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Ortofon 2M Red to 2M Blue nude?

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Posted on January 29, 2008 at 10:38:13
Mercury Boy
 Hi,

When I purchased my 2M Red last year, the dealer mentioned that I could purchase a blue stylus down the track and it would slot right in (apparently the 2M Red and 2M Blue cartridges are identical apart from the stylus).

Although I probably only have around 400 hours on the clock with the Red stylus, I am considering upgrading to the Blue stylus. What I am wondering is how much of an improvement is a nude ellipitical stylus over a basic elliptical bonded one?

I really only have one significant vinyl playback problem and that is lower fidelity in the inner grooves. Although this is of course termed inner groove distortion, I prefer to describe the sound of the inner tracks as sounding like a compact disc (yeh, it's THAT bad :).

So I am wondering if going to the nude ellipitcal stylus will improve the tracking ability on the inner grooves? I would even be happy to fork out for the 2M Bronze with a fine line stylus, however I am reticent after reading reviews which say it is pretty bright and lacking in warmth. And the 2M black is most likely out of my price range (maybe, but it would have to be *amazing* in the inner grooves for me to stretch the budget).

I really love the sound of the 2M Red - it's just that it isn't too crash hot in the inner grooves and this is putting me off when it sounds so great in the outer and middle grooves.

 

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RE: Ortofon 2M Red to 2M Blue nude?, posted on January 29, 2008 at 11:24:16
mattjk
 a nude stylus is lighter and should have less tracking distortion than one with a metal shank.

 

RE: Ortofon 2M Red to 2M Blue nude?, posted on January 29, 2008 at 11:42:14
Mercury Boy
 Thanks for that. That was basically what I was thinking. I guess the question is whether the $400 AUD price premium for a 2M Black over a 2M Blue stylus would be worthwhile in terms in minimising iner groove distortion.

It seems from the Hi Fi World review that the Black does very well in the inner grooves, but I can't find the same analysis for the Blue. But the Bronze is noticeably worse than the Black so I guess the Blue would be worse than the Bronze.

Perhaps I should bite the bullet and get the Black, though this is a horrendous amount of money for me (but I realise it is nothing compared to what most people around here have).

 

RE: Ortofon 2M Red to 2M Blue nude?, posted on January 29, 2008 at 11:51:05
mattjk
 from the reviews I've read, the black is a totally different sound. if you like your current sound, I would get the blue stylus.

 

RE: Ortofon 2M Red to 2M Blue nude?, posted on January 29, 2008 at 21:54:58
Mercury Boy
 The reviews also suggest that just changing to a blue stylus from red will also change the sound. Since I favour warmth and smoothness over anything else, I don't feel that I would be less satisfied with the sound of the Black compared to the Red (which was also felt to be warmer than the blue).

I still have to wonder how much improvement having the same stylus profile but nude will help with the inner groove distortion. I worry I will spend $180 on a blue stylus, only to wish I had spent $500 more for the black.

I seem to have become very sensitive to inner groove distortion given that my current stylus isn't good at hiding it. I would like to hear more opinions on how going up the 2M range will help with tracking distortion, particularly on the audiophile classical LPs I purchase and particularly on the inner tracks.

At this point I am leaning towards the 2M Black, because clearly whatever I do (blue, bronze, black), the sound is going to change anyway. To my current way of thinking, given that change is inevitable, better to play safe and go for the sound that to my ears will be the least offensive. And it seems that the smoothest and warmest sounding of these 2M cartirdges are the red and black.

 

Check this month's HIFI news, posted on January 30, 2008 at 15:09:51
richardl
Audiophile

Posts: 3585
Joined: September 5, 2002
 he complains about tracking of the Ortofon Blue

 

RE: Check this month's HIFI news, posted on January 30, 2008 at 15:49:06
Mercury Boy
 Well the stylus profiles are exactly the same (red and blue) and other people on the net have complained about the tracking of the Blue too (here and elsewhere). I have bitten the bullet and ordered the black. If that does not solve the problem, then I will still keep the black and upgrade the turntable. It is pretty clear from the review though, that the black has less tracking distortion than the bronze, which in turn has less tracking distortion than the blue.

 

RE: Check this month's HIFI news, posted on January 30, 2008 at 16:19:04
Mercury Boy
 btw, I would be extremely interested to see that Blue review, but sadly HFN is no longer sold in Australia. Not even my dealr was aware of tracking complaints regarding the Red and Blue until I told him about it.

Of course, this all needs to be in context. I think I was having a lend of myself if I thought a $100 cartridge could properly handle heavily cut classical audiophile reissues that go to 35 khz and beyond with virtually flawless results.

 

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