Ortofon 2M Black Premounted on SH-4

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Cartridge

Moving magnet cartridge with mounted SH-4 Black headshell
Ready to play without further adjustment
Shibata stylus
Output voltage: 5 mV
Frequency range: 20 - 31,000 Hz
Pickup frequency at 315 Hz: 80 µm
Reommended Tracking force: 1.5 g (15 mN)
Reommended load capacitance: 150 - 300 pF
Dimensions (L x W x H): 65 x 48 x 33 mm
Weight: 17 g
Colour: Black

Note: only suitable for S-shaped tonearms, not for straight tonearms

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Available since April 2023
Item number 563427
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Stylus Shaping Shibata
Require Headshell No
Colour Black
Twin/Single Single
Application Home/Hifi/Rec
Output Voltage in mV 5
Including Case No
Replacement Stylus No

$653

The shipping costs are calculated on the checkout page.

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Top class turntable cartridge

The Ortofon 2M Black is a high-end moving magnet turntable cartridge and the flagship model of the 2M range. It's fitted with a nude diamond stylus featuring a Shibata profile, designed to trace the record groove with a high degree of accuracy and resolution. Despite its advanced stylus design, the 2M Black remains compatible with standard MM phono preamplifiers, making it suitable for a wide range of high-quality hi-fi systems. As sold here, namely already mounted on Ortofon's proprietary SH-4 headshell, the 2M Black is ready to play without any further setup or adjustments.

Where it all begins

In a high-quality hi-fi system, the phono cartridge plays a critical role, as it is the point at which the information stored in the record groove is first converted into an electrical signal: Any limitations at this stage cannot be fully corrected further down the signal chain. The Ortofon 2M Black is designed with this in mind. Its nude Shibata diamond stylus follows the groove with a high level of precision, tracking accurately with low distortion across an extended frequency range of 20Hz to 31kHz. The result is a stable and articulate sonic character, defined by controlled bass, a well-balanced midrange, and clean, extended treble.

Reference-level precision

The Ortofon 2M Black is a highly resolving cartridge intended for experienced listeners who prioritise accuracy and transparency. Its presentation is detailed and explicit, allowing fine differences between recordings and pressings to be heard without adding emphasis or masking flaws. Within the moving magnet category, the 2M Black is positioned at the top, offering a level of precision that rewards careful system setup and high-quality equipment. Owing to its focus on accuracy and fine tracking, it's designed for home listening and critical evaluation rather than DJ use or applications involving heavy cueing.

About Ortofon

Founded in Denmark in 1918 by engineers Axel Petersen and Arnold Poulsen, Ortofon has been at the forefront of phono technology for more than a century. The company introduced its first magnetic pickup system, the M-15, in 1969, marking a major milestone in cartridge design. In 1982, Ortofon launched the now-iconic Concorde series, whose futuristic design went on to become a regular fixture in clubs and broadcast environments worldwide. Today, Ortofon designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, covering everything from accessible hi-fi solutions to uncompromising high-end systems for the most demanding listeners.

Masterful moving magnets

The Ortofon 2M Black's capabilities extend beyond high-quality home listening to more specialised applications, such as digitising a record collection or reference monitoring in a studio. Its consistently transparent and balanced response, combined with low distortion, makes it equally suitable for analogue-to-digital conversion and critical listening. As a moving magnet design, the 2M Black combines the practical advantages of MM cartridges – broad compatibility and straightforward integration, especially so premounted on Ortofon's excellent SH-4 headshell – with a level of resolution typically associated with more costly moving coil designs.

In the Spotlight: Shibata diamond tip

The Shibata stylus profile is an advanced development of the conventional elliptical cut. It was originally created by Japanese engineer Norio Shibata to enable the tracing of very high frequencies during CD-4 quadraphonic record playback, where extended bandwidth and precise groove contact were essential. Compared to simpler profiles, a Shibata stylus features a narrow contact area in the direction of groove travel, combined with an elongated vertical contact surface. This geometry allows the stylus to maintain stable contact with the groove walls while tracing fine modulations with high accuracy. In practice, this results in reduced distortion, improved high-frequency tracking, and more consistent retrieval of low-level detail. The larger contact area also helps distribute tracking force more evenly, which can reduce record wear when the cartridge is correctly aligned.

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Vergleich mit Ortofon Blue

Anonymous 24.07.2023

Test mit:
Technics SL1500 (Plattenspieler)
Denon DRA 800h (AV Stereo Receiver)
Duevel Enterprise (Lautsprecher)
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 (Subwoofer)

Nur Phono-Eingangssignal in Verwendung, andere Quellen nicht in Verwendung.

Installation: Sehr angenehm, sehr leicht. Verwendet habe ich die mitgelieferte mechanische Waage von Ortofon um das Auflagegewicht anzupassen.

Ergebnis/Vergleich zu Blue:
Detailliertere Auflösung bei guten Schallplatten. Räumlicher Klang entfaltet sich bereits bei etwas geringerer Lautstärke. Feinheiten und Nuancen erweitern das Klangbild. Für mehr Unterschied bedürfe es bei mir eines anderen Verstärkers, dies wird die nächste Anpassung. Fazit: Leicht zu installieren, leichterer und feinerer Klang der sich bereits beim Leise hören entfaltet. In Worten klingt das "wenig" für das Geld, aber beim Hören ist das schon unmittelbar feststellbar und keine Veränderung die gemessen werden müsste oder erst nach irgendwelchem "muss sich einspielen bla bla" herbei interpretiert werden muss

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Ortofon 2M Black Premounted on SH-4

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