Anatomy of Ortofon 2m Blue cartridge

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by KT88, Mar 26, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member Thread Starter

    [​IMG] All of the Ortofon 2m series cartridges are designed alike and share many common parts and overall design. The differences between the Red and Blue models are only the stylus. The Red uses a bushing mounted stylus and the Blue is a nude mounted stylus. The same is true with the Bronze and the black models, where the Bronze uses a Line Contact profile diamond and the Black uses a Shibata profile diamond, both nude mounted.

    The motor coils in the Red / Blue and in the Bronze / Black are different, with the Bronze and Black models having a lower number of wire turns to form its coil, lowering output slightly but also increasing accuracy. The stylus carriers, which are the actual red, blue, bronze, and black plastic stylus holders are all identical with the exception of their molded color for easy identification. Thus any of the four different stylus can be mounted on any of the bodies. There are two types of bodies, the higher output used for the Red and Blue, and the Lower output supplied with the Bronze and Black models. So the Red can be effectively upgraded to a Blue, and the Bronze can be effectively upgraded to a Black. While it is possible to fit a Bronze stylus on a Red / Blue body, it will not quite reach the performance level of a full Bronze cartridge due to the difference in those wire turns described earlier.

    Here I have taken apart a damaged 2m Blue and you can see the individual components as they are assembled at the factory. The first circle contains the top plate, which is simply a weight and its retaining screw. It is non-ferrous. The second circle contains the body housing. It is a very hard and durable phenolic material. Probably glass and resin loaded plastic. The 4th and last circle is the blue, molded plastic, stylus carrier. The 3rd circle contains the working parts.

    You can see the family resemblance of the working cartridge body in the 3rd circle to the OM Super series cartridges. It is the same or seemingly so. Those old OM stylus will fit it. This body was pressed into the cartridge body housing in circle 2. The body contains all of the components of the motor coil. There is the outer housing of stainless steel perhaps, the black plastic pin holder, which probably extends inside to form or hold the coil former, and the coils and pole pieces deep inside this body. There is also a ground strap that attaches to the right channel ground to form a shield of the metal body. There in this 3rd circle you will also notice a tiny pin and a bushing around it. That is the magnet, as in moving magnet, and the rubber suspension grommet that attaches to the stylus carrier and is inserted into the opening of the cartridge body when you fit the stylus. The cantilever had broken off of this unit, so it is not there but would be an extension of the magnet out the other side of the rubber grommet.
    -Bill
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2018
  2. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    Great stuff, but the image isn’t showing.
     
    Mbe, Leonthepro and 33na3rd like this.
  3. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Only one image shows.
     
  4. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member Thread Starter

    There is only one master image. The description in my posts is referring to the circles on the only image. I tried to post the image three times after having a silly problem with my image file name on my server. I could not delete the IMG tags when I tried to edit the post for some reason to do with the forum interface, or my uselessness at all things PC...
    -Bill
     
    Mbe and Leonthepro like this.
  5. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Nice post Bill ;^)
     
  6. 33na3rd

    33na3rd Forum Resident

    Location:
    SW Washington, USA
    Hey Bill,

    Is it fair to say that the 2M series is basically an evolution of the OM series? I'm not trying to be snarky or funny, just the addition of the threaded top plate is a big deal to me!
     
  7. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Yes, it is. They even named it so. 2m is a sort of play on words. It represents both MM and 2nd generation, although it is actually the third generation. There was OM, OM Super, and now 2m. This latest iteration however does represent a more clear change in the industry at large. The original OM was designed for low mass tonearms and so was a more compliant and lighter weight unit. The OM Super was simply a refinement of that. This new 2m series adds mass and lowers compliance to match up with modern tonearms, which are overwhelmingly of medium mass. The shape of the 2m cartridge body as viewed from the top was purposely chosen to resemble the headshell of the most popular and iconic modern tonearm design.
    -Bill
     
    Rick58, Heckto35, cmcintyre and 5 others like this.
  8. 33na3rd

    33na3rd Forum Resident

    Location:
    SW Washington, USA
    Thanks Bill!
     
  9. BIGGER Dave

    BIGGER Dave Forum Resident

    Thanks! I think I’ll go ahead and replace my 2M Blue stylus with a 2M Bronze stylus and stay with the Red/Blue cartridge. The 2M Bronze stylus is currently available from that “German eBay seller” (William Thakker) for $269. Should make a good upgrade for relatively small money.
     
  10. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Didn't he say that the bronze stylus won't really be utilized fully on the blue cart?
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  11. skriefal

    skriefal Senior Member

    Location:
    SLC, Utah
    Yes. But it should still be an upgrade over the Blue stylus.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  12. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    It wont give the full sound upgrade but it will track better and be more gentle on your records.
     
    Mugrug12 likes this.
  13. Dan

    Dan Senior Member

    Location:
    WNY
    This is welcome news as I was just thinking I'm probably due for a stylus change on my 2M Red. Might as well go blue.
     
    Gso-Rob and Leonthepro like this.
  14. BIGGER Dave

    BIGGER Dave Forum Resident

    FYI - Most USA dealers sell the 2M Blue Cartridge/Stylus for about $236, or the 2M Blue stylus alone for about $190. This popular German seller has the 2M Blue stylus for $159.

    Ortofon 2 M / 2M Blue Stylus *NEW* 5705796180022 | eBay
     
    SandAndGlass and Leonthepro like this.
  15. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I bought a 2M Blue and the cantilever was not only misaligned to the left but also twisted, causing azimuth misalignment.

    I used tweezers to correct it. I literally grabbed the cantilever, twisted and centered it.

    I wonder if I was too reckless and damaged the suspension or something. I believe not. Sounds perfect.
     
  16. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    The reason why that might be bad is, not only are you, you know, grabbing the very sensitive cantilever, but also putting in missguided effort. There is a reason why we correct azimuth for the Stylus and cantilever instead of correcting them for the record, and that is because the generator inside the cartridge is most likely in the same angle as the rest of the assembly. So while you might correct azimuth and reduce channel separation error on the groove contact level, you also increase the same channel imbalance error between the magnets and coils.

    This is assuming the generator to be in perfect line with how the stylus was previously.
     
    cmcintyre and punkmusick like this.
  17. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    ...which of course I'll never know.
     
  18. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Yupp, we will never really know. We simply trust in the manufacturer here.

    This is yet another reason why listening is the important last step, not what looks the most accurate.
     
    punkmusick likes this.
  19. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
  20. Somerset Scholar

    Somerset Scholar Ace of Spades

    Location:
    Bath
    I had a 2M Bronze on an Ortofon Silver cartridge as I replaced the 2M Silver stylus (based on red but an upgrade) that my record player came with. It did improve the accuracy and wiped out any IGD. One minor downside is that the volume was quieter with the Bronze stylus compared to the Silver. Unfortunately this weekend my partner dusted around and caught the Bronze stylus in a cloth and destroyed it. I am now back to my original 2M stylus on the silver cartridge.
    I am thinking now of getting a 2M Blue on the Silver cartridge as an upgrade. Too many bills to pay to get another Bronze! Interesting that Ortofon don't consider a Bronze stylus to be fully compatible with a Red, Blue or Silver cartridge. I wonder if the lower volume I got by putting the bronze onto the Silver cartridge is evidence of this?
     
  21. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    I also suggest breaking at least one of your partner's arms, to give her/him a subtle reminder never to approach your rig again, duster or no duster...
     
  22. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Bill, nice way of presenting this information.

    I do have a question. It has been shown by some that it is possible, but somewhat odd looking, to mount an OM series stylus in the 2M cartridge body. An example of this might be for someone who has a 2M Bronze, that they can save some money by purchasing a OM40 which is a FritzGeiger Nude stylus, over a Black Shibata stylus.

    As I understand it, the FritzGeiger stylus is designed to be detailed like the Black, but to reduce surface noise, more than the Black, which, along with price seems to be the major objections to the black.

    Your opinion?
     
  23. Somerset Scholar

    Somerset Scholar Ace of Spades

    Location:
    Bath
    Well, my 2M Blue (100 years celebration version) arrived today. It was £95 new, which was a good price.
    Anyhow, I have slipped it on to the Silver cartridge and am hugely impressed already, even though others have said it takes a while to "break in".
    Initial thoughts are that I am getting that extra clarity like my old 2M Bronze was giving. I am also getting more volume and bass with the blue over the bronze, which lends support to Ortofon's claims that the red, blue and silver are a fully compatible interchangeable group and the bronze/black similarly.
     
  24. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    I find "break in" to be extremely over rated and misunderstood by most.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  25. Wasabi

    Wasabi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lutz, FL
    This is a great thread. I’m learning a lot here as a future upgrader to Blue from Red. Thanks OP. :righton:
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine