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Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge — close-up product view
Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge — right side view
Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge — rear and connector view

Ortofon

Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge

$86

Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge

The OM 5E is a lightweight moving-magnet cartridge with an elliptical stylus and a removable weight plate that lets it accommodate both conventional and very low-mass tonearms.

Pearl Audio’s Take

The OM 5E remains valuable because it solves real setup problems simply. It is light, serviceable, compatible with a broad OM stylus family, and easy to match to a standard moving-magnet phono input.

Adaptable cartridge mass

With its removable weight plate installed, the OM 5E weighs 5 grams. Removing the plate reduces weight to 2.5 grams for tonearms that benefit from an especially light cartridge.

Elliptical stylus

The replaceable Stylus 5E uses an elliptical profile and tracks at a recommended 1.8 grams. A future stylus change can service or upgrade the cartridge without replacing its body.

Broad mounting practicality

The OM body supports common top- and bottom-mount arrangements, while the generator is designed for a standard 47 kΩ moving-magnet input.

System Matching and Setup

Confirm mounting method and counterweight range. Use the weight plate when needed to bring the cartridge into the tonearm's balancing range, and remove it only when the arm is designed for lower cartridge mass.

Key Specifications

Cartridge principle
Moving magnet
Stylus
Elliptical
Output at 1 kHz
4.0 mV
Channel separation at 1 kHz
22 dB
Compliance
20 µm/mN
Tracking ability at 315 Hz
60 µm
Recommended tracking force
1.8 g
Recommended load
47 kΩ / 200–500 pF
Cartridge weight
5 g with plate / 2.5 g without

Talk with Pearl Audio

Contact Pearl Audio for cartridge matching, installation guidance, or help confirming the correct replacement stylus for your turntable. We can review your tonearm and phono-stage details before you make a decision.

Need help choosing?

Pearl Audio can help with cartridge matching, installation, and alignment.

Call (503) 222-2599 to start a conversation.

Request cartridge guidance

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Product: Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge

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Product overview

Ortofon OM 5E Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge

The OM 5E is a lightweight moving-magnet cartridge with an elliptical stylus and a removable weight plate that lets it accommodate both conventional and very low-mass tonearms.

Pearl Audio’s Take

The OM 5E remains valuable because it solves real setup problems simply. It is light, serviceable, compatible with a broad OM stylus family, and easy to match to a standard moving-magnet phono input.

Adaptable cartridge mass

With its removable weight plate installed, the OM 5E weighs 5 grams. Removing the plate reduces weight to 2.5 grams for tonearms that benefit from an especially light cartridge.

Elliptical stylus

The replaceable Stylus 5E uses an elliptical profile and tracks at a recommended 1.8 grams. A future stylus change can service or upgrade the cartridge without replacing its body.

Broad mounting practicality

The OM body supports common top- and bottom-mount arrangements, while the generator is designed for a standard 47 kΩ moving-magnet input.

System Matching and Setup

Confirm mounting method and counterweight range. Use the weight plate when needed to bring the cartridge into the tonearm's balancing range, and remove it only when the arm is designed for lower cartridge mass.

Key Specifications

Cartridge principle
Moving magnet
Stylus
Elliptical
Output at 1 kHz
4.0 mV
Channel separation at 1 kHz
22 dB
Compliance
20 µm/mN
Tracking ability at 315 Hz
60 µm
Recommended tracking force
1.8 g
Recommended load
47 kΩ / 200–500 pF
Cartridge weight
5 g with plate / 2.5 g without

Talk with Pearl Audio

Contact Pearl Audio for cartridge matching, installation guidance, or help confirming the correct replacement stylus for your turntable. We can review your tonearm and phono-stage details before you make a decision.

Pearl Audio’s Cartridge Method

A cartridge is part of a system

The right cartridge is the one that works as a complete mechanical and electrical match with your tonearm and phono stage. Pearl Audio evaluates the generator, output, compliance, stylus profile, and setup requirements together—so the cartridge can perform as its designer intended.

  • Generator & output

    Moving-magnet and moving-coil designs ask different things of phono-stage gain, noise performance, capacitance, and loading.

  • Tonearm match

    Cartridge mass and compliance work with the tonearm’s effective mass. A good match supports stable tracking and controlled resonance.

  • Stylus & cantilever

    Stylus geometry and cantilever construction influence groove contact, setup sensitivity, tracking behavior, and long-term care.

  • Setup & service

    Alignment, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry, anti-skate, and the maker’s replacement or rebuild path all matter after purchase.

Selection, setup & ownership

Build the match, not just the spec sheet

A specification is useful when it answers a system question. Use the product details above together with the guidance below, then let Pearl Audio confirm the final match for your turntable, tonearm, records, and phono stage.

Output, gain & loading

Output voltage and internal impedance help determine required phono gain and loading. MM designs may also specify capacitive loading. Low-output MC designs demand especially quiet gain.

Mass, compliance & arm

Cartridge weight and dynamic compliance should be considered with tonearm effective mass, headshell hardware, counterweight range, and mounting geometry.

Groove contact

Stylus profile, cantilever material, tracking ability, and recommended tracking force describe how the cartridge traces a record—and how carefully it must be aligned.

Installation precision

Overhang, offset angle, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry, and anti-skate should be established with suitable tools and checked as a connected system.

Record format

Stereo, true-mono microgroove, and historical record formats are different use cases. The cartridge and stylus must be selected for the records it will actually play.

Ownership & service

Confirm stylus replacement, exchange, rebuild, and inspection options before purchase. Policies differ between replaceable-stylus and fixed-stylus designs.

Specifications worth confirming

Look for the manufacturer’s current values for:

  • Generator type, output voltage, and internal impedance
  • Recommended load resistance, capacitance, and phono gain
  • Cartridge mass, dynamic compliance, and mounting standard
  • Stylus profile, cantilever material, and tracking ability
  • Recommended tracking force and permitted range
  • Channel balance, separation, and frequency response
  • Replacement-stylus, exchange, or factory rebuild eligibility
How to read the key numbers
Output voltage
Helps establish whether the phono stage can provide enough clean gain.
Internal impedance
Informs MC loading and step-up-transformer matching; it is not itself the final load setting.
Compliance
Describes suspension flexibility and must be considered with tonearm effective mass and the maker’s measurement frequency.
Tracking force
Use the maker’s recommended value as the starting point; alignment and arm calibration must also be correct.
Stylus profile
Describes groove contact geometry and influences alignment sensitivity, tracing behavior, and care.
Choosing within a cartridge family

Do not assume that the highest-priced model is automatically the best fit. Compare adjacent models for:

  • Output level and compatibility with your phono stage
  • Compliance and cartridge mass relative to your tonearm
  • Stylus and cantilever differences—and the setup precision they require
  • Stereo, mono, high-output, low-output, and mounting variants
  • Replacement, exchange, rebuild, and upgrade paths
Stereo, mono & historical records

A true-mono cartridge can be valuable for mono microgroove records, while older coarse-groove records require a purpose-appropriate stylus and setup. Confirm the record format, groove type, stylus profile, and electrical configuration; “mono” alone is not enough information.

Pearl Audio can help determine whether a dedicated mono cartridge, a stereo cartridge, or a second arm/headshell is the most practical approach.

Replacement, exchange & rebuild paths

Service is part of cartridge value. Depending on the model, the maker may offer a user-replaceable stylus, dealer exchange, factory rebuild, or no field-serviceable stylus at all.

  • Confirm the exact current program for the exact model
  • Keep the stylus guard, packaging, serial information, and proof of purchase
  • Do not assume a family member’s stylus or service policy applies to another body
  • Have damage, wear, and channel problems evaluated before ordering a replacement
Information for a Cartridge Consultation

For a useful recommendation, tell us:

  • Your turntable and exact tonearm model
  • Your current cartridge and what you would like to improve
  • Your phono stage, available gain settings, and loading options
  • The types of records you play, including any mono or historical formats
  • Whether Pearl Audio will perform the installation and alignment
  • The listening priorities that matter most to you
Installation & ongoing care

Use the manufacturer’s current instructions for mounting hardware, tracking force, alignment, cleaning, inspection, and service. Protect the cantilever during installation, keep the stylus clean with an approved method, and recheck setup after any change to the cartridge, headshell, arm height, or mat.

Pearl Audio can install and align compatible cartridges and verify the initial phono-stage settings.

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