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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
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,054 posts
 

@neonknight  : "  historical perspective it was considered one of the best cartridges in the world at its time.  "

Probably the 80's was in some ways the " golden years of cartridges " and the Japan designs were at the very top, even against the 2000.

Only to name a few of them where I owned 2-3 of them and/or listened and even in this forum there are audiophiles that still own some samples:

Highphonic MC-D15, Sony XL88D, Victor MC L1000, Dynavector 13-D, Final, Supex SDX 1100D. Audio Note I/O Limited, Audio Technica MC 1000, etc, etc.

Anyway, good that you finally put your hands in what you was looking for and this fact is the must important issue.

 

R.

neonknight OP
392 posts
 

So I sent the MC2000 off to Expert Stylus along with my Ikeda 9 Kawami. They are reporting a 3 to 4 week turn around time, must have caught them at a good time. 

VAS has my Transfiguration Audio Proteus and ZYX 4D, hopefully I will get them back in a bit. Getting a bit short on cartridges here, still have the MC3000 and Audio Technica OC9 XSL here. So I can at least spin a record. 

neonknight OP
392 posts
 

So I got an email yesterday from the gentleman who sold me the MC2000. He was ready to sell the T2000 now. Its in excellent condition with all packing materials. So I paid the man, and its on the way here. The cartridge is still at Expert Stylus getting a new diamond, so within about a month or so I will be able to get this installed. 

neonknight OP
392 posts
 

So far I have used the T2000 SUT with the MC3000 cartridge since its installed and aligned on a headshell. The MC2000 is at Expert Stylus getting a new diamond put on it and a general cleaning and tune-up. I need a set of headshell wires to install the MC200, and that is a pairing I am really curious to hear. Took awhile to get proper grounding between the T2000 and a Graham Slee Accession phono stage. 

 

With the MC3000 the sound isn't too far off my better cartridges. While not the same sound, and perhaps lacking the finest bit of detail in the upper registers, its at least in the same ballpark. It's like they had worked out what the sound should be like, and have spent the following years refining it and getting output voltages up to higher levels and retaining that overall presentation. I imagine that is no small feat, going from ..05 mV in case of the MC2000 to .10 mV with the MC3000 and now to cartridges between .30 and .40 mV in the current lineup. 

 

Also find that the sound can be varied quite a bit with the interconnects between the SUT and the phono stage. Overall quite pleased how this has turned out. This gives me a second phono stage that is quite flexible, but it won't cause me to abandon my Esoteric and its ability to use MC cartridges directly. Probably still my preference, but now I have options. Also have a Conrad Johnson MV1 that has a very interesting presentation, probably due to the Nuvistor tubes, but it really needs a cartridge in the ,3 mV range or higher. 

 

But the T2000 was worth acquiring. 

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