The S-120 carries with it a completely new technology, making it entirely dissimilar to any other cartridge in history. This technology, called asymmetric suspension, takes cartridge performance into the future by addressing numerous challenges that vinyl DJs experience everyday, making these issues a thing of the past. Asymmetric Suspension technology means that the stylus has an amazing amount of vertical rigidity, while the horizontal tracking ability is increased to levels never before accomplished. Ortofon has a patent pending for this new technology.

To a DJ, asymmetric suspension’s benefits are 4-fold. Firstly, to a DJ who requires best tracking performance for scratching and turntablism, this allows an unprecedented level of skip resistance and the ability to choose any tracking force between 1.5 to 10 grams. In both headshell and Concorde version, auxiliary weights are included to achieve additional tracking force. This not only facilitates a DJs ability to perform more demanding routines, but it also provides far less requirement for time-consuming setup and tonearm balancing. In some live scenarios, unstable turntable rigs can wreak havoc on vinyl performance. By having the ability to use an exceedingly wide range of tracking force, these problem setups can be addressed without issue, and DJs can have direct control over groove holding performance versus record wear.

• Cartridge can handle tracking force (VTF) of 1.5 to 10 grams without any difference in sound quality
• DJs who wish to preserve the condition of collectable vinyl can operate at as little as 1.5 grams without compromising sound quality or
• timecode accuracy
• DJs who need extra groove handling ability can increase the tracking force up to 10 grams without damaging the stylus assembly
• Asymmetric Suspension provides both rigidity and elasticity simultaneously
• Impervious to damage caused by adding too much weight because of extreme vertical rigidity
• Tracking ability of more than 120µm means that the stylus traces the groove better than any other DJ needle
• Amazing scratch/groove holding performance
• Tracks the most extreme pressings, even extremely loud ones with over-modulated bass
• Also provides better sound quality than was ever thought possible from a DJ cartridge
• Break down of suspension because of too much force is eliminatedOrtofon has patent pending for this technology
• Reinforced cantilever tube provides extra durability for stylus, extra tough and long-lasting

• Allows best sound performance from DJ mixer phono preamps
• Provides strong signal for Serato interfaces, both SL1 and SL3
• Requires less gain from SSL software, more accurate timecode retrieval and less distortion resulting from greatly reduced timecode error
• Reduces need for tonearm and software calibration, especially in live settings
• Accurate and even handed sound quality for conventional vinyl records