Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Ortofon Super OM-30 Phono Cartridge by carbonman

Model:	Super OM-30
Category:	Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price:	$unknown
Description:	Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge
Manufacturer URL:	Ortofon
Manufacturer URL:	Ortofon

Review by carbonman ( A ) on February 16, 2003 at 16:34:46
IP Address: 142.173.21.140

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for the Super OM-30

I finally took the plunge to buy an Ortofon cartridge after ploughing through countless websites and lots of cartridge commentary on the Asylum. I decided to buy a new moving magnet cartridge with a fine line stylus to replace my Stanton 681EEE-S. This became a real mission after I heard a couple of fine cartridges in friends' systems and realized that it was truly time for a change.

I settled on Ortofon because of the low mass bodies and generally good comments on the Super OM series. My price range was substantially bumped up because of the fine line stylus requirement, and I decided to go for some gusto. I expect that this will be my last cartridge, different styli notwithstanding. (I'll have a Super OM 40 review posted here, too.)

I spent some time carefully aligning the cartridge and setting the arm height. Alignment was done with the standard transparent alignment jig that came with my Thorens TD126 Mk.III. The TP63 arm wand allows rotation of the headshell to adjust azimuth, pretty important with the more extreme stylus profiles. One change I made from the standard Thorens alignment was to increase the stylus overhang by 3.4mm to match the Baerwald alignment specification. All adjustments were checked against a paper template as well.

I left the metal weight in the cartridge mounting assembly because I couldn't find a compelling reason to remove it. Ortofon supplies no information with the cartridge packaging regarding the rationale for retaining or removing the weight. My research indicates that the weight should be removed if your tonearm+cartridge resonance frequency is too low, say in the 5-6 Hz range. Removing the weight lowers the arm assembly effective mass, which raises the resonant frequency. With a typical '70s vintage low mass arm you can probably leave the weight in place.

I set anti-skating with the Hi-Fi News "Producer's Cut" test LP. The cartridge tracks everything except Band 9, where both channels give up. Fine by me, because real music sounds great. I haven't heard audible mistracking on any albums since I installed the cartridge months ago.

Arm height is easy to set up. The normal method of setting up the height is to measure the distance from the arm center line to the record surface with the stylus resting in the record groove at the desired VTF. Ortofon supplies a handy grid printed on cardstock in the clear plastic box that holds the cartridge.

Put an unwarped record of your standard or average thickness on the platter, drop the stylus into the groove about half way in and carefully set the plastic box on the record close behind the tonearm. It is very easy to determine whether the base of the arm needs to be raised or lowered to put the arm and cartridge level with the record. I found no need to change the arm height from this setting, though I did listen to it slightly raised and lowered from level as I set the arm up. Stylus rake angle (SRA) is easily modified by changing tracking force, though I'm never certain whether the changes in bass and treble are due to the different SRA or from the change of magnet orientation in relation to the coils.

I have no mistracking problems from record warps, off-center spindle holes or high groove velocities. I didn't have any with the old 681EEE-S either. This probably indicates that both cartridges are well matched to low mass arms. The OM series have the advantage of being mass tunable, so that they can be used to advantage in higher mass arms as well.

The cartridge is set at 1.5g tracking force, verified with a Shure SFG-2 gauge.
How does it sound? In comparison to my trusty old Stanton, more extended in the high frequencies. This doesn't mean that it's bright, just more open with a hint of "shimmer". The typical Stanton warmth in the upper bass and lower midrange that I was used to is gone. Bass frequencies are all there in proper balance with the rest of the music. Do I miss the old sound? Only with some really bottom-end-shy British pressings that need all the help they can get to be at all listenable.

There is no sense of being "bass shy", "bright", "loose" or any of the other caveats that are put forward in cartridge reviews. Imaging is very good, as is detail. None of this changed appreciably as the cartridge accumulated playing hours.

I thought perhaps I should give a list of cartridges that I've owned or had in my system for audition, but a comparison with my CD player sound (CAL CL-10) is probably better. When I A/B'b Sade "Diamond Life" LP and CD, the tonal balance was almost identical. Sound stage was very slightly forward with marginally better depth with the LP and bass tightness was almost identical to CD.

The highest praise that I can give a component is that it doesn't draw attention to itself. The Super OM 30 certainly falls into this category. In a good, sonically balanced system, this cartridge will be a winner right out of the box. I play a lot more vinyl these days. If that doesn't indicate anything positive about the OM 30, nothing does.

Product Weakness: Totally black cartridge makes aligning to templates and visually setting initial azimuth difficult.
Product Strengths: Neutral sound, adaptability to a variety of arms.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	McIntosh MC7270, 270 w/ch.
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	McIntosh C712
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	California Audio Labs CL-10/Thorens TD126 Mk.III
Speakers:	Joseph Audio RM25si
Cables/Interconnects:	AudioQuest Copperhead (TT), JR89259 (CD/pre/pwr.), Kimber 8PR biwire
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	God forbid, damn near everything except polkas
Room Comments/Treatments:	Lots of little cubbyholes, protrusions, moderately live but diffused sound, balanced bass response
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Tripplite Isobar 8 Ultra
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Totally black cartridge makes aligning to templates and visually setting initial azimuth difficult.
Product Strengths:	Neutral sound, adaptability to a variety of arms.