Phono Stages - Ortofon

The output level from a turntable is lower than other "line level" music sources (e.g. hi-fi streamer, CD player), so to use a turntable, your hi-fi amplifier needs to have a "turntable" or "phono" input, which indicates it has a built in phono stage. However, these are generally built to cost (a tick on the features list) rather than being optimised for performance. As such, we recommend using a dedicated phono stage for the best sound quality. We are passionate about vinyl and analog, so if you need advice on matching a phono stage to your turntable and cartridge, please call or e-mail for advice.

Ortofon has produced excellent phono cartridges and styli for over 100 years and is a leading manufacturer of precision hi-fi products. This includes tonearms, headshells, high-end audio cables, as well as turntable and vinyl accessories. For more info, see Ortofon's guide to choosing a cartridge

Cartridges range from the entry-level 2M and Quintet series, mid-level SPU, Cadenza and Royal series up to the ultimate uncompromising Windfeld, Xpression, Century and MC Anna models

Ortofon was founded by Danish engineers, Axel Petersen and Arnold Poulsen in 1918 as the Electrical Phono Film Company.

The company was initially financed and managed by experienced businessmen with the aim to explore the potential of creating truly high-class recordings. In a simple surrounding, Peterson, Poulsen and a handful of staff set out to achieve the impossible.

Most Ortofon’s products relate to analogue and turntables and as the largest global producer of MM phono cartridges, they have a long history of producing top quality products. Due to the outstanding quality, many hifi manufacturers pre-install Ortofon cartridges on their turntable.

Ortofon began by making soundtracks for movies, but in 1948 they moved into cartridge manufacturing with their first moving coil cartridge. They have now developed and manufactured over 300 different cartridges.

They employ over 95 people selling products internationally with over 60 importers and Sales subsidiaries in America and Japan. Ortofon’s unit in Nakskov, south Denmark boasts contemporary gear operated by knowledgeable workers, so craftsmanship is consistently conveyed to excellent standards.

Ortofon's growth and significant social impact has been commended by former-Prime Minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who visited the factory in 2015. The brand works closely with DTU Mechanical Engineering within the EU Seventh Framework and Horizon 2020 Programme for Research and Innovation.

Being based in a country known for its strong legacy in acoustics and numerous other high-end manufacturers gave Ortofon a competitive edge. Today, Ortofon is a large manufacturer, producing their world renowned cartridges with 500,000 sold annually.

Ortofon's key technological specialities are in acoustics, materials, technology and micromechanics facilitated by their own engineers supported with sturdy acoustic experience in their R&D department.

Some turntables feature an on board phono stage, which will allow for direct connection to an amplifier. Many amplifiers also include a “phono” amplifier internally, enabling a direct connection from a turntable. However, as mentioned, there is a wide range of separate standalone phono stages available, varying in price, size and quality to suit every taste and budget. Using a good quality separate unit can have a profound effect on the overall sound and tonality of your system, and can also be used to augment and adjust a system which is tonally too bright or too lacklustre. For example, a system which is too bright may benefit from a valve-based phono stage to remove some harshness and to offer more tonal warmth to your music. We appreciate that matching your kit can be a complicated and daunting process, so our knowledgeable team is always happy to offer recommendations or to arrange a demonstration.

The separation of components and units is a key technique in hi-fi. Power supplies are typically noisy and produce unwanted resonance, which can interfere with audio signals and the sound you achieve from your hi-fi. Separate pre and power amplifiers are preferable to integrated amplifiers, as the separation of power supplies for the pre and power circuitry prevents unwanted resonance effecting performance. This same logic applies to a standalone phono stage, and is perhaps even more significant due to the analogue nature of vinyl records, and the adverse effect that any unwanted resonance or vibrations can have on a cartridge’s ability to track and play back vinyl records. By housing the phono stage in a separate unit, the stage’s power supply is essentially isolated from the turntable, making it easier to prevent any undesired effects of resonance on you enjoying your record collection.

It is essential to match your phono stage to your phono cartridge, in order to ensure that they are compatible. Some Moving Coil (MC) cartridges are very low output, and so will need a correspondingly high output phono stage able to boost the signals to an audible level. There are also some High Output Moving Coil cartridges, whose output levels are closer to levels found in Moving Magnet cartridges, and higher than those typically found in standard Moving Coil cartridges. Some phono stages are suitable for use with these High Output cartridges, but not every type of Moving Coil cartridge. It is vital to check that your phono stage matches the power output of your cartridge, although if you have a Moving Magnet (MM) cartridge then there should be no issues with pairing.