Ortofon Quintet or 2M?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by AnalogJ, Oct 9, 2015.

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  1. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I'm interested in hearing from those who have experience with both of these cartridges in order to compare their sound.

    What I'm really looking at is the 2M SE Mono vs. the Quintet Mono. But I'm really looking to hear from those who can help be discern their sonic personalities.

    A US Ortofon rep wrote to me that the Quintet's sound is more "moderate" while the 2M is more insightful. I wrote back asking what all that means, but in the meantime, I'd like to ask you in the forum about the differences between these two.

    And by the way, my source of reference is my stereo cartridge, a Benz M2 wood-body, and several Grados that have been through my system (and I LOVE their midrange).
     
    On_the_dunes likes this.
  2. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    I will now watch as I am interested in the Quintet Black vs 2M Black. I have 90+% used vinyl and the 2M black concerns me as to how it handles less than perfect plastic.
     
    Dennis0675 likes this.
  3. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I asked the Ortofon Rep the same question and he told me that the MC is always going to be better. I went with the 2m black more out of circumstance than choice but I have been thrilled with it. The surface noise "issue" really gets people excited around these parts but I will say it has not been an issue for me and I have a very low (if not 0) tolerance for noise. Like any stylus, it needs to break in and if you have mostly VG or better records that you keep clean, surface noise isn't an issue. I'm sure that table and tone arm makes a big difference but I have found all the glowing reviews of the 2M Black to be completely accurate.

    I will likely get the Quintet Black at some point. I have been very happy with each of the three Ortofon carts I have had and I would like hear the difference of the MC for myself.
     
  4. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I've never heard an Orotofon MC and am interested in, well, all of them, from SPU's to Kontrapunkts to Cadenzas and Quintets.
     
  5. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    In theory....I think it would be cool if their was a "Cartridge Club" (I know that sounds lame) that you could buy into where you could keep one for a month, send it in and get another one. I'm afraid I will run out of money and life expectancy before I can hear all the carts that are on my list.
     
    honestabe316, Benzion and AnalogJ like this.
  6. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Not up for that....but would it not be cool if they had a place close by/local where you could go and listen to some carts......maybe we could call it a "stereo store"?
    Wonder if something like that would catch on???
     
  7. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I think the problem with this is first that stores tend to have a limited selection of brands based on their distributor relationships, and secondly, its hard to know what a cart sounds like without hearing it in your system.
     
    Dennis0675 likes this.
  8. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Thanks....yet not a serious post....just a smart a$$ comment on how we must now (those of us in the sticks at least) rely on webby advice/purchases. Just a few guys giving us their best advice......always hope it's not based on what they need to 'push'......this month....yet I know that's part of it......
     
  9. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    Yeah, I know this all too well. I'm using the cartridge my dealer told me to use, because it was one of two that he sold that would even work with my table. A good dealer would have asked me my tastes and perhaps even after all the money I spent there offer to set up a cartridge I ordered from elsewhere for me, but they're not a good dealer, so...
     
    Slick Willie likes this.
  10. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    I own both. I used the 2M Black for almost two years and then I bought the Quintet Black, which I currently still use in my second system on a Clearaudio Ovation table. Look at my profile for the rest of my system.
    Anyway, long story short, the 2M is very good, but the Quintet sounds better. The sound is more elegant overall, the bass deeper and more solid, and the highs much more refined. Sorry for all the audiophile jargon but I don't know how else to describe it.

    Also, the Quintet deals much better with SN. The 2M was pretty bad in this regard.

    Finally, both are a bitch to set up correctly and they can sound bad if your VTA or SRA are wrong. When you get the VTA right you will know, it's gonna be a night and day difference.
     
  11. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Sorry...at least you have one!!
     
  12. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I am ascertaining that the two cartridges have different sonic personalities. The Quintet being cooler and more analytical, perhaps a bit more "audiophile" in its qualities. That may be the moving magnet vs. moving coil thing. My phono stage is certainly capable of supporting a .3mV cartridge.
     
    Dennis0675 likes this.
  13. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Thanks! On the VTA, slightly up or down (cart end) on ...oh, lets say a average vintage press....120/130 grams?
    OK, color me stupid - SRA?
     
  14. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    Thank you for your response. Would you say one is more musical than the other? One can focus on audiophile things like soundstage and inner detail (which can help it sound more realistic), but sometimes that doesn't give you better musical flow. For example, I tend to find Lyra and Soundsmith cartridges to leave me cool. Plenty of detail and speed, but lack heart and soul. I don't get as emotionally engaged as when listening certain other cartridges.

    I remember many years ago being on the phone with a turntable manufacturer. He had recommended I try a Grado and I was talking with him shortly after I had installed it. I was listening to an Al Green live record. Al was clearly away from the microphone when he started singing, and for a brief second, my brain told me that there was someone live in the room or nearby, as opposed to a recorded voice. I stopped my conversation because I had to listen and check in with that automated part of my brain. Green's vocal sounded that realistic. It was an astonishing moment. I have never had that experience at home with any other cartridge. I found that the Grado didn't track the best with my arm, so I ended up selling it. But, again, it was astonishing moment in listening.
     
  15. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    Of course, the SE mono edition of the 2M will probably be quieter, given the Shibata stylus on it compared to the spherical one on the 2M mono.
     
    5-String likes this.
  16. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    The VTA that works best for me is with the cartridge end slightly down. To adjust it, I use the old trick with the back of the credit card where you can use the stripe as a reference.

    SRA = Stylus Rake Angle

    I do not care too much about it, but if you are interested Fremer has some good info here:

    http://www.analogplanet.com/content...ree-stylus-rake-angle-sra#1ReFwCYOJpTTYZlw.97
     
    Slick Willie likes this.
  17. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    Wow. That looks hard.
     
    5-String likes this.
  18. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    To me, the Quintet sounds more refined and yes, I would say that it is more musical.
    That being said, they are both great cartridges and one could live happily with either.
     
    Dennis0675 likes this.
  19. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    Crazy, right? When I read that I wanted to stop listening to records and go back to cds :D
     
  20. beavis

    beavis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sayre, Pa. USA
    Going Ortofon and want an MC that is not to analytical or 'hi-fi' sounding....get an SPU.

    The SPU Classic GME is about the same price as the Black Quintet....

    And speaking of VTA...a real bitch on the SPU; check out that cartridge body. But once you get it there it is yummy...

    Index card with the lines colored in red marker...glue the card to a small piece of wood at the bottom....easier to view the plane of the tone arm with this rig on the platter behind it.....
     
  21. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Thanks.....but the SRA I think is getting wayyyyyy too anal, and probably not necessary except on a true upper end rig? Probably best not to even mention it. Just my take.
     
    5-String likes this.
  22. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    Doesn't this require a particular headshell type?
     
  23. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    Yeah, that's sort of what I'm thinking too actually. I'm going to be getting the Ortofon TA-210 that's basically built for the SPU, so I think that will be my starting point.

    Well, unless I win that EMT XSD-15 on ebay, that is. [dancing banana]
     
  24. Paul H

    Paul H The fool on the hill

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    Does anyone have any thoughts on Quintet Bronze v 2M Black? I'm musing on an in-for-a-penny, in-for-a-pound upgrade.
     
  25. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I'd say it depends on the kind of music you might be playing with it. The 2M SE Mono, which is my only experience with Ortofon cartridges, is more meat and muscle than nuance. I think there's more delicacy and nuance with moving coil cartridges. Not that the Bronze wouldn't rock. I have heard comparisons on YouTube (not the greatest of platforms, of course) and the Bronze sound bright. I don't know what the cantilever material is on the Bronze, but I can hear that the 2M SE Mono, which is sort of a mono 2M Black, misses a bit of the little aspects to the music compared to my Benz wood body Glider. Perhaps it's too apples and oranges a comparison.
     
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