The 2M Series was developed in conjunction with the Danish designer Moeller Jensen Design. Inspired by the facets of a diamond, whose contours gracefully trace the grooves on a record’s surface, the 2M’s handsome elegance establishes a great combination of form and functionality. Of course the 2M isn’t just another pretty face. It has been engineered to the highest standards and is congruent with Ortofon’s unrelenting commitment to providing the most precise and accurate reproduction possible without coloration.
The name “2M” was chosen as it represents the abbreviation for moving magnet, MM.
The four-model 2M line was originally introduced in 2008, and since then the range has been extended to include True-mono models 2M MONO and 78, and a new flagship 2M Black LVB250. Also available are models with expanded mounting options, such as Verso for bottom mount headshells and Premounted for direct mounting on arms with universal mount.
The 2M range has been structured in the same way as the popular Quintet and Cadenza Moving Coil series, as well as Rondo historically, with ascending quality as you move from Red to Blue, to Bronze, to Black. The spectacular 2M Black LVB 250 has become the flagship of 2M and all Ortofon moving magnet cartridges. The 2M series was also the last product designed by Ortofon's former chief engineer, Per Windfield. He developed the 2M series over the final two years of his 30-year tenure with Ortofon
The 2M series of cartridges are also available in special versions, as well as offering replacement styli for those looking to replace worn or damaged units. These versions take the form of Verso models, which suit bottom-mount tonearms, a Premounted model, which come pre-installed on a headshell for those with universal mount tonearms, as well as the 2MR, which features a reduced housing in order to fit tonearms requiring a low-form factor cartridge. The same 2M quality, expanded to suit a wider range of systems.
All 2M cartridges' styli can be interchanged with replacement styli from the rest of the series, but the 2M Bronze and Black have a superior cartridge body compared to the 2M Red and Blue. You will therefore not get the full performance of a 2M Black by placing a 2M Black Stylus on a 2M Red body - though the sound will be vastly improved. To get the best out of this feature, remember these rough pairs - Red and Blue, Bronze and Black.
To obtain a flat frequency response, as with a Moving Coil cartridge, Ortofon use split pole pins in the 2M design. The split pole pins are an Ortofon invention which was originally presented in the 500 and Super OM series, to great effect.
The 2M Red and 2M Blue both use the same engine with split pole pins. The 2M Bronze and 2M Black use a special upgraded engine, with a silver-plated copper wire. With this improved engine Ortofon have been able to increase the output to an impressive 5.5 mV.
The cartridge body design has been optimised for easy mounting onto a tonearm; the weight and size of all 2M models are well-suited to fit the most common turntables on today's market and the 2M Red and 2M Blue also have interchangeable stylus units, and replacement styli are readily available in the UK - meaning the 2M range is one of the most flexible series in the world.
