About The Ortofon 2M Black Moving Magnet Cartridge
The Ortofon 2M Black is surely one of the finest moving magnet cartridges ever created. It merges enhanced levels of refinement with rich tonal vividness and mixes almost surround sound levels of spatiality with earth moving dynamics. It digs deeper into the music as it slides deeper into your vinyl groove, care of its Shibata tipped elliptical diamond stylus.
Ortofon has developed magnetic cartridges in various designs for many types of turntables, tone arms and for special purposes throughout the last 40 years. As Ortofon´s 90th Company Anniversary approached, they decided to combine their expertise and latest technology in the development of the outstanding 2M cartridge design. We feel confident that you will appreciate and enjoy the unique qualities of these cartridges.
Shibata Stylus: We first experienced a Shibata stylus when Audio Technica (Japan) created a line of cartridges to play the then-new CD-4 4-channel records - the precursor to today's surround sound! These records had a "carrier" signal of upwards of 40kHz, which standard elliptical or conical-tipped cartridges couldn't play. This high frequency was then decoded down to recreate the rear channel sound. Although CD-4 and Quadraphonic was a flop, it delivered a high quality stylus that still has a good following. The Ortofon 2M Black Moving Magnet Cartridge features a full nude shibata diamond stylus.
2M Technology: The Ortofon 2M Series was developed together with the Danish designer "Møller Jensen Design" from Copenhagen, Denmark - the same designer who designed the award winning Jubilee and the Kontrapunkt Moving Coil series of cartridges. The 2M series of Moving Magnet cartridges are engineered for precise and accurate retrieval of the information in the record groove. The Ortofon philosophy is to play the recorded sound as accurately as possible, without colouration of the sound. They have optimised the design for ease of mounting the cartridge to the headshell with weight and size to fit the most common turntables at the market today.
Of course the 2M isn't just another pretty face. The 2M series of cartridges feature Ortofon's trademark split pole pins, an invention which enables moving magnet cartridges to have a flat frequency response, as with a moving coil cartridge. Split pole pins were invented by Ortofon, and were originally presented in the 500 series and Super OM series. The Ortofon 2M Black uses an improved engine, which provides an increased output of 5.5mV.
Inspiration: The inspiration for designing the 2M was related to the facets of the diamond - elegantly concentrating its contours against the grooves on the record surface. All of the 2M cartridges feature diamonds which are polished to the highest standards in the industry.
The 2M's handsome elegance establishes a great combination of form and functionality and the name 2M was selected among several ideas. Ortofon wanted a modern name which should be easy to pronounce and to remember, and therefore an alpha numerical name was chosen. 2M means MM, which is the abbreviation for moving magnet. Ortofon are using the same names on their 2M series as they use on their Rondo series: Red, Blue, Bronze and in addition, Black..
2M Product of the Year in The Absolute Sound: Ortofon is proud to be the recipient of The Absolute Sound's annual Product of the Year award for the acclaimed 2M Series of cartridges. Specifically awarded the distinction are the 2M Red and 2M Black cartridges. According to the article, the 2M's greatest attribute is "the way it provides a more transparent window on the world of micro-energies, permitting it to plumb the depths of sound-staging and dimensionality."
Our Take On The Ortofon 2M Black Moving Magnet Cartridge
Because its Shibata stylus is sensitive to rake angle, the 2M Black should be used only with tonearms that permit adjustments of VTA and SRA. The Ortofon 2M Black is quite possibly the best moving magnet cartridge on the planet. With a nude Shibata diamond, it retrieves information from the groove effortlessly, and flawlessly. The 2M Black is easy to recommend for music lovers of all types. You will need a Turntable and Tonearm to match.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge
- Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec.: 5.5 mV
- Channel balance at 1 kHz: 1.0 dB
- Channel separation at 1 kHz: 26 dB
- Channel separation at 15 kHz: 15 dB
- Frequency range at - 3dB: 20Hz-31kHz
- Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz + 2 / - 0 dB
- Tracking ability at 315Hz at recommended tracking force: 80 um
- Compliance, dynamic, lateral: 22 um/mN
- Stylus type: Nude Shibata
- Stylus tip radius: r/R 6/50 um
- Tracking force range: 1.4-1.7 grams
- Tracking force, recommended: 1.5 grams (15 mN)
- Tracking angle: 20°
- Internal impedance, DC resistance: 1.2 kOhm
- Internal inductance: 630 mH
- Recommended load resistance: 47 kOhm
- Recommended load capacitance: 150-300 pF
- Cartridge colour, body/stylus: Black/Black
- Cartridge weight: 7.2 grams
- Replacement stylus unit: 2M Black
- Warranty: 12 months - cartridge only
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE