Ok, lets talk specs of Ortofon cartridges.
What started me down this rabbit hole is that bloody cd4 filter button on the damn MCA-76 head amp. However - not even the literature for the head amp actually specifies the reason for that button. The specs clearly show it is a filter that attenuates the supersonic frequencies. The theory has been that this was to prevent interference from frequencies beyond the range of the carrier signal. But - I've seen no publishings from Ortofon suggesting this, or even suggesting it's for CD4 playback of CD4 records. Could it possibly be a filter to attenuate the carrier when playing back cd4 records in stereo, because clearly quad is dead, but you may still want to listen to those old records on your fancy new stereo hi-fi that replaced that aging gimicky quadraphonic crap you used to have? Honestly - I don't know, could go either way on that at this point.
But, when I started down this rabbit hole, I was working under the assumption that the box was intended to work with proper quadraphonic playback of CD4 records. Which implies the existance of ortofon cartridges that would pair with it and support that. As I've said many times, some ***** taking phone calls for needledoctor.com told me "oh sure, the Rondo Bronze will pair beautifully with that head amp". When I got sandpaper, Ortofon support themselves told me the pairing was off. While they couldn't tell me what cartridges it was intended to be used with, what they could tell me is "Back in the days that MCA-76 was a current product, it was not at all uncommon to see MC cartridges with 0.1mV or less output, but since then there have been some changes which render most step ups and active devices from that era unsuitable for modern cartridges." So, I poured over the databases that existed at that time of Ortofon cartridges, and at the time, from what I looked over, the only thing that met all specs for CD4 and output level was the MC20.
Now then, we get to today. I don't know what database I relied on over 10 years ago to get to that conclusion. But, today if one goes to ortofon.com to look up specs, it appears the MC10, 20, and 30 fall into that similar range of perhaps meeting the specs. However, as Doug points out, there are the specs of "frequency response" and "frequency range" Which.....what in the **** is that all supposed to mean? Two measurements of the same thing? I agree it may be possible that the spec is meaningless......but then why in the hell did they include it if it means nothing?
Perhaps over 10 years ago when I determined the MC20 as the best possible pairing, I was referring to a database that transposed the frequency range as the response. I don't know. But - it's not like I picked a cartridge that clearly states it doesn't go beyond 20k - it lists a spec right there claiming some performance within that range.
But ok - lets go with meaningless spec, 20k, not rated for CD4.
Then what in the **** is meant to pair with this headamp for cd4 playback if we continue down this road of assumption that the headamp is meant for cd4 playback?
Only other thing I've heard of mentioned for this is the SL20Q. Supposedly the Q stand for quadraphonic. Inconveniently, ortofon's website includes no mention nor information about this cartridge. Scouring the web, I found 2 things. This link that references it as being for quadraphonic -
A SHORT HISTORY OF ORTOFON PICK-UP CARTRIDGES…. » Adventures in Hifi Audio, and this link that lists specs of a frequency response that only goes up to 20k -
ORTOFON SL-20-Q. Not promising. But - also not information directly from Ortofon.
Which brings me back to wondering - have we been wrong in our assumption all along that this cd4 button was meant for playback to a demodulator?