Mobile Fidelity UltraGold MC Phono Cartridge

Mobile Fidelity UltraGold moving coil phono cartridge is an audiophile cartridge with an exceptionally wide frequency response and stunning dynamics. The UltraGold has been voiced by Spiral Groove founder Allen Perkins to provide incredibly rich detail. It is designed to conform to Mobile Fidelities guiding principles of faithfulness, lifelike separation and clean tracking.

The Shibata stylus provides the best possible frequency response and tracking accuracy. The boron cantilever has ultra-low mass for superior tracking. Additionally, the aluminium body has threaded holes, so there is no need for bolts. Finally, The stylus tip is made from a single chip of diamond.

Nude Shibata stylus depth and fullness

The best, and most expensive to produce, stylus tip, is the Shibata. This custom shape gives the best possible high frequency response due to it’s small contact area. The special shape has a wider contact surface than any other tip. This improves the tracking accuracy. Additionally, UltraGold has a boron cantilever for low mass. The result should be remarkable low end reproduction with depth, immersion and fullness.

Setup is also easy as the aluminium brass extrusion, body has threaded holes so there is no need for bolts. Furthermore, the magnet is made of neodymium and the PC-OCC wiring is more familiar in cartridges costing much more. This a musical rather than an analytic cartridge.

Moving magnet versus moving coil

There are two main types of cartridges in use today, with audiophile turntables. Moving magnet and moving coil, both have advantages and disadvantages.

Moving coil cartridge's are easier, and less expensive to produce. However, a relatively large magnet is attached to the end of the cantilever. This generates the audio signal, in conjunction with a pair of coils. The output is relatively high at about 5mV, however, the mass of the magnet reduces high frequency response. Moreover, there is usually only one magnet for both channels. This introduces crosstalk and reduces channel separation.

Alternatively moving coil cartridges do not have a magnet on the cantilever. Instead, two tiny coils are used. However this results in a very low output voltage, of less than 1mV. For example, the UltraGold MC cartridge has an output of 400 microvolts and a frequency response of 20Hz to 35 kHz. The advantage is less mass, which provides a spectacular high frequency response. Due to the low output, you will need a compatible phono preamp. Most high-end phone preamps are switchable, between moving magnet and moving coil.

Stylus tip types

Next, lets look at stylus tip types. There are several tip shapes as well as nude and tipped. Nude styli are made of a single piece of diamond. Whereas, tipped styli are made of a diamond tip, bonded on to a metal shaft. These are cheaper to produce, however they have a higher mass, and a consequent drop in transient response..

The most common type of stylus is spherical in shape. These are cheap to produce and have adequate performance. Elliptical styli are closer to the shape of the cutting head and consequently track the groove with better accuracy. There is also less distortion and phase error.

The ultimate tip type is arguably the Shibata (as featured on this model). This is difficult and expensive to produce but provides the best frequency response and tracking accuracy.

Who is Mobile Fidelity?

Mobile fidelity’s main goal, since there inception in 1977, has been to provide high fidelity recodings that are faithful to the original music. As audiophile technology has improved Mobile Fidelity has continued to pioneer state-of-the-art technologies. Although their focus is now on Digital software, they continue to innovate with analogue playback technologies.