Ortofon 2m red to blue upgrade

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Craig Spiegel, Sep 8, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Clonesteak

    Clonesteak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    I finally pulled the trigger!!! I ordered up a 2M Blue and should have it soon. I have been putting off the upgrade due to music over gear.
    I have been enjoying the Red for a couple of years and will demote the Red stylus to a spare if heaven forbid a mishap with the Blue.
    I know I am late to the party but will share my initial impressions later on next week.
     
    Kristofa, Maccaroni, c-eling and 2 others like this.
  2. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    For me I didn’t notice (other than lack of IGD) until after I switched back to the red. Then it’s quite noticeable.
     
    punkmusick and cmcintyre like this.
  3. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    These cartridges are the same and the difference is just the stylus? If I use a Blue stylus in a Red cartridge, would it sound the same as the Blue/Blue?
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2018
  4. Isaac K.

    Isaac K. Forum Resident

    Correct. That’s what I did.
     
    punkmusick likes this.
  5. BIGGER Dave

    BIGGER Dave Forum Resident

    Been using a 2M Blue with my VPI Scout for about a year. Been waiting on a Bronze or Black MassDrop deal however it looks like it may never come. May have to order through Thakker in Germany.
     
  6. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    Seems like you didn’t return here to say if you finally noticed any improvement after break in. Did you?
     
  7. clhboa

    clhboa Forum Resident

    I've been noticing the same thing with the Red on my Debut III. Now I'm going to want to buy the Blue. Dammit! How is the Blue with surface noise? The Red tends to downplay noise on most(but not all, some are noisier) records compared to my 2M Black on my 1210.
     
    Clonesteak likes this.
  8. weavzy

    weavzy Needle Dropper

    The igd on the red cart is something you can't unhear once you notice it. Ive been a bronze user for about three years now on my main system. Had a red on my secondary system that got used sparingly. Upgraded to a blue. Igd gone instantly. Secondary system now getting much more use.
     
  9. Isaac K.

    Isaac K. Forum Resident

    It depends upon the record. Some are dead quiet, some aren't. It's hard for me to say because no two records are exactly alike. All that I can say is that most of the time I either don't hear surface noise or the level that I hear doesn't bother me. The blue does everything the red does, only better. If you're worried that the blue is going to perform worse than the red... don't be.
     
    Heckto35, clhboa and punkmusick like this.
  10. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I'm using Nagaoka MP110 that I like a lot, notoriously have a warm sound (positive) but isn't good to reproduce high frequencies (negative). Somehow it seems like to have a warmer sound implies get less high frequencies and to have more trebble implies brightness.
    Do you think with a Blue I could get more prominent cymbals in a warm sound without excessive brightness? Or with a Bronze?
     
    Heckto35 likes this.
  11. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    For me the Blue has a nice consistent sound throughout-For cymbal crashes I found carts like the AT150MLX exceeded in this area.
    I guess it comes down to the signature you're looking for. I really enjoy the Blue's 'even sound'
    The Nag 110 has been on my buy list for awhile now, I've heard some vinyl transfer samples from a forum member that i enjoyed.
    Here's a sample of the Blue if you are curious
    This is Thompson Twins-Runaway (Extended)
    Dropbox - Runaway Sample.wav
     
    DrZhivago and punkmusick like this.
  12. Scott McBride

    Scott McBride Forum Resident

    A good wait on the shipping from Germany to USA, but I bought a stylus from Thakker. I can now say good things. I couldn't find a better price. Anywhere.
     
    Critter likes this.
  13. Clonesteak

    Clonesteak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    The wait for me is killing me. Latest shipping update is my Blue stylus is in New York and has passed customs. My son thought it was amazing that my stylus is coming all the way from Germany.
     
    H8SLKC and c-eling like this.
  14. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    This is exactly what I'm afraid of, that trying to get more I may buy something that goes beyond.
    Thanks for the sample, gonna listen to it tonight.
     
    c-eling likes this.
  15. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I heard the sample with good headphones and I think it sounds really good. Unfortunately the song doesn't have enough cymbals since the drum beat is not conducted on a cymbal or on the hi hat. So I'm afraid it's not enough to make my mind one way or another. I appreciate anyway, thank you. I guess I'll have to buy a Blue stylus anyway, attach it to my Red body and listen to it in my system. I'll try to figure out if it worth it to pull the trigger in a Bronze.
     
    c-eling likes this.
  16. weavzy

    weavzy Needle Dropper

    Describing sound is always a struggle. But id describe the blue as mellow but detailed...

    I probably have that completely wrong in the opinion of others.
     
  17. Echoes Myron

    Echoes Myron Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    You will love the blue. I have both the bronze and the blue...bronze is a little more laid back but both are nicely detailed.
     
  18. H8SLKC

    H8SLKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    All of our views on sound are subject to change. I own the 2m blue and have alternately loved it but also found it to be too dry and clinical. These things are so subjective and changeable. I've arrived at a place where the blue sits in a drawer because I prefer fuller, warmer sound in my systems, or have been playing around with modifications of cheapies trying to get the best from them. In any event, the 2m blue is a winner of a cartridge, but for my ears today it is detailed but clinical, dry, almost too digital if that makes sense. I have all mid-fi (and lower) gear so maybe if I owned tube gear that needed some detail the 2m blue would be perfect. It's also possible that the 2m blue will go on a table a few months from now and for whatever reason sound perfect to me.
     
  19. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    Yesterday I was playing with levels and mats in my turntable. I noticed it was unleveled and changed the mat for a thiner one. Highs are much better. It was more a problem of setting things up than a cartridge problem.
    But now have an itching for a new turntable/cartridge combination that won't go away too soon (by the way thank you @H8SLKC for your answer in the other thread).
     
    Heckto35 and H8SLKC like this.
  20. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    I know I was trying to find some good symbol's I've used with the blue but most of my transfers were done with the 150.
    I did do New Order's In A Lonely Place 7 inch with the Blue, that puppy has ton's of crashes :laugh:
     
  21. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    Nice, can you share it please?
     
  22. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

  23. Clonesteak

    Clonesteak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    My Blue stylus arrived today and into the second track of side two She’s The One by Tom Petty and loving it. The highs are clear and surface noise seems to be less than with the Red. The bass seems less than with the red. Maybe with more play the bass will set in. Great upgrade so far. It seems there is a little bit more separation than the red. Clarity is nice. I think my weekend will be spent in my listening chair for many hours. The hihat and cymbals sound great. Next up will be Nigel Lived by Murray Head.
     
  24. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    c-eling and H8SLKC like this.
  25. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I have to admit that buying the 2m blue cart for my Dual 1229, using my Klipsch speakers and Scott 299b tube amp, has to be one of the best things that I've ever done and I really don't believe that I've ever been happier listening to vinyl. The only other cart that I have been this satisfied with is my Audio Technica AT 440-mLA, which I have on my Technics 1200 mk2, but I still have to give the 2m blue the edge.
     
    punkmusick, Kristofa, c-eling and 2 others like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine