Cartridges
The cartridge is the only component in the chain that physically touches the music. Mass, compliance, output, internal impedance, loading, tracking force — the variables interact with the tonearm and the phono stage in ways that don't yield to a spec sheet alone. Choosing one well is most of what makes an analog setup work; choosing one badly is most of what makes it disappointing.
Alma carries moving-coil and moving-magnet from three brands at three points on the price ladder. Ortofon from Denmark is the category authority — every serious turntable owner eventually owns one, and the line spans the gateway 2M series through statement MC Anna and Verismo. HANA, made by Excel Sound in Japan, sets the modern reference for accessible MC at $750 to $4,000. OTTA rounds out the lineup with European-designed MC alternatives. Cartridge installation and alignment are included with every purchase; we don't ship a cartridge unmounted and unverified.
Ortofon MC X40 Cartridge
Ortofon
Original price
$1,149.99
-
Original price
$1,149.99
Original price
$1,149.99
$1,149.99
-
$1,149.99
Current price
$1,149.99
MC X40 MC X40 is the pinnacle of the MC X Series, designed for the most discerning audiophile. Featuring a nude Shibata diamond stylus mounted...
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Ortofon MC X50 Cartridge
Ortofon
Original price
$1,699.99
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Original price
$1,699.99
Original price
$1,699.99
$1,699.99
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$1,699.99
Current price
$1,699.99
The MC X50 is the top of Ortofon's MC X series and the cartridge in the line a serious analog buyer notices on the spec sheet first. A nude Micro R...
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Ortofon MC Xpression Cartridge
Ortofon
Original price
$6,499.99
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Original price
$6,499.99
Original price
$6,499.99
$6,499.99
-
$6,499.99
Current price
$6,499.99
The Ortofon Xpression High-End cartridge The state of the art product, the Ortofon Xpression represents a combination of three elements very charac...
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OTTA Mandolin Cartridge
OTTA
Original price
$2,500.00
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Original price
$2,500.00
Original price
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
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$2,500.00
Current price
$2,500.00
The brand's entry MC. LP International Product of the Year 2025/26. The Mandolin is the cartridge that introduced OTTA to the analog audio world, a...
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OTTA Theorbo Cartridge
OTTA
Original price
$5,000.00
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Original price
$5,000.00
Original price
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
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$5,000.00
Current price
$5,000.00
The Mandolin's voice, more capable. The Theorbo is OTTA's second cartridge and the natural progression from the Mandolin. Same designer, same Germa...
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Reed SF Optical Cartridge
Reed
Original price
$12,975.00
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Original price
$12,975.00
Original price
$12,975.00
$12,975.00
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$12,975.00
Current price
$12,975.00
The Reed SF is the company’s first cartridge, and a particular kind of first move: not a magnet, not a coil, but light. Reed entered the cartridge ...
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Thales VORO MC Cartridge
Thales
Original price
$9,900.00
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Original price
$14,200.00
Original price
$9,900.00
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$14,200.00
$9,900.00
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$14,200.00
Current price
$9,900.00
VORO At A Glance Moving-coil cartridge with unique ceramic transducer and double-layer iron core Skeletonized ceramic body modelled on the Voron...
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Thales Xquisite MC Cartridge
Thales
Original price
$12,000.00
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Original price
$19,000.00
Original price
$12,000.00
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$19,000.00
$12,000.00
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$19,000.00
Current price
$12,000.00
Xquisite At A Glance Reference moving-coil cartridge with patented monobloc ceramic transducer Ironless coil construction Three coil-material ch...
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