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Thread: Benz Micro Glider SL or Ortofon 2M Black

  1. #1
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: London

    Posts: 6
    I'm Krassi.

    Default Benz Micro Glider SL or Ortofon 2M Black

    My situation is as follows:

    A few days ago my Ortofon 2m Black MM cart broke so I returned it to the seller.
    Long story short... I am now facing the dilemma of either a) getting another Ortofon 2M Black MM cart, i.e. keeping the status quo, or b) upgrading to something better (and probably more expensive)
    There has been some strong peer pressure to get the Benz Micro Glider SL (which is a new direction for me as I have never listened to a MC cart)

    My questions are as follows:

    1. Does moving from MM to MC cart justify the extra cost (in this case an extra £490 for the Benz Micro Glider), which is almost double the price of a Ortofon Black?
    2. Can I even use the Micro Glider SL with my amp? Or do I need an SM, or an SH? I have a hybrid (valve and mosfet ) Unison Research Unico Nuovo integrated amplifier which has the capability of both MM and MC carts.
    The manual says the following:
    This phono board is able to interface with both MM and MC
    cartridges.
    Movable links on the board (two for right channel and two for left
    channel) enable this adjustment to be carried out. The relative
    positions are clearly marked MM and MC.
    Two further movable links fitted to the phono board allow the level
    of gain (amplification) to be changed by +/-10dB. In practice, MM
    cartridges having an output lower than 4mV and MC cartridges
    having an output lower that 0.5mV will probably require these links
    to be set at the +10dB position.

    I am not quite sure what the above means, so any simplified insight into it would be great.
    3. I like the bass that the Ortofon 2M Black produces with my current set up. A lot of reviews of the Benz Micro Glider SL are saying that the bass is a bit lacking with this cart. Is this the case compared to the Ortofon 2M Black? Can a comparison be even made, or is it apples and oranges situation?

    As you can probably guess from the above, I am a bit of a newbie in this field, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thank you all in advance.

    K

  2. #2
    Join Date: Feb 2010

    Location: Bridgend, Wales

    Posts: 171
    I'm James.

    Default



    My suggestion - The Benz Micro Ace S L. Most of the performance of the Glider for significantly less spend at £695. I love mine

    As far as your amp setup goes, you change the first set of links to MC and if it sounds a bit quiet, change the others to the +10dB position.
    Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck / Kuzma Stogi S / Benz Micro Ace S L
    Lenco L-75 / Carl Ellis Plinth / Ortofon AS-212 / Ortofon SPU Classic GM E MkII
    Ortofon ST-7 SUT / Nick G Modded Lentek Head Amp / Croft RIAA

    Cambridge Audio CXU / Theta DS Pro Prime

    Classé Model 30 / Luxman M-383

    Usher Compass X-719


    May contain opinions that others find disturbing.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    I moved on from a 2M Black to an Ortofon Quintet Black a while back. Like you I was happy with the weight and authority the 2M delivered but I wanted to improve on the space and " airiness " . Enter the Quintet Black, it has the qualities of the 2M but a wider, more spacious soundstage and a more delicate and detailed top end. What did surprise me was the solid, tight and controlled bass, all that the 2M does but with a little more finesse. For me it is a good improvement on the 2M Black and at less than a third the price of a Cadenza Black really good value.
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: London

    Posts: 4,419
    I'm Robert.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ian7633 View Post
    I moved on from a 2M Black to an Ortofon Quintet Black a while back. Like you I was happy with the weight and authority the 2M delivered but I wanted to improve on the space and " airiness " . Enter the Quintet Black, it has the qualities of the 2M but a wider, more spacious soundstage and a more delicate and detailed top end. What did surprise me was the solid, tight and controlled bass, all that the 2M does but with a little more finesse. For me it is a good improvement on the 2M Black and at less than a third the price of a Cadenza Black really good value.
    +1
    My System:
    Amplification - Sansui AU-alpha 707 DR
    Turntable - Technics SP10 MK2-Technics EPA-250 Tonearm-Yannis Tome 423.5Plus tonearm cable-Eichmann KLEI Absolute Harmony plugs.
    Ortofon Cadenza Black moving coil cartridge-Fritz Gyger S re-tip. Panzerholz plinth.

    CDP - Pioneer PD-91
    Speakers - Spendor D7 on Soundcare SuperSpikes
    QED Silver Spiral speaker cable-airloc banana plugs
    Mains - Ultra Pure silver plated un-switched socket-Missing link EPS 500 silver plated plugs-Hi-Fi Tuning gold plated silver ceramic 13 amp fuses

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    O.P. If your tone-arm is up to getting the best out of a moving coil (should be medium mass +/- 12g with good bearings), I don't think you'd revert to a MM again. Besides, there seem to be reliability instances re. the 2M Blk at the mo'. You will prob. need full gain on your phono input as I'd imagine output is from 0.4 to 0.5 mV. I suggest you Google the lower echelons of Ortofon MCs to get a flavour of the one which tickles your fancy. Both magazine and personal reviews abound.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Sep 2017

    Location: Chichester, West Sussex UK

    Posts: 368
    I'm John.

    Default

    If you like the ortofon family sound then a good move would be the Quintet Black as suggested above.
    However I would also seriously consider the Hana SL Inplace of the Glider.
    The Hana is a cart that punches well above its price point, does serious controlled deep punchy bass with very good midrange, and treble detail, and at £589 a true hifi bargain.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,076
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    I'm not a fan of the Ortofon, so would veer towards a Benz or the Hana Shibata equipped MC, which is very good value.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

    Posts: 13,664
    I'm inthescottishmafia.

    Default

    Glider would be my vote, does most of what my Gullwing SLR does imo, which makes it a bit of a bargain, that or the Gullwing is overpriced lol.
    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

    Hunter S Thompson

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    Despite my post above, I am also not a great fan of Ortofons, though I gather the Cadenzas are a big advance. I've had a Benz Ebony, though, and loved it; just the right touch of warmth and quite dynamically detailed with it. I'd imagine, unlike some other marques, most Benzes have a common flavour, and that would be my direction.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

    Posts: 13,664
    I'm inthescottishmafia.

    Default

    Yes agreed, Benz tend not to exhibit the brightly lit treble of many MC’s.
    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

    Hunter S Thompson

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