Ortofon 2M Bronze Replacement Stylus

The Ortofon Stylus 2M Bronze is a replacement stylus for the 2M Bronze moving magnet cartridge, sitting in the upper tier of Ortofon's acclaimed 2M series. The 2M range spans four performance levels — Red, Blue, Bronze, and Black — with the Bronze occupying the penultimate position, offering a significant step up in retrieval and tracking precision over the entry-level models.

Nude Fine Line Diamond

At the heart of the Stylus 2M Bronze is a nude Fine Line diamond with a tip radius of r/R 8/40 µm, mounted directly on an aluminium tube cantilever without an intermediate bonding shank. The Fine Line profile features an elongated contact area that sits deeper in the groove wall, tracing high-frequency modulations that wider stylus profiles cannot reach. The slim front-to-back dimension reduces tracing distortion, while the larger side contact area spreads the tracking force across a greater surface, minimising record wear.

Compatibility & Interchangeability

The 2M series uses a tiered interchangeability system. The Bronze stylus is directly compatible with the 2M Bronze and 2M Black cartridge bodies, which share a superior body construction compared to the Red and Blue models. This means the Stylus 2M Bronze can be fitted to a 2M Black body as a cost-effective alternative, or owners of the 2M Bronze cartridge can upgrade to the 2M Black stylus without changing the cartridge body. The Red, Blue, and Silver styli form a separate interchangeable group and are not compatible with the Bronze/Black body.

Tracking & Performance

Ortofon specify a recommended tracking force of 1.5 g within an operating range of 1.4–1.7 g. At the recommended force, the stylus achieves a tracking ability of 80 µm at 315 Hz, ensuring stable groove contact through demanding passages. The frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 29 kHz at the −3 dB point, with a tightly controlled response of 20–20,000 Hz within +2/−0 dB. Channel separation measures 26 dB at 1 kHz and 15 dB at 15 kHz, with channel balance within 1 dB.

With proper care, Ortofon state that the stylus can achieve up to 1,000 hours of playing time without degradation in performance.