I think we went over this ground before the repair. I also have my MC2000 mounted on a DV505, using a CF headshell. Mine was retipped by Axel, with original aluminum cantilever and original or original shape stylus, which I think was press fitted (no visible epoxy). Dave Slagle made the active step up device .
Received The MC2000 Back From Expert Stylus Today
So I got the Ortofon MC2000 back from Expert today, and Mr. Hodgson did a beautiful job on this service. He fitted a new Paratrace stylus and made a minor repair to the end of the OEM cantilever. Looks as new, and there are no oddities to the stylus assembly. The Paratrace diamond is quite diminutive, barely able to be seen with my aging eyes.
This afternoon I installed it on a very light Fidelity Research headshell, looks kind of like one of the Swiss cheese SME ones. Wired it to a T2000 transformer and then to a Graham Slee Accession.
This is a remarkably detailed and neutral sounding cartridge. I have a few decent cartridges here and this is as good as any I have experienced. My system uses a pair of JBL 4365 speakers and a Halcro DM8 pre amp, so I have to be careful with system synergy as a too clinical component can push it over the edge. The MC2000 comes very close to doing this. I am considering a wood headshell like the Yamamoto boxwood, due to its low mass and its ability to add a touch of warmth/body to the overall sound.
But even as it sits the transparency, the fine detail, the dynamic contrasts are all outstanding. I can tell after an evening of listening this is a keeper for me, and while its been a bit of a drawn out journey to accumulate the bits and pieces and get the cartridge serviced...well...it was worth every bit of effort.
Yes I enjoy my Transfiguration, ZYX, and Ikeda, that is true. But I like the MC2000 every bit as much and I would get rid of a whole bunch of stuff before I ever parted with this cartridge.
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@lewm If there is epoxy it is very little, I pretty much see the tiniest spot of black diamond, and since diamond is typically clear I assume that has to be epoxy that is being used. But it is nothing like you see when a diamond is mounted to a solid boron cantilever. Well Axel is retired, and the choice of retippers available is diminishing, at least those with a great number of years of experience. Also its getting exponentially harder to find MC2000 that are good candidates for restoration. Most of the ones I see anymore have been abused and are on Ebay with bent or skewed cantilevers. Perhaps they make a good choice for a boron transplant like Raul thought sounded nice, but if you want one in original form it is a very difficult endeavor. Which is a shame, because from what I hear these are exceptional cartridges. |
Hi neonknight, As J. Carr explained the only advantage of aluminum cantilever is that the stylus can be ''pressure fitted'' while by all other (''exotic'') kinds the stylus must be glued in the cantilever. This means glue between stylus and the cantilever which compromise rigidity of the combination. |
Dear Nandric, I do refer to the MC2000 that I bought from you. I thought you told me it was re-tipped by Axel with one of his last assemblages (cantilever and stylus) that either resembled the original or was per original Ortofon spec. If it IS original, then all the nicer. Definitely an aluminum cantilever with press-fitted stylus; I've examined it under my microscope. As you already know, it is a favorite. Based on other writings of JCarr, I would think it is best to stick with Aluminum, since the suspension, etc, was designed with the mass and flexibility of aluminum in mind. But I would be curious how it would sound with sapphire or boron. Sapphire would be closer to aluminum in mass, I think. |
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