Ortofon 2M Blue listening impressions

Posted by nightdoggy on May 28, 2007 at 07:10:47

I had not listened to a moving magnet for quite some time and so I decided to check out the Ortofon 2M Blue when it became available from Needle Doctor a month ago. The 2M was reportedly in development for two years and is a completely new design, according to Ortofon literature. I paid $200 for mine. The Red version is half the price at $100 and has a bonded elliptical stylus while the Blue's is a nude elliptical.
I listened to it through the Sutherland Ph3D, Jolida JD9A and finally the Citation 21 phono section to tape out. The 21 has an excellent, more conventional phono stage.
I immediately noticed that the 2M has a very prominent low end response. I checked all of my settings thinking something else was causing the strong bottom. The organ pedals on Selling England by the Pound (Genesis) shook my room, for example.
For midrange response character I listened to M.F. Horn Two (Maynard Ferguson) and Chicago VI. Both could pass for audiophile recordings as they are very clean, open and dynamic. The 2M excelled at reproducing brass.
The high end is where you can tell the 2M is not a moving coil cartridge. The 2M's high end is very clean, smooth and seemingly rolled off slightly like most moving magnets. Because it is not as bright up top like some of my moving coils, the 2M can be listened to for very long periods without irritation.
In a nutshell the Ortofon 2M is a very clean, smooth, low distortion cartridge in the tradition of the legendary M20FL Super. It has soul too and will make anyone with $200 to spend on a cartridge very satisfied.

doggy

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Topic - Ortofon 2M Blue listening impressions - nightdoggy 07:10:47 05/28/07 (4)

This helped me - WildWest 10:42:02 12/26/08 (0)

'bout time ;-) - OMalley 11:26:28 05/28/07 (3)

Sorry! - nightdoggy 20:31:48 05/28/07 (2)

RE: Sorry! - krenzler 00:33:41 05/29/07 (1)

Black - nightdoggy 08:28:39 05/29/07 (0)

RE: 2m Blue - Con-fusion 15:02:01 12/26/08 (0)

Ortofon 2M Blue listening impressions

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