfully and with colour, and turns rock and large orchestras into an event. It keeps surface noise discreetly in the background.

Who is the Cadenza Bronze for?

For vinyl listeners who want an MC with character and substance – a bit warmer, more powerful and more forgiving than the analytical Cadenza Black. Plain talk: if you're after the last trace of clinical neutrality, reach for the Black. The Bronze wants to sweep you along, not dissect. It needs an MC-capable phono stage and a medium-mass tonearm.

Our verdict

A genuine high-end reference cartridge with a voice of its own: Stereophile lists it in its "Recommended Components" 2025, and The Absolute Sound gave it its "Editors' Choice Award" in 2023. If you want an Ortofon with a touch of warmth, the Bronze is often exactly the right ticket. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, we'll tell you whether it suits you better than the Black.

Technical data

• Type: MC cartridge (Moving Coil, Low Output)
• Stylus profile: Nude Ortofon Replicant 100 on conical aluminium cantilever
• Tip radius: r/R 5/100 µm
• Output voltage (1 kHz, 5 cm/s): 0.4 mV
• Channel balance (1 kHz): < 1 dB
• Channel separation (1 kHz): > 24 dB
• Channel separation (15 kHz): > 20 dB
• Frequency range (-3 dB): 20–55,000 Hz
• Frequency response (20 Hz–20 kHz): ±1.5 dB
• Tracking ability (315 Hz): 80 µm
• Compliance (dynamic, lateral): 12 µm/mN
• Tracking force: 2.2–2.7 g (recommended 2.5 g)
• Tracking angle: 23°
• Internal impedance (DC): 5 ohms
• Recommended load impedance: 50–200 ohms
• Coil wire: Aucurum (gold-plated 6NX copper)
• Housing material: stainless steel / aluminium
• Colour: bronze / black
• Weight: 10.7 g

Frequently asked questions

What phono stage does the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze need?

An MC-capable phono preamp or a step-up transformer. At 0.4 mV, the Bronze is a low-output MC; Ortofon recommends a load impedance of 50 to 200 ohms. The sound can be fine-tuned through load matching – we at HD Zürisee show you how.

Does the Cadenza Bronze sound warmer than the Black?

Yes. Ortofon deliberately voiced the Bronze slightly warmer and more dynamic, while the Black plays more neutral and analytical. The Bronze uses a Replicant 100 stylus on aluminium, the Black a Shibata on boron. Which one suits you is a matter of taste.

Which tonearm suits the Cadenza Bronze?

A medium-mass tonearm suits it well. With a dynamic compliance of 12 µm/mN and a weight of 10.7 g, the Bronze is uncomplicated in combination. We'll work out the ideal resonance frequency range with you if needed.

Why buy the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze at HD Zürisee?

Because choosing between Black, Bronze and Blue takes experience – and we have it. As an authorised dealer in Wädenswil, we advise you honestly on which Cadenza suits your collection, and our technician Mauri aligns the system professionally. Just get in touch.

Goes well with

Get the best out of the Bronze: find alignment tools and matching accessories under Turntable accessories, everything for a clean groove under Record cleaning. Everything else around the turntable is shown under Everything vinyl.