Ortofon 2M Black LVB 250 Cartridge
Ortofon’s new 2M Black LVB 250 cartridge is at the top table of moving magnet cartridges – it’s so good that it gives mid-price moving coils something to worry about. It’s more of an improvement on the already very good 2M Black than you might think and is head-to-head with its arch-rival, the Nagaoka MP500. The Danish design offers a slightly cleaner and less romantic sound but is still a honey to hear. It certainly has a worthy claim to being the best sounding moving magnet around.
STEREONET 2021
The 2M Black LVB 250 builds on the concept of the original 2M Black cartridge design to take one step further toward true high-end sound. Redefining what is possible from a moving magnet (MM) cartridge, the 2M Black LVB 250 is truly an exercise in technical excellence.
The 2M Black LVB 250 uses a Nude Shibata diamond on a Boron cantilever. This combination is also found on the acclaimed MC Cadenza Black cartridge. The Nude Shibata stylus’s slim, highly polished profile allows for an exceedingly wide contact area with the record groove walls and ensures notably detailed reproduction throughout the spectrum, including even the highest frequencies. The use of an extremely stiff and lightweight Boron cantilever adds remarkable transparency, speed, and responsiveness to the sound.
To attain an optimal interaction between compliance and damping, a new rubber compound for the suspension system has been developed. The new rubber compound formula is based on the Multi Wall Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNT) highly efficient nano filler. The new MWCNT-based compound offers desirable mechanical properties, which ensure better damping and improve the overall performance of the cartridge. Also, the new MWCNT rubber compound allows for more environmental-friendly production, adding further benefit. The MWCNT powder is applied in a rubber polymer matrix and not in a powdered form, which makes the production process more clean, non-polluting and energy saving.
With an optimal weight of 7.2 g and compliance suited to most modern tonearms, the 2M Black LVB 250 is easily compatible with an endless array of modern High-End equipment and is the ultimate solution for high fidelity reproduction.
In all other elements of its general design, the 2M Black LVB 250 draws from the coveted 2M range’s principles. Its structure, materials and generator system are all drawn from the standard 2M Black for a proven high-fidelity performance. For that reason, the 2M Black LVB 250 stylus can also fit on and bring a notable upgrade to existing 2M Bronze and 2M Black customers.
For more information on which cartridge is best for you and the differences between models in the Ortofon range, see here.
Key Features:
- Exclusive version of the 2M Black, built to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Ludwig Van Beethoven
- Nude Shibata diamond stylus, mounted on a boron cantilever
- Special upgraded engine, featuring split pole pins with a silver plated copper wire
- Detailed sound reproduction throughout the spectrum, including even the most high frequency groove information
- Reduced distortion and record wear
- Cartridge body made from highly rigid and resonance eliminating materials
- Remarkable transparency, speed and responsiveness
- New MWCNT-based compound, ensures better damping and improves the overall performance
- More environmentally-friendly production
- Easily compatible with an array of modern High-End equipment
- Exclusive LVB 250 design printed on the cartridge and stylus
- Replacement stylus available
Announced in 2020, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, the 2M Black LVB 250 sits within Ortofon’s own long tradition of paying tribute to persons who have been highly influential within high-end audio culture. From the MC Rohmann and MC Windfeld onto the iconic Kontrapunkt series and the flagship MC Anna Diamond, Ortofon frequently dedicates market-leading products to iconic people. The 2M Black LVB 250 therefore joins a coveted series of products, devoted to celebrating musical culture while also pushing forward the technical possibilities of hi-fi design.
Headshell shown for illustration purposes only and not included with cartridge