Last week, maPlatine.com was lucky to be invited by Hi-Fi brand Ortofon to visit the phono cartridge production site.
VISIT OF ORTOFON’S PRODUCTION SITE
Ortofon’s production site is based in Denmark, in a small town 180 km from Copenhagen: Nakskov. During our visit, our guides were Lars Thejl, Ortofon, Leif Johannsen, chief engineer at Ortofon and Sébastien Schar, Alteraudio’s French importer. When we arrived, there was no doubt about it, we had come to the right place! =) 
TECHNICAL TRAINING IN THE REPLICANT STYLUS
The visit started off with Mr Leif Johannsen, the designer of the famous Ortofon A95 cartridge and the Quintet and Cadenza lines. He is the chief engineer and worthy successor of Mr Windfeld. Leif Johannsen actually paid tribute to him with the Ortofon’s Windfeld Heritage MC cartridge. So we were lucky to have a private lesson with this famed chief engineer on Ortofon’s technology used for the production of its MM and MC cartridges, and more specifically a technological lecture on the various stylus profiles (elliptical, Shibata and Replicant 100). According to Leif, the Replicant is the best stylus profile on the market to date. 
We then investigated further into the production methods of the Ortofon A95 cartridge, which call for great technical expertise to be able to come up with the most efficient product possible. Even with extensive expertise to produce this Hi-Fi cartridge, it takes no less than 7 days to make! True work of art. During the lecture, Leif showed us the tracking ability of a Replicant stylus. Compared with other styli, it is bonded to the tip of the cantilever (boron on the Anna and A95 cartridges). Leif really convinced us of the capabilities of this A95 cartridge, and when the training course ended, we only had one idea in mind: fitting an Ortofon A95 cartridge to our vinyl turntable.
ORTOFON CARTRIDGE ASSEMBLY WORKSHOPS
Our tour of Ortofon’s production sites continued with the workshop where the polymer-based parts, including cantilever suspensions, are built: (1), (2) and (3). This part is tiny and requires great machining accuracy. To give you an idea, we placed the suspension on an object used in every day life (4). 
(5) This person takes car of stamping the cartridges. They stamp the Ortofon logo on each phono cartridge that comes out of the workshop. (6) This person assembles the cantilever and stylus. As this is operation requires high precision, a powerful microscope is used. This leads to the result below. 
DESIGN OF THE ORTOFON MC ANNA PHONO CARTRIDGE
During our visit, we had the opportunity to see the template used for the production of Ortofon’s Anna Heritage cartridges. Below is the modelling generated with a 3D printer for the Anna MC cartridge. Modelling is the gateway to the cartridge’s design, once the manufacturing method has been approved, the model is miniaturised and will result in the cartridge that is on the market today. 
ORTOFON PHONO CARTRIDGE ASSEMBLY PHASE
When we visited the cartridge assembly workshop we were able to see how the cartridges are assembled, including the Ortofon SPU A95 cartridges (1) and the Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridges (2). 
(3) This is where the Quintet Bronze cartridges, Quintet Blue and Quintet Red are packed before the test phase. The tests aim to check that production is in line with Ortofon’s specifications.
ASSEMBLY OF PRO-JECT’S DAMP IT
The Ortofon production plant produces some small non branded spare parts. We were able to watch the assembly of Pro-Ject’s Damp It. The products are manufactured to very specific specifications. 
MACHINE PRODUCTION IN ORTOFON’S FACILITIES
Most importantly, Ortofon manufactures its own machines used to make, mould and assemble its cartridges! Below is the workshop where the machines are designed and made. 
ORTOFON PHONO CARTRIDGE WINDER
Below is a textbook example of a machine designed and made by Ortofon for the production of its Hi-Fi cartridges. This huge machine winds the generators of Ortofon’s 2M line. During our visit we were able to watch the winding process of the 2M Red cartridges and 2M Blue. The coil wire is made of copper, as shown on the phono below. 
A BIT OF HISTORY
Ortofon was founded in 1918 by two engineers: Mr PETERSEN and Mr POULZEN. Before venturing into the production of vinyl turntables, these two analogue music enthusiasts invented the sound on film system. Back in the days there was no technology to bring sound and picture onto the same tape. That was a real feat for the period! So, Ortofon’s first production site was based in Copenhagen, but owing to shortage of space, it was transferred to Nakskov. To date, Ortofon makes more than 320,000 cartridges a year, not including the cartridges that are made by other brands like the Reloop for example! In the light of its significant growth, the plant will extend again, doubling its surface! 
Thanks again to the Ortofon and Alteraudio teams for this visit! 
Also watch our video about the visit: