Just bought an Ortofon 2M Black

You can always take a pen and paint it black.

 

Good to know. Thanks!

 

It only works w cryo treated 12 gauge pen.

 

After the paint breaks in of course

 

Wow! I totally missed this review! Awesome!

 

I guess I understand better now why people say that the 2M Black picks surface noise. It's not just clicks and pops.

Twice in the next two days I heard records that didn't seem to sound right because of some little distortion that sounded like a "white noise" underneath or involved in the music. I cleaned the records and it disappeared.

I probably wouldn't have heard this surface noise due to dirty with my elliptical stylus cartridges.

 

Yesterday my Parasound JC3+ arrived and I have listened to some records since then. You're right. The best way I can describe the difference is saying that it seems like the 2M Black was delivering more music that the previous phono stage could handle. Now it's like the beast was released from its cage.

 

Black, Black you know you want me Pete...

 

Shibata's really necessitate an accurate set-up. I tried the black and found it perhaps more refined than the bronze, but undoubtedly less forgiving - ultimately this was the deal breaker for me. Really, if one can dispense with the assigned hierarchy, I don't think one is superior from the other, simply different.

 

It took me almost a lifetime of needless magazine-then forum-inspired purchases to come to the same conclusion last year.

Now I try to be objective about it... new gear just sounds different rather than necessarily better, both can be equally enjoyable.

 

For all Ortofon Black/ Bronze users - these measurements may be of some interest. Both seem fairly neutral through the spectrum, but with a 10khz hump and then a drop off in the higher frequencies. Lowering capacitance on phono stage flattens the hump, although the hifi world measurements show this flattens as stylus progresses inward. Perhaps worth experimenting with if your stage allows...

Ortofon 2M Black - frequency response charts

http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk/index.p...s/174-ortofon-2m-bronze-2m-black.html?start=3

 

Like a true Rolling Stone!

 

Did you use spacers on your Rega tonearm for the Black? Any VTA concerns?

 

Yes, I had 2mm Acoustic Signature spacers installed at that point. Later I added another 1mm but wasn't convinced it was helpful so took the 1mm off to look for and compare perceived differences. I hope to revisit again soon when time and circumstances allow.

 

I've been using the Black for more than a month now and all I can say is that it's unreal or as Michael Fremer once said it's ridiculously good! Black is much better than the Bronze which I liked a lot and totally worth the price difference. Vocals, instruments especially drums sound more realistic. Highs are clean and silky, bass is powerful and perfectly defined with extension, soundstage and separation between the instruments are simply beautiful. Detailing is crazy. This is the performance I'm getting with Schiit Mani, I can't imagine how Black would sound with a phono in the league of Rega Aria or better. I didn't have any issues with the set up, surface noise, igd, sibilance, mistracking, etc. Black is dead silent. I no longer have any interest to upgrade my cartridge, the quest is over, this is love of my life!

 

It's interesting that you bought this thread back to life. Since I started this thread, all my system changed except for the 2M Black: turntable, phono stage, amplifier, speakers and all cables. Only the room is the same.

I could see the benefits in sound quality in every step I took. IME the greatest change was the phono stage. The 2M Black felt at home with a better phono stage. All other upgrades added something but the phono added the most audible difference. It's like the other phono just couldn't handle all the music the 2M Black delivered. The new one put everything in its right place. Secondly, the new turntable cleared and opened the music that sounded a bit congested with the other, letting the 2M Black do its job properly. The differences between phono stage were immediately audible with my older speakers, while the congestion and the need for a better turntable appeared only with the better speakers and the superior resolution they bought..

My main system sounds simply beautiful now. It doesn't cease to amaze me. The 2M Black is surely an important part of it.

 

Can you remind us what phono stage you had before and what you have now?

 

I had a similar experience with my 2M Black. I could tell it was a great cartridge with my Rega Planar 6 but when I paired it with a Herron VTPH-2A phonostage and a VPI Prime Scout the cartridge came to life in an amazing way. I thought is was great before but wow!! As far as MM carts go it can be an end game for most of us.

 

Of course, sorry:
Old: Musical Fidelity V90 LPS ($250)
New: Parasound JC3+ ($3000)
Both in my profile, secondary and main systems respectively.
It's interesting because the 2M Black is a relatively high output MM (5mV) and the JC3+ has a lot of gain (48dB). According to KAB calculator it should be a severe mismatch (not according to other methods though). But except for the care I need when handling the volume button I don't sense any sound degradation at all, sounds wonderful.

 

Thanks!

That does seem like a lot of gain.
I have been using a Lounge MKIII with a gain of 40db and started thinking it was too much gain with my 2M Black, so I just started using the phono stage in my Parasound Halo Integrated Original (HINTO ) which has a lower gain of 35db. I haven't played a whole bunch of LPs using the stage in the HINTO, but it sounds a bit smoother. That is why I am so curious what stage you are using now. So the JC3+ doesn't have adjustable gain for MM carts? That is a bummer. I think I would only be able to afford up to the JC3 Jr., and it is good to know that 48db is working with your phono stage!

 

The Jr has three gain stages: 40, 50 and 60dB. I tried the HINTO phono just to see if the gain would make a difference but I prefer the JC3+. It is a lot of gain, I have to turn the volume knob as if I'm doing a brain surgery. But no problem sound wise. I'll try a lower output cartridge some day to see if I change my mind.

 

This thread is as good as any for me to add my saga, no need to start a new thread on my experience with a new stylus for my Ortofon Black cartridge.

I had my first one 6-7 years, used sporadically the first few when free time was scarce, but much more the last 2 or so, especially since last summer when I bought my KLAUDIO RCM and switched to my Mc30's and did a few things to my system, see profile.

I had been listening to my system all morning last Monday, so everything was warm and ready. Just slide out and slide in and cue an album.

I used the same lps as I had been experiencing that morning and the first thing I noticed was how the music was tied to the floor and how pinched the soundstage was. The vocals were not precise or delicate. The instruments did not have their own space. Everything was cramped together and hollow.

"Art Pepper meets The Rhythm Section"
"Night in Tunisia" 45rpm
"Songs For My Father" 45rpm
A few other Contemporary OJC versions
Some Ella, some rock some Nat King Cole

So, for 4-5 hours I was in and out and around but it was not a pleasant listen. Shut down. Real life intrudes.

Next day, fired everything up with a cd on replay for a few hours, did errands, and came back after lunch and played 4 digitally sourced Ellington lp sides to warm up the TT/Cartridge/Stylus.

Played the Art Pepper and listened. Pretty much the same as before, not anywhere close to where I was with the old one.

Played lps all afternoon, 3-4 more hrs on the new stylus. Audiophile brother came over, "oh my" was his most positive contribution. He did say Buddy DeFranco's clarinet sounded somewhat" woody".

Shut down, we had places to go and people to see.

So, after 9 hours or so on the stylus, I could not discern any progress.

Had all day Wednesday to myself( well, no outside meetings) so fired it up as before/warmed it thoroughly and played. I was in and out of the room, but always with an ear cocked as I was doing a few other things. I'd plop down and listen sometimes for a few minutes sometimes a whole lp. I could at least stay with it more!. Progress!

By the 15th hour on the stylus the music was beginning to decouple from the floor and start to hover.
As I approached the 20th hour, the width and depth of the soundstage was in evidence and the instruments had their defined space within it.
Nat King Cole was focused, Ella was focused and light and airy.
The midrange magic as before is not quite there, The bass needs to get dialed in a bit more, still a bit wooly.
But the piano is progressing towards full tonality, horns, too.

Much progress from 10-20 hours.

Today, I revisited lps from Monday and put 3-4 hrs on the stylus. Soundstage continues to open up and a lovely tonality pervades. Lovely Art Pepper and Horace Silver.

Listening to Shorty Rogers as I type and as I walk into and out of my listening room, I'm much more inclined to stay, so I'll post this and return to finish up a great performance.



Brother's coming by Saturday

Will post follow ups.

 

Up to about 35 hours and the instruments within the soundstage, continues to jell. Cymbals have a nice metallic shimmer.

Vocals were the last to come into focus. That's the most dramatic, the vocals continue to get better, smoother.

Soundstage is wide, played my Pro Use DSOTM at the end of a 3 hour session last night, and was very impressed. Very 3-dimensional.


So, from my experience, a new stylus needs at least 10-15 hrs to get anywhere close to sounding good and is coming into its' own at 30-35 hrs.

 

Had the 2m Black for the past 5 years. Got a replacement stylus today as my previous one was starting to show some wear. Glad to be back to the pristine sound I love so much!

 

I have the 2M Black for about three years now. I used on a Pioneer PLX1000, but I'm using the Black on a Technics SL-1200G for the past year.
The 1200G and the 2M Black seem to be a perfect match, however I have been fooling around with the VTA for quite some time now and it seems I can't find the optimum to 'squeeze out' that last bit of extra performance.
Sometimes higher VTA setting seems better, sometimes lower VTA setting seems better.
I'm using an Ortofon LH-6000 headshell, of which the mounting point is relatively high (resulting in a higher VTA compared to the standard Technics headshells), making it a better match for the height of the Black cartridge body.
Does anyone else use the 2M Black on a 1200G and have similar experiences and what VTA do they set it at?