Back in Black

[Lawrence001]

How the hours must roll by at work

[Jimbo]

Reached 20 hours on the new 2M Black stylus. Ortofon recommend 20 hours to run in and I would say they are absolutely spot on. One aspect I did not mention which was a negative when I first installed the 2M was the slight lack of Bass. Last night this came back strong and exactly how I remembered it from previous stylus.

Along with the superlative sound I am getting from this new stylus and still deathly quiet in the groove I am getting a great new perspective on recordings with the room acoustic materials. The insight into the recordings is remarkable and intriguing.

[Jimbo]

Nearly 50 hours on the 2M Black and everything has become effortless analog across the whole frequency range. The top end has lost a tiny bit of edge and the midrange has filled out significantly which benefits vocals in particular. I would also say there is a tiny bit more transparency to the sound. Although Ortofon suggest 20 hours for break in I would say 40-50 is nearer its optimum performance.

No change in the super quiet groove noise . Compared to my previous 2M black Stylus I think this has a more liquid sound, beautiful tone quality across the spectrum. I am more than impressed which says something when you have been using a cartridge almost exclusively for the past 7 years. Maybe I got lucky and there is great synergy with my system, I don't know but it certainly makes spinning vinyl addictive and shows a clean pair of heals to that alternative music number crunching technology!

[brian2957]

Glad the cartridge is coming on song for you James. I'm currently having great fun with the 2M Black you have kindly loaned me. It sounds absolutely fantastic with my Ifi Zen phono stage

[Jimbo]

Glad the cartridge is coming on song for you James. I'm currently having great fun with the 2M Black you have kindly loaned me. It sounds absolutely fantastic with my Ifi Zen phono stage

I expect that's a killer combination!

[brian2957]

Yes mate, this combo sounds excellent IMO.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Yes I was converted to the virtues of the 2MB. Certainly the best ever MM I'd ever heard.

[Jimbo]

So now passed the 50 hour mark and to be honest the 2M is now sounding very very similar to my previous cartridge apart from the super quiet groove noise. I have been messing around a little with the VTA as I was trying to compensate for suspension run in. Not surprisingly after going back and forth I have ended up back where I finished with my last stylus.

So I would say Ortofon are manufacturing these stylus within a very close tolerance as it is now sounding so close to my previous stylus. There is definitely some tweaking to do with the 2M to get it to sound right and I was a bit flippant with this as I have set so many up over the last few years. However VTA is the most critical setting as this really does seem to affect the tonal quality and right level of top end to bass. I always run mine at 1.6g VTF as I have found this gives the best sound with my tonearm and table.

I have been particularly attentive with this stylus and I know it may bore some folk with me wittering on but it may be useful for folk who are setting up a 2M black for the first time. All I would say is persevere and keeping changing VTA by ear until you get that nice balance of detail and tone and you will be rewarded with a taste of high end vinyl performance at a fair price.

[brian2957]

Aye I know what you mean mate. I'm still tinkering

[Jimbo]

Aye I know what you mean mate. I'm still tinkering

The problem with the 2M black is that it is sensitive to set up but this can be used to your advantage as I have found you can tweak it to get the sound you particularly like where as many other cartridges have been less amenable to tweaking?