Ortofon 2M 78 Moving Magnet Cartridge

Ortofon 2M 78: A Mono Cartridge for Playing 78 RPM Shellac Records

The Ortofon 2M 78 is a moving magnet cartridge built specifically for playing 78 rpm shellac records rather than standard microgroove vinyl. Collectors who own a shellac collection alongside their LPs need a cartridge that matches the physical groove profile of 78s, and the 2M 78 exists to fill that gap without requiring a separate mono-only turntable or phono stage. It sits within Ortofon's wider 2M Series, but its stylus geometry and output wiring are set up around shellac playback rather than general-purpose stereo use.

What makes its stylus suited to shellac playback?

The 2M 78 is fitted with a spherical diamond stylus, with a tip radius of 65 µm. Shellac 78s were cut with a larger groove profile than vinyl records, and a stylus cut for microgroove LPs isn't shaped to match it. The 2M 78's spherical tip accommodates this larger groove profile directly, which keeps the stylus properly seated in the groove and preserves accurate, consistent tracking across original shellac pressings.

How does it deliver true mono sound on a stereo system?

The 2M 78 is equipped with a strapped output, which sends the same signal from both sets of pole pins rather than the separate left and right channel signals a stereo cartridge produces. This removes the need for dedicated mono-specific electronics or a separate mono phono input, so the cartridge connects to a standard stereo phono stage and amplifier while still reproducing the recording as a true mono signal.

Will the Ortofon 2M 78 fit your turntable?

The Ortofon 2M 78 is designed, like the rest of the 2M Series, for easy mounting and for a weight and size that fits the most common turntables on the market. For tonearms and headshells outside that common format, Ortofon also builds the 2M platform in three further configurations: the 2M Premounted for direct fitting to S-shaped tonearms, the 2M Verso for bottom-mount headshells, and the 2MR for the low-form-factor fittings used on turntables such as Rega. Checking which mounting style your tonearm takes before ordering avoids a mismatch between cartridge and headshell.

What tracking force and tonearm setup does it need?

The 2M 78 is specified for a recommended tracking force of 1.8 g, within an acceptable range of 1.6 to 2.0 g, and a tracking angle of 20°. Its compliance rating of 18 µm/mN places it in the band Ortofon pairs with low mass tonearms, those with an effective mass of 10 grams or below. Matching cartridge compliance to tonearm mass this way keeps the combined system's resonance frequency within the recommended range, which is what keeps tracking stable through the groove. At 7.2 g unmounted, or 16.7 g once premounted, the 2M 78's own weight is one of the figures that feeds into that total tonearm system mass calculation. Ortofon also specifies a recommended load resistance of 47 kOhm and a load capacitance of 150-300 pF for the phono stage, alongside a stated frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+3/-1 dB).

Where does the 2M 78 sit within Ortofon's range?

The 2M 78 is the dedicated shellac and mono model within a 2M Series that otherwise consists of stereo cartridges, including the 2M Red, 2M Blue, 2M Bronze and 2M Black. Buyers who already own one of these stereo 2M models for their vinyl collection don't need to replace it to play 78s; the 2M 78 serves as a second, dedicated cartridge or headshell fitted specifically for shellac sessions. As a moving magnet design, the 2M 78 also keeps its stylus user-replaceable, in line with the rest of the 2M Series, which supports a straightforward upgrade or replacement path without needing to replace the cartridge body itself.