Ortofon Bronze pre-mounted or similar

[NoTrend]

Looking to upgrade my Ortofon Blue on my fluance. looking at bronze, but it seems to be out of stock most everywhere, especially pre mounted

Could anyone help with where to find one or maybe something similar (pre mounted please if possible)

thanks so much everyone!

 

[kvetcha]

Looking to upgrade my Ortofon Blue on my fluance. looking at bronze, but it seems to be out of stock most everywhere, especially pre mounted

Could anyone help with where to find one or maybe something similar (pre mounted please if possible)

thanks so much everyone!

I like the Bronze, but you’re not going to find too many other fans around here.

That said, unsure what the supply situation for the 2M series looks like right now or why it would be scarce.

Also seems likely that you would have to do some calibration once you received it, even if it’s pre-mounted.

 

[NoTrend]

I like the Bronze, but you’re not going to find too many other fans around here.

That said, unsure what the supply situation for the 2M series looks like right now or why it would be scarce.

Also seems likely that you would have to do some calibration once you received it, even if it’s pre-mounted.

Yeah, I am totally fine need to calibrate, i figured as much

Is there anything similar people in that range of 400-500$ worth checking out (again, pre mounted)?

 

[Joe Mac]

Looking to upgrade my Ortofon Blue on my fluance. looking at bronze, but it seems to be out of stock most everywhere, especially pre mounted

Could anyone help with where to find one or maybe something similar (pre mounted please if possible)

thanks so much everyone!

So a couple of things that I’d point out just before you get started.

1. The ortofon bronze is a really divisive cartridge. It’s incredibly detailed, trending towards bright. I, personally, can’t stand the thing and find it fatiguing to listen to, YMMV.

2. Why does it need to be premounted. Mounting to a removable headshell is one of the easiest turntable maintence jobs there is because you can literally take the headshell off the arm and turn it any which way you need to. Unless you need a second headshell but again it’s likely that there are better 3rd party ones out there than the ones that come with pre mounted cartridges. It also doesn’t save you the alignment and force setting because there is no guarantee that the pre mounted cartridge is set up correctly for you table, in fact the odds are that it isn’t.

3. I upgraded the Blue to a Grado Prestige Gold, I felt it was a significant upgrade and changing its stylus to the 8mz when it wore out was another again. I loved the Grado Opus 3 even more but it doesn’t have a removable stylus if that’s a deal breaker. With the opus I also don’t know if the fluance can handle that heavy a cartridge, you’d have to check the specs.

 

[wmeugene]

I'd check stores in Europe. Ortofon products are a lot cheaper in Europe (particularly after subtracting VAT) and shipping a cartridge from Europe shouldn't be too expensive (you'll likely come out considerably ahead).

 

[Joe Mac]

If you’re set on the bronze @wmeugene is right. This one isn’t mounted, they don’t stock pre mounts, but this is a really good store than people on here have bought cartridges from to ship to America, their shipping is nearly always fair and mounting really is easy on a removable headshell.

Ortofon 2M Bronze MM Cartridge

Ortofon 2M Bronze MM Cartridge The 2M Bronze features a nude Fine-Line stylus, polished to the highest standards. The slimmer profile of this stylus will track even the highest frequency modulations, making this cartridge better suited for extremely demanding material. Distortion and record wear...

www.analogueseduction.net

 

[HiFi Guy]

Looking to upgrade my Ortofon Blue on my fluance. looking at bronze, but it seems to be out of stock most everywhere, especially pre mounted

Could anyone help with where to find one or maybe something similar (pre mounted please if possible)

thanks so much everyone!

From the Blue to the Bronze isn’t really an upgrade. On paper? Yes. Your ears may say otherwise.

I have a new cartridge on the way. If you can wait a couple of weeks, I can get an impression. It’s less expensive than the Bronze, had a more advanced stylus and also has a premounted option.

 

[NoTrend]

2. Why does it need to be premounted. Mounting to a removable headshell is one of the easiest turntable maintence jobs there is because you can literally take the headshell off the arm and turn it any which way you need to. Unless you need a second headshell but again it’s likely that there are better 3rd party ones out there than the ones that come with pre mounted cartridges. It also doesn’t save you the alignment and force setting because there is no guarantee that the pre mounted cartridge is set up correctly for you table, in fact the odds are that it isn’t.

I have a disability, so anything to make it easier for me would be helpful, so getting it pre mounted would be nice.

 

[NoTrend]

From the Blue to the Bronze isn’t really an upgrade. On paper? Yes. Your ears may say otherwise.

I have a new cartridge on the way. If you can wait a couple of weeks, I can get an impression. It’s less expensive than the Bronze, had a more advanced stylus and also has a premounted option.

Yeah I am getting that impression. I am in a position to upgrade my blue, and to be honest I would like to see what is out there

That isn't to say I'm not happy with my blue, but I have been eyeing up the bonze for a while based on knowing someone who had one and reviews I've read. But again, I am open to something in that price range or a bit more.

 

[D Jilla]

One other thing I'll note for pre-mounting - I have the same table as you and use two different carts (just by switching the headshells). For my second cart, I tried using a typical third-party headshell (one that would work with any Techniques/clone table), and I could not get the thing aligned no matter what I tried - it just didn't seem to sit right on the Fluance. I bought a Fluance headshell and got it easily.

Just something to consider if you go the pre-mounted route. Might be worth having a friend or shop mount it for you instead.

 

[NoTrend]

One other thing I'll note for pre-mounting - I have the same table as you and use two different carts (just by switching the headshells). For my second cart, I tried using a typical third-party headshell (one that would work with any Techniques/clone table), and I could not get the thing aligned no matter what I tried - it just didn't seem to sit right on the Fluance. I bought a Fluance headshell and got it easily.

Just something to consider if you go the pre-mounted route. Might be worth having a friend or shop mount it for you instead.

Yeah this is something i was thinking about. I don't mind going that route (obviously if it could just be mailed that woul be great haha), but you are totally right

also here is my system as of now
Fluance RT-85
Pioneer SX-780
Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers

 

[Joe Mac]

I have a disability, so anything to make it easier for me would be helpful, so getting it pre mounted would be nice.

No worries! No offence intended! Maybe if you can’t find it pre mounted call a store and ask if you can buy an unmounted one and a headshell and have them mount it for you? Most dealers are usually pretty sound with that kinda thing.

 

[NoTrend]

No worries! No offence intended! Maybe if you can’t find it pre mounted call a store and ask if you can buy an uncounted one and a headshell and have them mount it for you? Most dealers are usually pretty sound with that kinda thing.

haha don't worry, I wasn't offended. I get it trust me. I wish I could just do it myself. My Cerebral Palsy sometimes makes it tough for me to work with my hands. But I would have asked the same question too haha

 

[kvetcha]

haha don't worry, I wasn't offended. I get it trust me. I wish I could just do it myself. My Cerebral Palsy sometimes makes it tough for me to work with my hands. But I would have asked the same question too haha

I'd definitely look into a shop or perhaps even a generous Fluance owner here on the forum to help out with mounting.

 

[NoTrend]

I'd definitely look into a shop or perhaps even a generous Fluance owner here on the forum to help out with mounting.

for sure, if anyone is willing to help, i def could throw some money someones way!

again I'm willing to even go a bit above the Bronze iif you or anyone has recommendations especially now that i have posted my systems specs

 

[D Jilla]

Yeah this is something i was thinking about. I don't mind going that route (obviously if it could just be mailed that woul be great haha), but you are totally right

also here is my system as of now
Fluance RT-85
Pioneer SX-780
Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers

If you end up going the Ortofon route, I think what you could do is buy a new headshell from Fluance, then take your existing one into a shop and have them mount the new one using the existing one as a template (I'm pretty sure the bronze has the same body dimensions as the blue). Then you'd have your blue still on a headshell as a quick backup option.

 

[Joe Mac]

If you end up going the Ortofon route, I think what you could do is buy a new headshell from Fluance, then take your existing one into a shop and have them mount the new one using the existing one as a template (I'm pretty sure the bronze has the same body dimensions as the blue). Then you'd have your blue still on a headshell as a quick backup option.

Yeah it’s identical to the point you can actually mount a bronze/black stylus to the red/blue body. You’re just not getting the “benefit” of the higher range cartridge.

 

[kvetcha]

If you end up going the Ortofon route, I think what you could do is buy a new headshell from Fluance, then take your existing one into a shop and have them mount the new one using the existing one as a template (I'm pretty sure the bronze has the same body dimensions as the blue). Then you'd have your blue still on a headshell as a quick backup option.

yeah, all the 2Ms are physically identical.

 

[Angsty]

Yeah this is something i was thinking about. I don't mind going that route (obviously if it could just be mailed that woul be great haha), but you are totally right

also here is my system as of now
Fluance RT-85
Pioneer SX-780
Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers

You might consider the Hana EH at $475 as an upgrade. Even though they both have elliptical styli, the MC engine in the Hana has a different response than the MM engine of the Ortofon 2M. I currently use a Hana SL on one turntable and the 2M Blue on a second. When the 2M Blue stylus wears out, I'm replacing it with a Hana EH. I love my SL, but the SH is too pricey for my second turntable usage.

The caveat is that with 2 mV output with the EH versus 5 mV with the 2M series, you will need to crank up the amp more to get the same volume. If the Pioneer phono is not "clean", you'd get more noise coming out. My 2M Blue sounded much better when I upgraded the phono preamp, so much so that I deferred an immediate cartridge upgrade to wait until the 2M Blue wore out.

Hana’s EH & SL cartridges

These Hana cartridges couple high performance with value for money, meaning there’s very little for Long Live Vinyl not to like. When I was asked to test these two cartridges, my ears pricked up, a…

longlivevinyl.net

 

[HiFi Guy]

You might consider the Hana EH at $475 as an upgrade. Even though they both have elliptical styli, the MC engine in the Hana has a different response than the MM engine of the Ortofon 2M. I currently use a Hana SL on one turntable and the 2M Blue on a second. When the 2M Blue stylus wears out, I'm replacing it with a Hana EH. I love my SL, but the SH is too pricey for my second turntable usage.

The caveat is that with 2 mV output with the EH versus 5 mV with the 2M series, you will need to crank up the amp more to get the same volume. If the Pioneer phono is not "clean", you'd get more noise coming out. My 2M Blue sounded much better when I upgraded the phono preamp, so much so that I deferred an immediate cartridge upgrade to wait until the 2M Blue wore out.

Hana’s EH & SL cartridges

These Hana cartridges couple high performance with value for money, meaning there’s very little for Long Live Vinyl not to like. When I was asked to test these two cartridges, my ears pricked up, a…

longlivevinyl.net

The Ortofon 2m series is “hot” and has been tested at around 7 mV output. The volume setting difference will be fairly wide between the two. That said, if you find yourself listening at 9-10 o’clock on the volume control, you’ll likely have room to spare. If you are running 12-1 o’clock (loud) you likely won’t.