The Ortofon 2M Mono sits within Ortofon’s acclaimed 2M Series, a range that spans from the entry-level 2M Red through to the flagship 2M Black. While those cartridges are designed for stereo playback, the 2M Mono is purpose-built for mono microgroove LP records — using a true mono engine rather than simply strapping a stereo cartridge’s channels together.
True Mono Engine
The 2M Mono uses a dedicated mono generator with strapped output, delivering the same signal from both sets of pole pins. This approach is optimised for mono groove retrieval, providing a high level of sonic accuracy from mono microgroove pressings. The split-pole pin technology inherited from the 2M Series ensures precise and accurate retrieval of the mono groove information.
Stylus and Tracking
Fitted with an R 18µm Nude Spherical diamond stylus mounted on an aluminium tube cantilever, the 2M Mono is optimised for the wider groove modulations found on mono pressings. The spherical profile sits naturally in the mono groove, which lacks the vertical information that elliptical or line-contact styli are designed to trace. Recommended tracking force is 1.8g within a range of 1.6–2.0g, with dynamic lateral compliance of 18µm providing compatibility with a wide range of tonearms.
Construction
The cartridge body is constructed from Ortofon’s anti-resonant Hopelex material, designed to minimise unwanted vibrations that could colour the sound. At 7.2g, the 2M Mono shares the same physical dimensions and mounting pattern as other cartridges in the 2M Series, making it straightforward to swap between mono and stereo cartridges on a compatible headshell. The stylus is user-replaceable — the Stylus 2M Mono is available separately.
Compatibility
The 2M Mono is designed as a standard overhead-mounting cartridge for half-inch headshell installation. For Rega and similar tonearms with a fixed three-point mount, the 2MR Mono variant offers a reduced-height body. A Verso version is also available for bottom-mount tonearms, and a premounted option on an SH-4 headshell simplifies installation. The recommended load impedance is 47kΩ with 150–300pF load capacitance, making it compatible with virtually all MM phono stages.