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Looking For A Dialogue Around Using An Ortofon MC2000 In My Current System

As a bit of history, I used to work in a stereo store part time as a college student. This store was an Ortofon dealer and the owner was a fan of the MC2000, and we typically had one in the store. I was too poor to afford it, but it was always on my want list. Last week I came across an MC2000 on an audio site and bought it. This one is as close to a time capsule as we can get for vintage MC cartridges. While not NOS its in perfect shape with Ortofon outer box, Styrofoam, intter box, all the tools, the graphs, two stylus guards, and even an Ortofon stick pin I presume for you to wear to audio shows to signify you are an MC2000 owner. The stock and irreplaceable cantilever is there and its straight, and rides high. Of course the unknown is diamond wear, and so I am planning to send it out for evaluation and consideration for diamond replacement. 

 

Now the question becomes how to use it. First comes a suitable arm. I have two Dynavector DV505 for a Scheu Das Laufwerk No2 turntable that I can use, and also a Supex SL4 headshell that weighs 5.5 grams or so. I have the stock headshell that comes with the MC2000, but that looks to weigh 10 grams, and this cartridge is highly compliant. I also have a SME V that is spec'd between 10 and 11 grams. I almost consider the SME to be the best match for this application, but then that regulated the number of hours I might use that table as the MC2000 isn't going to be a daily driver cartridge. 

 

Next question is how to get enough gain for it. The owner apparently has the T2000, but is unwilling to part with it at this time. So ideally I would like to find a T2000. I also have an MC3000, and so need the step up for it, and I happen to also have a MC200u. My Esoteric E-03 has 40 db of gain on MM mode, and I have a Graham Slee Accession that is 41.5 dB of gain. The Esoteric is 66 dB in MC mode. So until I locate a T2000 I wondered what options I have. Jensen makes a high output SUT that is 31 dB of gain and seems to be the best choice. I do not see any active pre-pre amps that can do the job. Any thoughts here?

 

As a crazy thought, the Accession has a direct mode that bypasses all RIAA equalization, so its really a pre pre amp then. But placing the Esoteric ahead of it means you are looking at a gain structure of over 80 dB. Probably not a good idea, but I wonder if it could work. Just brainstorming here. Of course the perfect solution is to find a T2000, or even in a pinch a T3000 for the interim till I do locate a T2000. Problem is these SUT have collectors value and they seem to go for silly money these days. But that is what it is, and you have to pay the piper. 

 

So any thoughts on the best way to get this MC2000 integrated into the system?

neonknight
solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 

@lewm I would love to hear more about your Slagle head amp

lewm
13,108 posts
 

Dave knows more about it than I. It’s solid state with an external power supply. I just plugged it in between the MC2000 and my Manley Steelhead MM inputs with gain set at either 50 or 55 db. There was an attempt at current drive but the input Z, while low, is not quite low enough for true current drive owing to the very low internal resistance of the MC2000. Nevertheless plenty of gain. Since dave designed and built it, I assume there may be a transformer in their somewhere.

neonknight OP
392 posts
 

So I can a resonance calculator with the SME V as the tonearm and got 7.68 Hz. I got no idea how to run the Dynavector and get a calculation. 

lewm
13,108 posts
 

Just listen.

neonknight OP
392 posts
 

Afraid it is not that easy, quite a bit of work has to be done before that can occur. Have no idea of the number of hours on the diamond, so it needs to be evaluated. I have a package slated to go to Expert Stylus with my Ikeda 9 for refurbishment, so it makes sense to send the MC2000 along with it to be checked out. Pretty sure that is what I am going to do, its just a matter of getting it boxed up.

When it comes back I don’t have enough gain in my phono stage to listen to it, and do not have any step up devices to make that work. So I have to do the leg work and decide which ones could be possible. Now my seller tells me if I could locate a Mac C50 for him in the US he would be willing to sell me the T2000. But I find no C50, so at the moment there is not a pathway for me to obtain the T2000, but perhaps there will be in the future. Only SUT on the net available at this time is a T1000, but it does not look like it has enough gain.

If you read the Stereophile review Holt uses a Well Tempered arm, which the magazine reports in a 1984 issue to be 10 grams. However since it rides in that silicone cup, depending on paddle depth, it may act like a higher mass arm. What is concerning is that Holt reports that after a few days of listening the cantilever looks like its starting to collapse. Now he does say that it never changes from that and completely fails. However, I would prefer that not occur to start with, as I don’t need any heart attack inducing events. The question becomes is it because of arm mass, or is it because of the fluid damping. Which if I could answer that question would determine which arm I install it on here. So far I am leaning towards the Dynavector with the Supex head shell to be the safest option.

Essentially I am just trying to determine the safest pathway to using the cartridge, and not waste a bunch of money on the pre pre amp choice. I have a Conrad Johnson HV1 sitting in the garage that a useless moving coil step up device for me because it does not have enough gain for these Ortofon cartridges, and the gain structure of my SS amp/pre amp and somewhat higher efficiency speakers makes the noise floor of the HV1 audible. This is the kind of misstep I would like to avoid in the future. That is how come I phrased this thread "a discussion".

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