Ortofon 2M Black Pre-mounted Cartridge

Is the Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge the Right Choice for Your S-Shaped Tonearm?

Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge is the flagship of the Ortofon 2M Series, supplied mounted on Ortofon’s classic SH-4 headshell for S-shaped tonearms. Its Nude Shibata diamond, quad-coil motor system with Ortofon’s split pole pins, and replaceable stylus are what separate it from the rest of the range.

Where does the Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge sit in the 2M Series?

The Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge is the top model in a series whose replacement styli range spans the 2M Red, White, Silver, Blue, Bronze, Black, Black LVB 250, Mono, Mono SE and 78. Choose the 2M Black Premounted if you want the series flagship in a headshell-mounted format.

What does its Shibata stylus do?

The 2M Black Premounted is a Nude Shibata cartridge with a stylus tip radius of 6/50 µm. The 6 µm minor radius gives the diamond its slim profile, and the 50 µm major radius extends its contact line along the groove wall. Ortofon credits this highly polished profile with an exceedingly wide contact area with the groove walls, and with detailed reproduction across the spectrum, down to the most high-frequency groove information. The cartridge’s tracking ability is rated at 80 µm at 315 Hz, the groove modulation amplitude the stylus can follow at that frequency.

Can the Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge’s stylus be replaced or upgraded?

The Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge is a replaceable-stylus design. When the diamond wears, you can order a Stylus 2M Black instead of a whole new cartridge. Ortofon states that replacing a worn stylus delivers a better musical performance by itself, and you save the cost of a new cartridge. 2M styli are interchangeable only within three families: the 2M Red, Blue and Silver; the 2M Bronze, Black and Black LVB 250; and the 2M Mono and 78. The 2M Black body accepts the 2M Bronze and 2M Black LVB 250 styli as well as its own.

How does it differ from the 2M Blue?

This Shibata cartridge differs from the 2M Blue in stylus profile and stylus family. The 2M Blue uses a Nude Elliptical diamond, and Ortofon positions it as the upgrade over the 2M Red and 2M Silver within their shared family. Because the two cartridges sit in separate families, a 2M Blue owner can’t fit a 2M Black stylus to their existing body. Choose the 2M Black if you want the Shibata profile and access to the Bronze, Black and Black LVB 250 styli.

Which tonearms will the Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge fit?

The Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge is intended for direct, easy mounting and replacement on S-shaped tonearms. The SH-4 headshell is sturdy and slim, with an ergonomic finger grip for lifting the arm. The premounted assembly weighs 16.7 g, and the cartridge alone weighs 7.2 g. Its dynamic lateral compliance is 22 µm/mN. That compliance and the cartridge’s weight, together with a tonearm’s effective mass, determine the arm and cartridge’s low-frequency resonance. Ortofon’s product page includes a Compatible Turntables section for confirming a match before you order.

What phono stage loading does the Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge need?

The Ortofon 2M Black Pre-Mounted Cartridge is rated at 5 mV output at 1 kHz (5 cm/s). Ortofon recommends a 47 kΩ load resistance and a 150–300 pF load capacitance.

How is it set up?

The 2M Black Premounted is supplied on its SH-4 headshell, which Ortofon presents as a way to simplify setup. Ortofon recommends a tracking force of 1.5 g, within a range of 1.4–1.7 g. The cartridge’s tracking angle is 20°. A downloadable user guide covers installation.

Can it play 78 rpm records?

This pre-mounted cartridge isn’t the 2M model for 78 rpm records. The Stylus 2M 78 fits only the 2M Mono and 2M 78, so the 2M Black body can’t accept it. Within the series, Ortofon’s 78 rpm option is the 2M 78.

What’s in its motor system?

The Ortofon 2M Black is built around a quad-coil motor system using split pole pins, which are Ortofon’s own invention, with silver-plated copper coil wire. An aluminium cantilever carries the stylus. Internal impedance is 1.2 kΩ. Channel balance is 1 dB and channel separation is 26 dB at 1 kHz. Frequency response runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz at +2/−0 dB.