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?
neonknight

Dear @lewm  : My take in the MC 2000 issue is that was not through STPH JGH review who puts that cartridge in the market map but was the 1984 Audio review by B.Pisha because this magazine had higher circulation that STP.

 

In reality the cartridge had succes not in the " high-end " niche but out side it.

 

In those old times the MC 2000 was the more expensive cartridge down there: 2K because needs the T2000 and was a new road to Ortofon when its top of the line was a really good performer the MC30 that had a price of 600 plus the T30 SUT,

 

I was fortunated to bougth it at very special price directly to Ortofon because in those times was not an Ortofon distributor in my county México and from Ortofon I bougth the MC3000, MC3000MK2, MC5000, etc.

 

In reality Ortofon was out of the high-end market because its great cartridges were not reviewed by the high-end magazines. Your 7500 is a good example: no one cares about Ortofon was in the mid-fi market and was magazines as Audio who really help to some high-end audiophiles experienced with.

 

You are an example of what I'm saying here: you know about the MC2000 or the 7500 here at Agon several years after those cartridges appeared in the market. In the Asia market audiophiles had and have in very good place Ortofon through the SPU models and today new catalog.

 

Reviewers turn around their faces to Ortofon with the Jubilee and latter on the A90 and its today sucess came with the Anna.

 

R.

Good points, Raul.  Any thoughts on the surprisingly high recommended VTF (2.2-2.7g), for both cartridges?  My old MC7500 is tracking just fine at about 2.2g.  Before I finally looked up the recommended VTF, I set it at 1.6g, just based on my faulty memory, and it actually did fine at that VTF, too. I do think it's a bit better at 2.2g.


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
 

Yeah, don't think I own one, but I might.  Usually I am not one for test LPs. My question is really why, not whether it sounds good, although it does.

Again, if you use MC 2000 at 2.2 grams or more, you’ll probably destroy the suspension. The recommended tracking force for MC 2000 is 1.5 grams.