Can someone confirm that this is NOT the Verso version of the Ortofon 2M Bronze

[bearchuck]

I recently ordered an open box item from Music Direct - the Ortofon 2M Verso Bronze cartridge - which I planned on mounting on my Thorens TD 165. For those of you who are unaware, the "Verso" version of the cartridge is specifically for vintage Thorens headshells with the bottom-style mount. The screws are also slightly smaller: 2 mm diameter vs the typical 2.5 mm size.

Anyway, I received the package today and after about 10 minutes of thinking that I'm the dumbest person on Earth because I can't figure out how to mount this damn cartridge, I came to the conclusion that there's absolutely no way that this is the Verso version ... despite what the box says.

Long story short, there's no way to access the screw heads to tighten them with the provided tool. Also, the top mounting plate does no lay flat because the holes are not countersunk on the correct side. When I flip the top plate so the the countersunk holes are below, then the middle screw cannot be countersunk properly and it protrudes from the plate by a few mm.

So I'm 99% sure that I'm correct, but there's not a lot of photographic evidence on the web that can help me confirm. I'll post pictures below, and if anyone who has experience can chime in, I'd appreciate it!

OrtofonVerso5

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso3

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso2

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso1

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso4

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

 

[benricci]

The top of the Verso cartridge should actually look like this (see below). Notice how the countersinking is different than what you have.

 

[BillWojo]

Looks like the plate was made wrong. I'd send it back.

BillWojo

 

[bearchuck]

Looks like the plate was made wrong. I'd send it back.

BillWojo

Oh ... I don't think it was made wrong. I think it's just the plate for the regular top-mounting version of the 2M. Same with the cartridge body, but if anyone has a pic of the underside where you can see the top of the screw heads, that would 100% confirm it for me.

 

[ETI_5000]

One would think that the top of the plate on the 2M standard body is probably countersunk to help guide the removable screws down into the cartridge holes as you fit them. The top of the Verso top plate wouldn't have to be countersunk (apart from around the middle screw which holds the plate to the body), because the two screws fit from the other side.

 

[Vintagear]

I recently ordered an open box item from Music Direct - the Ortofon 2M Verso Bronze cartridge - which I planned on mounting on my Thorens TD 165. For those of you who are unaware, the "Verso" version of the cartridge is specifically for vintage Thorens headshells with the bottom-style mount. The screws are also slightly smaller: 2 mm diameter vs the typical 2.5 mm size.

Anyway, I received the package today and after about 10 minutes of thinking that I'm the dumbest person on Earth because I can't figure out how to mount this damn cartridge, I came to the conclusion that there's absolutely no way that this is the Verso version ... despite what the box says.

Long story short, there's no way to access the screw heads to tighten them with the provided tool. Also, the top mounting plate does no lay flat because the holes are not countersunk on the correct side. When I flip the top plate so the the countersunk holes are below, then the middle screw cannot be countersunk properly and it protrudes from the plate by a few mm.

So I'm 99% sure that I'm correct, but there's not a lot of photographic evidence on the web that can help me confirm. I'll post pictures below, and if anyone who has experience can chime in, I'd appreciate it!

OrtofonVerso5

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso3

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso2

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso1

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

OrtofonVerso4

• bearchuck
• Aug 23, 2021

Another possibility is that you have the top-plate on upside-down. Not sure if Ortofon uses the same plate for both versions. The screws in the Verso should be flat-head and as others have mentioned we can see on your plate that there is a recessed counter-sunk area where the screws come up. That looks like where a flat screw head would rest (or as previously stated to act as a guide for insertion from above) so the plate is possibly on wrong if it can be installed both ways. What's clear is that the screw heads in there currently are obstructing the top plate, not allowing it to go down flush - you can see how it tilts up on the screw side.

If the screws that it came with are flat heads try reversing the plate to see if it works.

If any of the following conditions exist:

• You can't flip the top plate
• You can't get the top plate flush
• The screws don't line up with the TD headshell slots
• The screws are too thick/large
• The screws provided have raised heads vs. flat heads

I would send it back to MD. Any of those conditions could indicate that may have a standard cart (non-verso) that someone reversed the screws and pulled a fast one on MD swapping their standard cart for a Verso.

Below is an image from the web. At the very bottom of the picture you can see what the underside of the Verso plate should look like.

 

[The Slider]

That's just the normal 2M Bronze. The Verso looks like below ...