This is the X2 B supplied with Ortofon's Quintet Red moving-coil cartridge, fitted and aligned at the factory: a belt-drive turntable with a 9-inch arm and a balanced mini XLR output, ready for a True Balanced connection.
X2 B Quintet Red: the cartridge and the rest
The Quintet Red is a general-purpose moving coil with an open, dynamic sound and a slight hint of warmth. Choosing an MC has a technical reason: only this kind of cartridge lets the balanced signal born in the groove reach the output intact, something the internal wiring of MM types prevents. The arm is a good companion for it, since the 9-inch carbon and aluminium tube has an effective mass of 13.5 g, intended for low-compliance MCs.
Round the back are a mini XLR socket and a pair of RCAs. The lead supplied is a semi-balanced Connect it E RCA, which lets the deck work with any MC phono input. The next step is a mini XLR to mini XLR lead, sold separately, into a balanced phono stage such as the S3 B or DS3 B Phono Box: the balanced link rejects noise picked up by the cable and gives a quieter background.
The mechanics are those of the X2 B. A 30 mm acrylic platter, a stainless steel and brass bearing, a motor fed by an electronic generator and hung from a TPE ring so that it passes no vibration to the plinth, and three damped metal feet for levelling. One button steps between 33, 45 and 78 rpm. Azimuth and VTA remain adjustable, useful on the day a different cartridge is wanted.
Specifications
- Cartridge: Ortofon Quintet Red (MC), fitted and aligned at the factory
- Speeds: 33, 45 and 78 rpm, electronic selection
- Drive: belt
- Speed deviation: 0.25% (33 rpm), 0.20% (45 rpm)
- Wow & flutter: 0.12% (33 rpm), 0.10% (45 rpm)
- S/N ratio: 70 dB
- Platter: 2 kg acrylic, 30 mm deep
- Bearing: stainless steel and brass
- Arm: 9-inch carbon and aluminium
- Effective length: 230 mm
- Effective mass: 13.5 g
- Overhang: 18 mm
- Downforce: adjustable from 0 to 30 mN
- Outputs: balanced mini XLR, RCA
- Supplied: Connect it E phono lead, power supply (15 V DC / 0.8 A), lid, felt mat
- Power draw: up to 4.5 W, 0.3 W in standby
- Size (W/H/D): 460 x 150 x 340 mm
- Weight: 10 kg
- Finishes: high-gloss black, satin black, white, walnut
