I do think it's a bit better at 2.2g.
it would be enough to use an excellent test disk and check how it responds and if it tracks well on the fifth side band
Classic Ortofon Cartridges: The MC2000 MK II or the MC3000 MK II?
So I have owned quite a few Otofon cartridges over the years, everything from the modest OM cartridges to a couple of Cadenza up to an A90. I typically enjoy Ortofon cartridges.
Now one I have never owned is the MC2000. It seems from a bit of reading I have done that owners of the MC2000 felt it was the most accurate of the Ortofon cartridges, and that releases after it were not its equal.
However, when you look at the MC3000 it has a higher output level that would allow it to work with my Esoteric phono stage. The Esoteric is happy running an MC200 on it which has .09 mV output. but the MC2000 is .05 mV. The MC 3000 MK II is .13 mV from what I find.
Has anyone spent time listening to these classic MC 000 series of Ortofon cartridges? I know there is also a 5000 and 7500, but those seem to be pretty rare.
Regarding the MC2000, I wonder if I use a low mass headshell if I can use it on the Dynavector DV505. I don’t think the mass of the arm in the horizontal plane should affect it, and the vestigial arm can be configured to be an appropriate match for the compliance on this cartridge.
I currently have an MC200u on the arm and its very surprising regarding how good it sounds. Its actually pretty neutral, pretty expressive, but just a bit relaxed in the top end. I certainly enjoy it, but I wonder how these statement cartridges from the classic Ortofon line will sound. These would have been from their long time designer who has now retired, so its a different era of Ortofon versus what their current offerings are. Even though we should acknowledge that the current cartridges use design principals that were developed from this earlier time period and engineering team.
Thoughts?
Now one I have never owned is the MC2000. It seems from a bit of reading I have done that owners of the MC2000 felt it was the most accurate of the Ortofon cartridges, and that releases after it were not its equal.
However, when you look at the MC3000 it has a higher output level that would allow it to work with my Esoteric phono stage. The Esoteric is happy running an MC200 on it which has .09 mV output. but the MC2000 is .05 mV. The MC 3000 MK II is .13 mV from what I find.
Has anyone spent time listening to these classic MC 000 series of Ortofon cartridges? I know there is also a 5000 and 7500, but those seem to be pretty rare.
Regarding the MC2000, I wonder if I use a low mass headshell if I can use it on the Dynavector DV505. I don’t think the mass of the arm in the horizontal plane should affect it, and the vestigial arm can be configured to be an appropriate match for the compliance on this cartridge.
I currently have an MC200u on the arm and its very surprising regarding how good it sounds. Its actually pretty neutral, pretty expressive, but just a bit relaxed in the top end. I certainly enjoy it, but I wonder how these statement cartridges from the classic Ortofon line will sound. These would have been from their long time designer who has now retired, so its a different era of Ortofon versus what their current offerings are. Even though we should acknowledge that the current cartridges use design principals that were developed from this earlier time period and engineering team.
Thoughts?
Showing 11 responses by best-groove
I had in the early 80's the MC 2000 with its sut which I have been using for some time but when I was able to try the 3000 mk2 and its T3000 sut I preferred this in my chain and sold the MC 2000 and the sut; over time I also had the MC 5000 on test but I was not impressed by the sound and the value for money
I still use the Mc 3000Mk2 in rotation with other cartridges today. |
read about it HERE I own that too. |
later of ZYX fame. I am aware that before Zyx he worked for Monster Cable with the Alpha and Genesis series ... I do not remember if it is always the same designer of the Ortofon Mc 20 30 etc. etc. The original MC30 was also a very low output device at 0.1mV (my sample is even lower at 0,09mV) also my two MC 30s ... one 0.09 the other 0.092/0,093mV but I knew an owner that the output was 0.085mV. |
It was with the Anna and A90 when the people turn his head for Ortofon. It depends; in my country Ortofon in the 70s-80s 90s has always been appreciated for its products and sold a lot, even the x000 models. With the early 2000s many brands took over the sales for hi-end models but Ortofon it survives well especially with models accessible to all. I have two MC 30 as I wrote but I use one of them without the body; the sound is much better without a body; as it happened in the 80's when I extracted the body of a Dynavector 10x4 the leap forward in terms of quality and freshness in the sound was immediately noticeable. If it were possible and easy I would like to listen to all my cartridges without the body |
If the body were aluminum I don’t think anyone could tighten a head shell bolt that tight to break those mounting tabs as they are quite thick. I have some reviews and tests in the magazines of the time and they claimed that this "sintered aluminum" hard as ceramic but it does not have a ceramic body because otherwise it would have cost a lot more.. If you want I can also show you the owner's manual where it is written what the body is made of ... I am a reliable person and I do not like to write saloon talk. |
Do you know what kind of alloy they are using for the cantilever? No the user manual does not explain it or at least I was unable to identify the composition; explains the body, the stylus, the suspension, other details but not the details of the cantilever. I will try to browse the magazines of the time with the review. |