2m bronze users...your break in period?

How long till you noticed a change? If you noticed one at all.
What changed over,or after,the break in period?
Was there a change in surface noise it picks up?
Im at less than 15 hours,so I think I have a long way to go...

 

Like all good things, it takes about 5 years to get comfortable with vinyl playback. About the cartridge, just play and don't worry about it.

 

Err,anyone else?

 

Me 10 solid 12 hour days (Carmina Burana side1) at no volume. Difference in strength at the top and bass was remarkable after that period.

 

Not happy with it? My Denon 110 is going to be giving up the ghost soon and new prices for it are ridiculous, so I'm kind of curious on this cart

 

10 hours it starts, I would say 50 - 75 hours the magic really happens. I'm probably sitting at about the 100 mark now since buying it in July... it might get a bit better but for me I'm thinking it's mostly broken in.

 

I had a 2M Bronze for a few years. It was a decent cartridge, although I wasn't happy with the way it handled surface noise.

 

I heard the bottom end really open up around 40ish LP sides. Top end tamed/smoothed out just the right amount. Though since my speakers aren't exactly resolving, this was more noticed on headphones. Sorry, I tend to measure in record sides. Never understood how people can have any sort of confidence on "hours" on a cart unless they're much more retentive than I.

Love this cart. I'd rather have detail/analytical upfront in the transducer and tame it out in the amplification chain if necessary. But then again, I like a more detailed sound...

 

I guess about 20 to 30 LP's will "break" this in.

Regard the comment about surface noise, what amp was it matched with? I ask as I changed my SS amp' recently and it made a huge difference to the 2M Black AND the surface noise on the odd noisy album was a lot less.

 

If a cart picks up less surface noise I would expect it also picks up less audio from the grooves? I had Nagaoka before my Bronze and it was less surface noise but it was also very dull/warm compared to the detailed Bronze which I love about it

 

2M Bronze for me was mostly run in after about 25 to 30 hours play time, and got a tad better over the next 50hrs, but mostly at about the 25 to 30 hour mark.

My Bronze shows very little surface noise in my view, yet extracts heaps of detail from the LP.

 

In what sense? revealed too much of it?

 

Yes, but that's just me.

 

Accentuated surface noise with 2M = too much capacitance.

 

Can you elaborate this?

 

Record surface noise is affected by every component in the chain. Amp, speakers, speaker wires, stylus shape, cartridge, turntable, tonearm....just one 'switch out' is sometimes all it takes.

 

2M's comparatively high inductance makes it more susceptible to resistive and capacitive loading effects on the audible frequency spectrum. Higher capacitance in particular will cause an earlier rise in frequency response, which can potentially affect the presence area (where our hearing is most sensitive and where vinyl playback noises are consequently most disturbing).

Lots of information here for example (courtesy of back2vinyl).

 

With a line contact stylus, and yes I own a 2M Bronze (and three others) with no surface noise issues, the only component that really counts IMHO is the SRA alone. Which needs precision adjustment to 92°. We've been all through this like a zillion times, maybe even more... In fact, on older vinyl, when properly aliened, they track deeper and narrower in the sweet spot than a conical and therefore often run on partial virgin vinyl. Mine plays lovely.

Love the Ortofons, and this one is a data retrieving bargain.

 

I have found that the 2M Bronze takes about 1000 hours to break in. Of course, by that time, the stylus is worn out and I have to purchase another and then the whole break-in period starts all over.

I guess I'll never get to hear what one is supposed to sound like.

Doug

 

Doug, that's hilarious

 

Damn....I thought it was my ears that were breaking in...Now I have to get another one and start all over

 

As I love my Ortofon Bronze, I would offer a different point. For the first 500 hours the cart breaking in and getting better and better. After that, for another 500 hours it goes worse and worse. But there's one miniscule moment during this cycle, and if you catch it, you can actually hear the real glory of the cart.

 

Seems to be quite a bit if hostility against this cartridge in this thread. It kinda surprises me. I thought this was a pretty highly regarded cartridge at this price point.
Having said that.....
I have had some issues with mine.
1: After about a year, the suspension started sagging on mine and the body of the cartridge would rub the inner label at the end of each side. I assume this would change VTA and SRA so I replaced the stylus. I do play lots of vinyl so I assume it had close to 1000 hours on it.
2: Once I replaced the stylus, I realized that the first stylus produced much more siblance than the replacement.
3: on the replacement, looking straight down at the diamond through a jewelers scope, you can see that the needle isn't square to the cantilever. It make you wonder what's the point of cartridge alignment if the diamond is not square.
This is the most expensive cartridge I've ever bought and think it sounds wonderful but I wonder if it's time to move on to something else.

 

Well, Im at 74 LP's with the bronze now, I equate that to around 33 hours.
Now because IM aware of break in etc, I dont know if Im hearing a difference or not, or if I should keep an ear out for it !
Ít sounds great, so Im not too concerned, thats the main thing.

 

I haven't heard the bronze but I'm sticking with the Blue.