Ortofon 2M Black Cartridge

The Ortofon 2M Black sits at the pinnacle of the 2M moving magnet series, above the 2M Red, 2M Blue, and 2M Bronze. It represents Ortofon’s most refined expression of moving magnet technology, employing a nude Shibata diamond stylus that offers an exceedingly wide contact area with the groove wall for precise and detailed retrieval across the full frequency spectrum.

Shibata Stylus & Split Pole Pins

The Shibata stylus tip, with its r/R dimensions of 6/50 µm, traces a slim, highly polished profile that makes far greater contact with the groove wall than conventional elliptical or spherical styli. This extended contact area reduces groove wear and enables the 2M Black to retrieve fine detail that lesser styli simply cannot reach. The nude mounting — where the diamond is bonded directly to the cantilever without an intermediary shank — further reduces moving mass for improved transient response.

Ortofon’s split pole pins technology is central to the 2M generator design. By dividing the pole pieces, Ortofon achieves a flatter frequency response from a moving magnet cartridge, narrowing the gap between MM and MC performance. The result is a frequency response of 20–20,000 Hz (+2/–0 dB), extending to 31,000 Hz at the –3 dB point.

Build & Compatibility

The 2M Black shares its cartridge body with the 2M Bronze, meaning owners of the Bronze can upgrade to Black-level performance by fitting the 2M Black replacement stylus. The 2M series is divided into two body groups: the Red, Blue, and Silver share one body, while the Bronze and Black share another. Styli are interchangeable within each group.

At 7.2 g, the 2M Black is a standard-weight cartridge compatible with the vast majority of tonearms. The recommended tracking force of 1.5 g (within a 1.4–1.7 g range) and dynamic lateral compliance of 22 µm/mN make it well suited to medium-mass tonearms — the most common type found on modern turntables.

The 2M Range

Ortofon’s 2M series comprises four core models, each distinguished by its stylus profile: the 2M Red (tipped elliptical), 2M Blue (nude elliptical), 2M Bronze, and the 2M Black (nude Shibata). The generator and body are shared across the upper pair (Bronze and Black), while the Red and Blue share a separate body. This architecture means that upgrading within each pair is a simple stylus swap.