Ortofon MC-3 Turbo or 2M Bronze

Both carts cost basically the same and use the same line stylus. Main difference is MC vs MM. I read some reviews, some people prefer one over the other but I'd like something more objective (if that's possible). Anyone here would like to say something about these how does these cartridges compare ?

 

I've not tried that Ortofon MC, but I recently spent a few days with a 2M Bronze I was fitting on a deck for a friend, I tried it on a stock Technics SL-1210 and a JVC QL-Y5F, I was very impressed, it doesn't challenge my £1,000+ MCs, but for a cart that cost around £300 it was very, very good and I thought excellent value. It's hard to be specific about what it loses to good MCs, in isolation it seems to do everything well, it's only when you compare it to a Van den Hul MC2 or Ortofon MC3000 that you realise the vinyl is capable of more, having said that If I didn't have so many Ortofon OM bodies I'd probably buy a 2M Bronze.

One thing you need to take into account is your phono stage, is it good enough for the MC, in my experience cheaper phono stages are often better with MMs than MCs so perhaps ask people for their experience with MCs on the Musical Fidelity stage, if it's best with MMs then that's a point in favour of the Bronze.

 

I think they are both good, but the gain for each cart is very different, so maybe your satisfaction with the sound will relate to how well the weight and compliance work with your arm and if the gain is a good match for your system. Although I've heard fans and detractors from the Ortofon MM line, I can honestly say I can't accommodate that much gain very well. The MC-3 is a fairly light cartridge, if I remember, and has been around for a while. I don't think it was as good a match to my Rega arm as the inexpensive Denon high-output MC. I used it with a Creek phono stage that I've come to regard as a misstep, so I'd hesitate to give it a real review.

 

Wait...the MC 3 Turbo is a High Output Moving Coil. I had considered one before I bought my Ortofon Quintet Blue. But since my NAD C162 preamp has a MC input, I decided to try a LOMC. HOMC's give you a taste of what a LOMC sounds like. I have had a few HOMC's from Sumiko. I liked the sound very much. I wish stereoguy could audition cartridges. He is so much better at describing sound than I am. With the Sumiko HOMC's I thought the sound had more
'texture' and detail(not excessive treble) than MM's that I had owned. Before I get flamed, I said 'that I have owned'. I would never say that any cartridge type sounds better than another. Currently I am very fond of the direct scanning cartridges. The only ones that I know of are the old GE VR 1000's and the London cartridges. Some considerations for you are that the stylus on the Turbo is not replaceable. The stylus on the Bronze is both replaceable and upgradeable. Hope that helps you a bit.

 

This is purely opinion of course. And just a thought. The Turbo seems like a bargain for a HOMC with a fine line stylus at the price point. For example, the Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 offers the common size 0.3 x 0.7 elliptical.

 

For a HOMC I would recommend the Denon DL-110. Less expensive than the MC3 Turbo also.

 

It has an elliptical stylus while the other has a fine line. I guess this would be the reason for difference in price. Isn't fine line supposed to sound better?

 

The "sound" probably will have more to do with the arm/phono pre-amp you use with the cart. The stylus shape may be better (or worse) for poor condition vinyl.

 

I use my Ortofon 2M Bronze on my JVC QL-Y5F turntable and can attest on how well it sounded together.

Using the fine line stylus shape will depend on the quality and condition of your records. I have a lot of used records that work very well with that shape (i.e., much lesser surface noise) and others with an elliptical. YMMV.

 

I let my friend have the JVC to go with the Bronze, I'm not sure if I'll regret that decision, but I thought he might as well have a decent deck and I think he's have to have spent quite a lot of money on a new deck to beat it, because neither of us drive it was sat here for some time with the Bronze mounted until I arranged a lift and thinking I'd run it in for him I did play quite a lot of records, the Bronze sounded very good on everything, I couldn't fault it, only listening to far more expensive MCs showed it's slight shortcomings. I would like to play with a 2M Black now, I've heard them a few times, but never at home in my system.

 

True, I haven't thought about that. The Bronze can become a Black in the future for about half the price of a new Black.

 

I think the 2M Bronze would be more suited to medium/low mass arms such as Rega/Linn while the MC3 Turbo’s lower compliance makes it compatible with higher mass arms. I’ve been looking for a cartridge to replace an aging Denon DL103 on my Thorens TD2001 with its 16g TP90 arm. I tried a friend’s Nagaoka MP110 recently and it did not sound as good as the Denon (missing lots of detail). Who knows- the MC3 Turbo could be the answer.

 

I owned the MC3 Turbo for a short time, on a PLX-1000. It was my first MC. Maybe it was a synergy thing but nothing about its sound was very impressive. It wasn't nearly as good as my other cart at the time, which was a CA Concept V2MM fitted with an AT Shibata stylus.

Based on my local dealer's opinion, I'd definitely opt for the Bronze between those two. I'd even opt for the Music Hall/Ortofon Mojo MM with the FG70 stylus over the MC3.

But really, your setup deserves a cart higher up the food chain - maybe the AT Art 9 or similar calibre.

 

I have a Thorens td160 with original tp16 arm which has an EM of 15gr I believe, so comparable with yours. I also have a Nag MP110 and an Ortofon MC3-Turbo.
I started out with the mp110 but it didn't take long for me to start looking elsewhere, as I just didn't like it (for the same reason as you). That's when I bought the mc3-turbo and immediately this cart gave me everything I wanted to hear. In fact I am so pleased with the mc3-turbo that I don't feel the need to upgrade.....at all!
I have also a 2nd dd turntable, more used for background listening, playing 45's....I have put a denon dl-110 on this one and I like it BUT....for critical listening I prefer and always use the Ortofon MC3-Turbo. To my ears it does everything right, lots of detail and 'air' and because of this it throws a deep soundstage and it images very well. I didn't come across any tracking problems so far and the record surface noise is less than with the mp110 (I mostly play old vinyl, some are cleaned and in good condition, others are in less pristine condition).