Ortofon 2MR Black LVB 250 Moving Magnet Cartridge
The Ortofon 2MR Black LVB 250 is surely one of the finest moving magnet cartridges ever created and this 2MR version, with its slim line profile, is specifically designed to fit on Rega turntables. 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.
The 2MR Black LVB 250 upgrades the great build of the 2MR Black with a boron cantilever and Ortofon's Nano Tube suspension system. The result is a sound so precise and so detailed that you feel like you have let the artist into your house and have them playing right in your living room.
The 2MR Black LVB 250 was released to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven in December 2020.
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 2MR 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 2MR Black LVB 250 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 2MR Black LVB 250 uses an improved engine, which provides an increased output of 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 soundstaging and dimensionality."
Ortofon 2M Black LVB 250 Review
"... The 2M Black LVB 250 is one of the best MM cartridges on the market ... The sound it proposes is realistic, warm, and rich in detail and can reach excellent dynamic excursions. Drawn to its considerable experience, the Danish manufacturer, Ortofon, has created a high-level sound detector that would not disfigure even in comparison with many MCs. The adoption of an excellent Boron cantilever and the suspension system shows that even MM can have their say in ambitious analog chains ..." Andrea Allegri, Audio Review
Our Take On The Ortofon 2MR Black LVB 250
The Ortofon 2MR Black LVB 250 Moving Magnet Cartridge is a masterful blend of precision engineering and acoustic richness, crafted to celebrate Beethoven's 250th anniversary. Designed to fit perfectly on Rega turntables and building on the legacy of the 2M Black, it features a boron cantilever and Ortofon's Nano Tube suspension, resulting in a sound that is extraordinarily vivid and spatially immersive. The 2MR Black LVB 250's Shibata-tipped elliptical diamond stylus, first popularised for high-frequency Quadraphonic records, ensures unparalleled detail retrieval by deeply engaging with the grooves. With an upgraded engine output of 5mV, it provides a dynamic range and transparency often associated with moving coil cartridges. Designed by Møller Jensen Design, it embodies elegance and technical refinement, bringing artists into your living room with an almost holographic sense of presence.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Slim Line Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge designed for Rega Turntables
- Output Voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec: 5 mV
- Channel Balance at 1 kHz: < 1.0 dB
- Channel Separation at 1 kHz: > 27 dB
- Channel Separation at 15 kHz: 15 dB
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz + 2 / - 1 dB
- Tracking Ability at 315Hz at Recommended Tracking Force: 80 µm
- Compliance, Dynamic, Lateral: 22 um/mN
- Stylus Type: Nude Shibata Diamond on a Boron Cantilever
- Stylus Tip Radius: r/R 6/50 um
- Tracking Force Range: 1.5-1.7 grams (15-17 mN)
- Tracking Force, Recommended: 1.6 grams (16 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: 6 grams
- Replacement Stylus Unit: 2M Black LVB 250
- Interchangeable With: 2M Bronze, 2M Black
- Warranty: 12 Months - Cartridge only
- Learn more about Ortofon
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.