Ortofon 2M Red MM Phono Cartridge

Ortofon Built the 2M Red to Replace What Came in the Box

Most turntables ship with a cartridge chosen to hit a price. The 2M Red is the one people fit instead. It is a moving magnet design from Ortofon, a Danish maker working with record grooves since 1918. It has become the standard first upgrade.

It puts out 5.5 mV. That is a strong signal, and any moving magnet phono input can take it. The body weighs 7.2 grams and fits any standard half-inch headshell or tonearm. Nothing else in your system has to change.

A Diamond Cut to Follow the Groove, Not Ride Over It

The stylus is an elliptical diamond, 8 by 18 microns, on an aluminum cantilever. An elliptical tip sits deeper in the groove wall than the conical tip on a budget cartridge. It reads more of what was cut and skates over less.

Where the Engineering Shows Up in the Sound

Inside are quad coils of oxygen-free copper, wound around split pole pins. Ortofon uses this design across the 2M line, and describes the split pole pins as what keeps high-frequency response even.

Frequency response runs 20 Hz to 20 kHz, within plus 3 and minus 1 dB. Channel separation is 22 dB at 1 kHz. Balance holds to 1.5 dB. Those last two decide whether a stereo image sits still between your speakers.

Numbers You Will Actually Use at Setup

Track it at 1.8 grams. The range is 1.6 to 2.0 grams, so a scale reading to a tenth is enough. Compliance is 20 micrometers per millinewton. That suits the medium-mass arms on most turntables sold today.

Load it at 47 kilohms. That is the standard moving magnet value on every phono stage. Capacitance wants 150 to 300 picofarads, and that includes your tonearm cable. Tracking ability measures 70 micrometers at 315 Hz.

What Reviewers Are Saying

What Hi-Fi? awarded the 2M Red four stars, finding that "the midrange is full and expressive, handling vocals with sensitivity and warmth." The magazine later named it one of the ten Best Cartridges of 2020.

Byron Baba, writing for Dagogo in February 2020, put it plainly: "The 2M Red's 5.5 millivolts output is fairly high and dynamics are astounding for a cartridge at this price." He also reported no inner groove distortion.

The 2M Red is an Absolute Sound Editors' Choice Award winner for 2024, and a Stereophile Recommended Component in 2023.

Who Is This Phono Cartridge Best For?

• You are replacing the cartridge your turntable came with — the elliptical diamond reads detail a factory conical tip rides straight past, so your existing records gain without you buying a new one
• You own an ordinary moving magnet phono input — 5.5 mV into 47 kilohms is what every phono stage already provides, so you buy the cartridge and nothing else
• You set up your own gear — a rigid body, captive nuts and a 1.8 gram setting make alignment simple enough to do at the kitchen table, with no dealer visit to book
• You want a path upward later — the 2M Blue stylus drops onto this same body, so a future step up costs a stylus instead of a cartridge and an afternoon of realignment
• Your tonearm takes a Rega three-point fitting or a bottom-mount headshell — this is the standard half-inch version and will not bolt to those arms. Ortofon builds the same cartridge as the 2MR Red for Rega arms and the 2M Red Verso for bottom-mount headshells, and we stock both — call us and we will match it to your arm

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Two screws hold the 2M Red to a half-inch headshell or tonearm. Four colored pins take the tonearm leads. Set overhang with the gauge your turntable came with, then set tracking force to 1.8 grams and anti-skate to match.

From there the tonearm cable runs to any moving magnet phono input, built into your amplifier or in a separate phono stage. Fit it, set it, play a record.

Pairs Well With

A cartridge is one part of the chain. These are the categories that make the most of it:

• Turntables — any deck with a standard half-inch mount
• Phono Preamplifiers — for amplifiers without a phono input
• Record Cleaning Accessories — clean grooves keep a stylus honest
• Turntable Accessories — scales and gauges for setting tracking force

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the 2M Red fit my turntable?

It fits any standard half-inch tonearm or headshell, which covers most turntables. Rega three-point arms and bottom-mount headshells take a different version of this cartridge.

What tracking force should I use?

Ortofon recommends 1.8 grams. Anywhere from 1.6 to 2.0 grams is within specification, so a basic stylus scale is all you need to set it correctly.

Do I need a special phono stage?

Any moving magnet input works. Load it at 47 kilohms with 150 to 300 picofarads of capacitance, which is what standard phono inputs already supply.

Can I upgrade without buying a whole cartridge?

Yes. The 2M Blue stylus fits this body directly. You swap the stylus, keep your alignment, and gain the finer nude elliptical diamond.

How long does the stylus last?

Ortofon publishes no fixed figure, and it depends on how clean your records are. Keep the grooves and the tip clean and it will serve you well.

Will it work with a moving coil phono input?

Use the moving magnet input instead. The 2M Red puts out 5.5 mV, which is many times what a moving coil stage expects to see, so the moving magnet setting is the correct one.

See It in Action

New Record Day walks through the 2M Red and what it does for an entry-level deck:

Devoted to Vinyl weighs up whether the 2M Red earns its place:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about cartridge alignment, phono stage matching, or record care? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.