Benz Micro Glider SL or Ortofon 2M Black

[amzov]

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

[Smegger68]

http://www.analogueseduction.net/user/products/large/Benz_Micro_Ace_SL_Cartridge.jpg

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.

[Ian7633]

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.

[RobbieGong]

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

[Mike Reed]

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.

[Lurch]

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.

[hifi_dave]

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.

[Ali Tait]

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.

[Mike Reed]

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.

[Ali Tait]

Yes agreed, Benz tend not to exhibit the brightly lit treble of many MC’s.

[ovlov854]

I am quite a fan of Benz and the Hanna is well thought of too.
If you want to go Benz then get in touch with Expert Stylus Co as they have very good exchange pries (I bought a shagged out Linn with a broken cantilever for a fiver anything will do but dont tell anyone) :sofa:

[amzov]

A bit of information I got on point 2. above:

I contacted the distributor of Unico Nuovo and I was told the following:
If I want to use a MC cart with the amp, it would have to be changed internally.
Jumpers on the left set MM / MC - Jumpers on 1&2 = MM / Jumpers on 2&3 = MC
Jumpers on the right set gain - Jumpers on 1&2 = 0dB / Jumpers on 2&3 = +10dB
Followed by the attached immage.
I presume the above means that I can get the best out of a decent MC cartridge?

[mac72]

I am quite a fan of Benz and the Hanna is well thought of too.
If you want to go Benz then get in touch with Expert Stylus Co as they have very good exchange pries (I bought a shagged out Linn with a broken cantilever for a fiver anything will do but dont tell anyone) :sofa:
Very good advice , get part ex from them .
I owned Benz Ace , Glider now running Wood SL , my choice would be an Ace - Gliders exposed and sticking out cantilever made me nervous to the point were I decided to let it go .
I'm not entirely convinced if going from Ortofon 2MB to Benz is the right thing to do , Benz carts are bit on the warmer side IMHO

[337alant]

I tried the quintet Black and TBH I thought whats all the fuss its bland and boring
I read about getting it setup exactly right but no matter what I did, same result :scratch: quickly disposed of IMO
I really don't see what anyone sees in this cart??????

Alan

[amzov]

Thank you for the advice, guys!
I decided to go with the Hana SL in the end.
A few hours in, and it sounds AMAZING!

[RobbieGong]

Thank you for the advice, guys!
I decided to go with the Hana SL in the end.
A few hours in, and it sounds AMAZING!

Nice one ! glad you're enjoying it :thumbsup:

Looking forward to further thoughts once you've put some hours on and a few piccies ;)

[walpurgis]

There's one sensibly priced MC nobody ever seems to consider and that's the Goldring Eroica LX. It's a really musical little thing. I have one in my collection and like it a lot. It's quite happy alongside my ZYX's.

[Floyddroid]

I tried the quintet Black and TBH I thought whats all the fuss its bland and boring
I read about getting it setup exactly right but no matter what I did, same result :scratch: quickly disposed of IMO
I really don't see what anyone sees in this cart??????

Alan

I totally agree. i didn't have mine for long.