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Ortofon, who'd a thunkit?

Ron Pilgrim

Ron Pilgrim

Well, whadya say, Pilgrim
I have been running an Audio Technica AT125LC on whatever TT that I owned for about 25 years now. I first purchased it for a Technics SL-D2 in 1982 and was totally impressed with the improvement in sound quality over the Pickering V15 625DJ that it replaced, and I have sworn by it ever since. My next TT purchase was the Dual 505-2 that I still run and refer to it as The King.(I know that there is, better but for my budget, I am not gonna be able to afford better) Naturally, the AT125LC became the lead for my Dual. For years I have sworn that this combo(for the money) could not be bettered, until now. As a result of a Technics TT that I acquired, I came into possession of an Ortofon LM 30. I have read for years now that Ortofon's are a perfect match for Duals, but I really didn't think that anything was going to dethrone my 505-2/AT125LC combo. Well, after finally getting enough ambition to make the swap, I can honestly say, wow, what an improvement!! I am listening to it right now and I am in awe. Not only is the transparency of the Ortofon vastly superior to the AT, but records that I had written of as unlistenable because of surface noise are now at the top of my playlist. Don't be offended by the title of this thread because, its not that I didn't think that Ortofon made high quality carts, I just didn't think that my AT could be bested. How wrong was I? All is not lost though, I am going to install the AT on the Technics SL 1401 that donated the Ortofon and am quite sure that will be a good marriage as well.
 

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I guess I woulda' thunkit. My TT is currently undergoing a transformation (AT to Ortofon). Not only is the cartridge brand changing, but we're both stepping up in cartridge class as well.

Enjoy your new acquisition! :music:
 
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Ron, experiences like yours are what make this hobby so much fun for me, glad it worked out so well for you!

In the early 80's I used an Ortofon LM15 on a Dual 506-2 and found the combination very musical. Using that setup I made some of my most listenable Jazz LP recordings to a Nakamichi+dbx, last year I burned those cassettes to CD so can enjoy hearing them and the Ortofon Dual pairing anytime.

Bluespower, one noticeable difference between the OM and LM is the LM had a much shorter body height which I think more correctly matched the tonearm height on my 506-2 and I suspect other older Duals as well.
 
I've been using OMs for a bunch of years, and yes, they do seem to be a "taller" cartridge. I think they are about .125" higher (measured from the mounting surface to the stylus point) that any of my other carts (Sure, Grado, etc). Sonically, do you know/suspect that they are the same?
 
Sonically I can only speak for the LM15, in comparison on first listen to the OM5E and then OM20 I found them more neutral sounding than the LM15, the LM was warmer or fuller sounding and reproduced vocals in a very pleasing and natural way. The bass was also stronger on the LM15 too which complimented the Dual's lean bottom end nicely.
 
I picked up an ADC carbon fibre tone arm, a JVC TT, and an Ortophone LM 30 recently. This weekend I plan on swapping out TTs and giving it a go.

What are you guys tracking at?
 
Nice find! I tracked the LM15 at 1.7 Grams on the Dual, just checked my instruction booklet but unfortunately it only shows the LM10 and LM15 specifications.
 
The LM 30, I believe, is a nude elliptical. The LM 40, a quad designed stylus that still works exceptional for 2-channel reproduction.


The only complaints I've heard is a slight lean-ness of bass with these carts. However, the rest of the spectrum is supposedly exceptional, and better than many.
 
I thought the 20 was the nude elliptical and the 30 a fine line. Then again, I'm not sure if Ortofon has been consistent with these numbered stylii over the length of the production.

I have an older style 20 stylus (without the cut-out over the top of the cantilever) that I use on my LM-era Concorde body. I also use the lighter alternate counterweight that came with the Concorde; it won't work with the stock counterweight on my SL-1700Mk2. The current production Concorde cartridges are heavier.
 
Ortofon

Never heard a LM series, but I've a VMS 30, Super 40, and 2M Blue. Been listening to my AT 400ML, which I like better.

Until my Denon DL-160 arrived. I think I've a bunch of really nice Ortofons going to Ebay, along with a 440ML.

The 440 kinds of depends on how much I like my Sound Smith Dynavector when it shows up. I have high hopes.

Chas
 
Well, compared to the OMs the LM series just like the old hifi Concordes had the previous VMS generator version with 600 Ohm and 500 mH. Recommended load capacity was 400 pF, btw - so the generator is less problematic than AT's 120 family generator in that regard. And available needles were 10 (bonded elliptical), 15 (bonded elliptical, less VTF/higher compliance), 20/20H (bonded FineLine, H = high compliance version) and 30/30H (nude FineLine, H = high compliance version).

RP: I rather wonder why you are so surprised. You're now using a cartridge body that reacts less critical to capacitive loading - and a higher quality needle on that. So it's not all too surprising that both together can make quite a big difference... Or you can also look at it that way: It's not for no reason that the ATN125LC was just the second lowest ranking needle in the AT120 family (or third lowest ranking, if one includes the ATN103...) and that AT produced several higher ranking needles for that family as well (and even still makes two today...).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Ortofon also made a OS series for Harman Kardon turntables in the 1980's. I bought a Harman Kardon T55C at a thrift store and it had a Ortofon OS-20 cartridge on it. It is exactly like an OM-20. The stylus on it was broken and I finally replaced it with a OM-20 Pfanstiehl stylus for $18. The sound of this cartridge is amazing it is just as good as my Audio Technica AT-440Mla with the AT being a bit more refined. I'm glad I bought the stylus for the Ortofon. It's mounted on my Technics SL-1650 turntable/changer and is a great combo! The Audio Technica is mounted on my Thorens TD-160 MkI with SME 3009 II Improved arm another great combo.
 
Bluespower said:
What was the difference between the LM and OM series?
Click to expand...
As far as I am aware, there are two differences, one large, one small.
The small difference is that the OM series uses microscopically slit pole pins. Ortofon said that this reduced something called "eddy currents"
The big difference is how the lower shell is attached to the mounting plate.
The pic below is the LM series. Look at how small the mount is.


Now, take a look at the mount of an OM. Much larger, taller, and more solid:
ortofonlargeframea.jpg


Believe me, there was a difference in the sound, even for tin-eared me!
 
The older Ortofon carts during the VMS period...like the VMS, F/FF and others are, to me, the BEST sounding carts Orotofon made. I currently have a 2M BLUE and I'll tell ya, I prefer the sound of my FF 15 XE Mk II over the BLUE. The old VMS design just made music really well! Also, the VMS and F/FF mount right to a REGA arm without any shiming and MAN do they sound good!!!

Joey
 
Perhaps when they are suspended from a large headshell, but I find them rather sleek in their own strange looking kinda way. Here's one on my Rega arm

OM_R.jpg


on my Thorens

145.jpg


and one on my Technics

OM_T.jpg


Of course, I've allways liked things that are a little different.

R69S.jpg


I've got a garage full of BMW "air heads" similar to this.
 
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Nah, looks like the front of a Concorde plane, or else some weird robot penis. That bike looks cool, though!
 
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