Analog Gear News

Ortofon Introduces 2M Black LVB Cartridge

Michael Fremer  |  Dec 18, 2020

Ortofon just announced a new $999 2M moving magnet cartridge: the 2M Black LVB 250 in honor of Ludwig Von Beethoven's 250th birthday. More than just a re-badge, the 2M Black LVB 250 incorporates, among other enhancements, the nude Shibata stylus and boron cantilever found on the more costly MC Cadenza Black.

In addition, Ortofon has developed a new rubber compound formula for the cartridge's suspension designed to optimize the interaction between compliance and damping. According to the press release "...the new rubber compound formula is based on the Multi Wall Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNT) highly efficient nano filler. The new MWCNT-based compound offers desirable mechanical properties, which ensure better damping and improve the overall performance of the cartridge."

Ortofon also avers that the new compound "...allows for more environmental-friendly production, adding further it. The MWCNT powder is applied in a rubber polymer matrix and not in a powdered form, which makes the production process more clean, non-polluting and energy saving."

Here are the 2M Black LVB 250's specifications:

Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec. - 5 mV
Channel balance at 1 kHz - < 1 dB
Channel separation at 1 kHz - > 27 dB
Channel separation at 15 kHz - 15 dB
Frequency response - 20-20.000 + 2 / - 1 dB
Tracking ability at 315Hz at recommended tracking force - 80 µm
Compliance, dynamic, lateral - 22 µm/mN
Stylus type - Nude Shibata
Stylus tip radius - r/R 6/50 µm
Cantilever material - Boron
Tracking force range - 1.5-1.7 g (15-17 mN)
Tracking force, recommended - 1.6 g (16 mN)
Tracking angle - 20°
Internal impedance, DC resistance - 1.2 kOhm
Internal inductance - 630 mH
Recommended load resistance - 47 kOhm
Recommended load capacitance - 150-300 pF
Cartridge colour, body/stylus - Black/Black
Cartridge weight - 7.2 g
Replacement stylus unit - 2M Black LVB 250
Interchangeable styli units - 2M Black and 2M Bronze

COMMENTS
Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Fri, 2020-12-18 10:56

This could be a way for 2M Black owners to upgrade their stylus.

cundare's picture
Submitted by cundare on Wed, 2020-12-23 14:34

Jim: Yes, that is interesting. But I wonder what the difference would be between a Black LVB and an older 2M Black outfitted with an LVB stylus assembly. If the answer is "not much", it would be a no-brainer for me to upgrade my one-year-old 2M Black if the cost is just a few hundred bucks. Maybe Mikey will have more to say on the subject?

arcman67's picture
Submitted by arcman67 on Fri, 2020-12-18 13:35

One funny comment about this cartridge that made me laugh over at the Steve Hoffman Forum. A guy said (paraphrase) "It's fitting to pick a deaf person to represent Ortofon's top MM cartridge". I guess the man is not a Moving Magnet fan lol

JohnnyCanuck's picture
Submitted by JohnnyCanuck on Fri, 2020-12-18 13:49

That is funny!

Nathan Zeller's picture
Submitted by Nathan Zeller on Fri, 2020-12-18 13:59

It's remarks like that which make me love the Steve Hoffman Forums.

Let's not forget that Beethoven wasn't deaf for the entire duration of his time here.

arcman67's picture
Submitted by arcman67 on Fri, 2020-12-18 14:41

So many opinions over there. I love it when many get snarky...just makes my day reading that stuff

Glotz's picture
Submitted by Glotz on Mon, 2020-12-21 14:29

I find them disrespectful of honest audio journalism and authors of mostly negative, haughty and mistrustful pronouncements about stuff they haven't heard yet.

Cable deniers, the lot of them really. The only cables brands they don't impugn are a few cottage brands like Blue Jeans and DH Labs or other very small companies.

Ironically I find them more full of themselves than ANY published audio journalist!

PAR's picture
Submitted by PAR on Fri, 2020-12-18 17:06

I received an email from Ortofon about this cartridge earlier this week.

Like some other "special occasion" cartridges such as the 2M mono SE (for the Beatles mono box set) this looks to be available only direct from Ortofon in Denmark. If anyone has contrary information please let us know.

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Fri, 2020-12-18 19:02
Because Ortofon USA will offer it....
arcman67's picture
Submitted by arcman67 on Sat, 2020-12-19 06:10

Of course there are so many things at play with cartridges....would a $1000 MM out perform a $1000 MC and so on? A great advantage of the MM is stylus change vs retipping.

Keen Observer's picture
Submitted by Keen Observer on Thu, 2020-12-24 00:16

From the first sentence of the article, I take it Fremur is no fan of Beethoven (you see what I did there).

Bob Henneberger's picture
Submitted by Bob Henneberger on Tue, 2021-01-12 18:21

ortofon makes a custom Ludwig van Cart? might be interested? does boron really sound different than aluminum?

jtsnead's picture
Submitted by jtsnead on Tue, 2021-03-30 07:02

Anyone else buy this cartridge and inspect the diamond, mine is off center by a little and I know of another guy who has purchased two of these with the same issue?

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