Clearaudio Concept/Ortofon 2M Bronze

[jrebman]

Well, an update for any of you who care...

After considering the various merits of the 2m bronze and black, the CA Maestro and Virtuso and the Soundsmith Aida, I've decided to go with the 2M black, which has been ordered and paid for.

Shawn has tried it on his Concept, and the one aspect I was most concerned about -- added surface noise pickup due to the higher resolution, is not at all an issue.

Thanks all for your input and all the offline chatting, and special thanks to Shawn for comparing the two he had available on his Concept.

This seems like a good way to get back into vinyl -- Concept, 2M Black and Eros (with a collection of NOS euro ef86s and a couple of 7308 PQs to choose from.)

-- Jim

[grufti]

I hope you truly enjoy your Ortofon 2M Black not just at first, but for a long time of listening to records. It is what I have been using with the Eros and I have never even considered another moving magnet cartridge since. Congratulations.

[InfernoSTi]

Congrats, Jim.  I'm very much looking forward to your thoughts on the new cartridge.  Enjoy your music....

John

[Grainger49]

And he has some new-to-him vinyl on its way.  When he gets the table set up he will good for a few days with the new LPs.

[denti alligator]

After moving from the 2M Red to a Nagaoka MP-110 I am wary of the 2M series and surface noise. If it's not an issue, then someday when I get enough money saved up, I too would like to upgrade to the Black.

[mchurch]

Congratulations on the 2M Black. After you work your way through the hours you will find it just gets better. I thought I had reached the best mine could give but then I adjusted the Stylus Rake Angle with the help of a USB Microscope and the azimuth with a Fozgometer it got even better. In my opinion the Black is probably one of the best MM cartridges out there. I am only running a Seduction at the moment but plan to upgrade to the Eros this year so it might even get better.

On a side note I have never encountered any issues with surface noise with the Black unless I had headphones on and was pushing the volume. But at those levels it was like standing behind a jet engine and so I never go that high.  The one thing I have noted since building my BH set-up was the feeling of a dead quiet background. I love the performance so much I rarely use my CDP anymore.

Cheers;


Mike