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Ortofon 2M (Red and 78)

N

NoahM

New Member
I'm looking into replacing my current cartridge, as I can't find new styli for it and it doesn't have much clearance on my TT (an AT-LP120). I've decided that I'm likely going to get the Ortofon 2M Red for LP's and (few) 45s. I'm also planning on getting the 78 cart. for 78s and mono LP's. What do you folks think?

In particular, is it worth it to get the PnP version with the built-in headshell?
 
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There's no way I would attempt to track 78 rpm records at 1.8 grams. I'd love to know what Ortofon were smoking when they made that 2M 78 rpm cartridge.
 
Poinzy said:
There's no way I would attempt to track 78 rpm records at 1.8 grams. I'd love to know what Ortofon were smoking when they made that 2M 78 rpm cartridge.
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Agreed. I would probably check with them to see what the upper end of tracking weight the cantilever can take is. I have no clue what to get for 78s because most folks seem to think that they can make styli which will track like LP ones!
 
Hi,

You can't have looked hard. What is your current cartridge ?

78 is for 78 and nothing to do with mono LP's.

YMMV but IMO you can do a lot better than the Red for $100,
and the premount version is a total dead end and a bad idea

The AT95VL for instance, $100 and the 78 stylus is $25.

rgds, sreten.
 
sreten said:
Hi,

You can't have looked hard. What is your current cartridge ?

78 is for 78 and nothing to do with mono LP's.

YMMV but IMO you can do a lot better than the Red for $100,
and the premount version is a total dead end and a bad idea

The AT95VL for instance, $100 and the 78 stylus is $25.

rgds, sreten.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but then I need to rewire it to mono everytime I want to listen to a 78.
 
NoahM said:
Yeah, but then I need to rewire it to mono everytime I want to listen to a 78.
Click to expand...

Hi,

And your point is ? Your not being very clear, or I misunderstood - seems you want to use the Red
stylus in the 2M78 for mono LP's. Good idea but your pricing yourself beyond what you really need.

The 2M78 is at best is simply the normal body with shorted L+R together. Such a mono switch
is a doddle to wire into the system anywhere, Still if you want to do it the above way get the
AT95VL and this :

http://www.lpgear.com/product/AT9578.html

Its not remotely clear whether L+R is internally strapped, check with a multimeter,
if not easy to do with fine wire in a figure of eight near the body of the two pins.

rgds, sreten.
 
I currently have an AT LP120 USB TT with the stock AT95E cartridge and stylus. Thinking of upgrading to an Ortofon 2M red. Read somewhere that if I get the Ortofon headshell preinstalled with the cartridge, it becomes too heavy and the counterweight would have to be dialled way back to the extent that the dust cover has to be removed. Is this true? If so how hard is it to install just the Ortofon cartridge to the AT headshell?
 
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sreten said:
Hi,

YMMV but a Red, system dependant, is pretty sideways.

For the price of a Red you could upgrade to the far better :

http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGATN95VL.html

Its not only better, but will last far longer than the Red.

rgds, sreten.

Personally though, I don't think the LP120 is fabulous,
and perhaps your best bet is this upgrade stylus :
http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGATN95SE.html
Use the old stylus on singles and poorer records.
Click to expand...

What are the qualities of this replacement stylus that makes it superior to the stock stylus?
 
The OP doesn't state what his original cartridge is.... if he has a newer AT-LP120 then it should be an AT-95E with under normal circumstances has plenty of clearance between it, and the record surface, if balanced correctly.... - he makes a point of mentioning a lack of clearance.... so unless he has replaced the original slipmat with a very 'tall' rubber mat, and not adjusted the VTA control beneath the arm, or is tracking the original cartridge at far too high-a VTF, then there shouldn't be a problem there!
In fact, Having used Ortofon before, they leave very little clearance below the cartridge and record anyway - the AT-95 if set correctly should leave a couple of millimetres at very least - if tracking at around 2 grams... ;)
With my AT-LP120USB-HC, which has the newer 10gram headshell design, I added, using a strong "No More Nails" double sided tape (cut into very small squares) 4x 3gram steel washers to the back of the stock counterweight, so that it now is far more forward towards the bearing, when balancing the arm and setting VTF - gives more stability, and less resonance....
And as a happy byproduct of this, when the AT-95E cartridge is balanced and tracking nicely at 2.2grams, if I remove this cart/headshel, and replace with an old Shure M75-6 cartridge body (no plastic housing, only the metal clip) which is fitted onto a heavier, solid piece headshell, with a fine wire strapped around both L & R + posts, and using an N78 stylus, it tracks at around 3 grams weight, and plays 78's perfectly well :) I don't have to adjust tracking or rebalance - it just falls nicely into that tracking force - checked with digital scales :) Putting the AT95E/headshell back, then becomes the original 2.2 grams.... I think the 'solid' headshell/Shure, is just that-much heavier ;)
And of course, neither cartridge is riding too 'low' or close to the record surface.... :)
 
yarvelling said:
The OP doesn't state what his original cartridge is.... if he has a newer AT-LP120 then it should be an AT-95E with under normal circumstances has plenty of clearance between it, and the record surface, if balanced correctly.... - he makes a point of mentioning a lack of clearance.... so unless he has replaced the original slipmat with a very 'tall' rubber mat, and not adjusted the VTA control beneath the arm, or is tracking the original cartridge at far too high-a VTF, then there shouldn't be a problem there!
In fact, Having used Ortofon before, they leave very little clearance below the cartridge and record anyway - the AT-95 if set correctly should leave a couple of millimetres at very least - if tracking at around 2 grams... ;)
With my AT-LP120USB-HC, which has the newer 10gram headshell design, I added, using a strong "No More Nails" double sided tape (cut into very small squares) 4x 3gram steel washers to the back of the stock counterweight, so that it now is far more forward towards the bearing, when balancing the arm and setting VTF - gives more stability, and less resonance....
And as a happy byproduct of this, when the AT-95E cartridge is balanced and tracking nicely at 2.2grams, if I remove this cart/headshel, and replace with an old Shure M75-6 cartridge body (no plastic housing, only the metal clip) which is fitted onto a heavier, solid piece headshell, with a fine wire strapped around both L & R + posts, and using an N78 stylus, it tracks at around 3 grams weight, and plays 78's perfectly well :) I don't have to adjust tracking or rebalance - it just falls nicely into that tracking force - checked with digital scales :) Putting the AT95E/headshell back, then becomes the original 2.2 grams.... I think the 'solid' headshell/Shure, is just that-much heavier ;)
And of course, neither cartridge is riding too 'low' or close to the record surface.... :)
Click to expand...
I have an OM-type cart, although I'm starting to suspect that it's not genuine, due to lack of literature on Ortofon's website. FWIW it's an Ω (Ortofon Omega).
 
NoahM said:
I have an OM-type cart, although I'm starting to suspect that it's not genuine, due to lack of literature on Ortofon's website. FWIW it's an Ω (Ortofon Omega).
Click to expand...

Yeah... as mentioned above, that Ortofon is genuine ;) There are aftermarket styli available, and genuine Ortofon styli to play 78's for that cartridge... you should find that any of the OM series of styli good to go in that cartridge body. If you get a 78 stylus, you'll need to increase the tracking weight a little - probably - to help compensate for the speed and warp issues that may be present... and 78's were designed originally for heavy tracking 'needles' anyway! maybe around 2.5 - 3 grams? Depends on what the stylus manufacturer recommends.
 
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