X-quisite VORO turntable cartridge features 3D printed ceramic housing

While some may see turntables as a thing of the past, HiFiction AG, a Swiss manufacturer of high-end-audio equipment, is proving this is very much not the case. The company’s latest product, released through its X-quisite brand, is decisively future-thinking, integrating state-of-the art components, like a ceramic 3D printed housing for its monoblock moving-coil cartridge, that take listening to the next level.

The product itself, the X-quisite VORO, marks a first in the hi-fi sector, with its monoblock moving-coil cartridge that provides higher sound resolution and clarity, encapsulated in a unique 3D printed housing. This eye-catching housing is made from the technical ceramic zirconia and integrates a Voronoi webbed structure.

Steinbach AG, a German manufacturer specializing in ceramic AM, brought the unique product to life, leveraging Lithoz’s LCM technology to create the housing in a single piece without any supports. Notably, the part did not require any post-processing (manual post-processing would have been impossible due to the small, intricate nature of the design), save for sintering. For this step in the process, Steinbach ensured that the housing’s geometry was optimized to ensure stress-free production.

In addition to the obvious aesthetic appeal of the small turntable component, the housing has functional benefits and its design was tailored to meet mechanical and acoustic specifications, including minimal weight and excellent resonance behavior. Zirconia’s rigidity played a key role, as did the part structure, which both helped to minimize sensitivity to airborne sound. This, on top of the monoblock cartridge’s overall construction, reduces the risk of acoustic leaks.

For those of us familiar with ceramic AM applications, it will come as no surprise that the material was not chosen at random: it became the obvious solution when explorations of polymer and metal 3D printing fell short, failing to deliver on all three fronts HiFiction was after: weight, design and sound. Technical ceramics, a niche but highly promising subsegment of the broader AM market, often fit the bill when other materials don’t have the right properties, as a growing number of users in the medical, dental and aerospace industries can attest to.

The 3D printed housing for the X-quisite VORO monoblock moving-coil cartridge measures 17.7 x 21.9 x 11.45 mm and features wall thicknesses under 1mm. In printing the part, Steinbach used a Lithoz LCM platform and was able to print 15 parts per build (at a layer thickness of 25 µm). This meant it was able to economically produce a small batch of about 100 units for HiFiction, whose turntables and audio equipment are sold to audiophiles all over the world. Notably, the X-quisite VORO cartridge was recently awarded the iF Design Award 2025.