Upgraded from the cartridge that came with my Denon DP-300f.Overall, more open and better instrument seperation from what I had. I felt mid-range frequencies still sound a bit muddled and wish the bass was tighter. I notice the most positive difference with percussion instruments and jazz/blues guitar sounds. The treble is beautifully bright and warm. As I explore my records again I find myself hearing elements I didn't hear before.I suspect the 2M Bronze would be adequate for what I was looking for, but just couldn't stomach paying nearly twice the price as 2M Blue.Kind of a no-brainer upgrade for the casual vinyl player.

This 2M Blue replaced a fairly new OM 5E. Not sure how 'dependable' my ears are for a review but when first installed the detail, clarity, and separation were incredible. As John S states in his review, 'somewhat wild'. And included snaps, crackles, and pops in the vinyl that I didn't notice as much with the 5E. After some play time it seemed to have smoothed out a bit but still provides the high levels of detail, separation, and clarity.

What more can be said about the legendary Ortofon 2M Blue phono cartridge? At this price point, it's as good as it gets. Easy to install and align, drop the needle and away you go. Even without being broken in (takes about 30 hours), it already sounds great. Hearing much more detail in the music, excellent channel separation, balanced tone with maybe a touch of warmth. Nice mellow sound. And of course the good folks at Turntable Lab are the best. Quick shipping and outstanding customer support. Thanks again!

A very, very good performer

I bought it from Thakker in Germany via ebay. Even got a discount price and saved $20 from the lowest price on ebay. Just look for "or best offer" and try to bid 5-10% lower. My cartridge will soon be "broken-in" so I can honestly say it is a really good bargain for this quality level. Thanks to the nude elliptical stylus it is like my records had a new life. This time the records dynamic details has improved substantially. Its not drastic improvement from before, but still noticeable. Ive used the usual midrange models for MM like Ortofon Grado, AudioTechnica, Shure and Dynavector during thew last 40 years. They all are playing in a different league. None has the whole experience of the musical characteristics as Ortofon 2M Blue The depth of the music is revealled ... MoreI bought it from Thakker in Germany via ebay. Even got a discount price and saved $20 from the lowest price on ebay. Just look for "or best offer" and try to bid 5-10% lower. My cartridge will soon be "broken-in" so I can honestly say it is a really good bargain for this quality level. Thanks to the nude elliptical stylus it is like my records had a new life. This time the records dynamic details has improved substantially. Its not drastic improvement from before, but still noticeable. Ive used the usual midrange models for MM like Ortofon Grado, AudioTechnica, Shure and Dynavector during thew last 40 years. They all are playing in a different league. None has the whole experience of the musical characteristics as Ortofon 2M Blue The depth of the music is revealled in a three-dimensional way. Small details like a guitarists moving his fingers across the fret-board. Its a true revelation compared to digitally recorded music. Its like Im in heaven and got perfect hearing in 3D! I even tested an Ortofon 2M Black I borrowed from a friend of mine. It had somewhat better resolution in the highest register, thats true. The tracking was superior but not much. The Shibata nude diamond stylus of the 2M Black is overwhelmingly good. But to a much higher price tag (540) Id personallyrather spend that extra 340 on new records. But if you have too much money, buy the Black cartridge. Or THREE of the Ortofon 2M Blue model.

Excellent Upgrade

I have been considering an upgrade for my MM cartridge and was recommended an Ortofon by a friend of mine. I was passing by the London Bridge store recently and popped in to discuss other options. The staff were very helpful and I ended up opting for the Ortofon 2M Blue which arrived in the post the next day. I took my time to fit the product carefully and I have been very impressed with the end result.

Good upgrade from Shure M44-7

Prior to this I have only owned one other cartridge which is the Shure M44-7. The Shure has stronger but less detailed bass. Where the 2M Blue excells is in the clarity of the upper midrange and highs. The difference is quite notable. If you have bright sounding electronics or bright sounding speakers you might find this cartridge is not an ideal match.A significant upgrade over the M44, and at current prices cheaper too.

Just buy it!

There are a number of YouTube-videos of people, with too much money, who has bought the full range from Silver all the way up to Black, and compared them all to each other. And guess what? They all say this is the best one compared to cost. Several of them even say out right that this it is the best you can get. So i bought it. And i'm glad i did. Together with the Schiit Maani i have better audio with my records than via HD data stream. I was quite baffled at this, but hey, i'm not complaining. If you are looking for a superior cartridge you have come to the end. Here it is.

Ortofon 2M Blue

This is my first modern moving Magnet cartridge, so I really have no comparison.My turntables for the past 18 years have all been low output moving coils. The 2M Blue does not provide that level of detail, timbre and nuance, but that was not the expectation going in here. This was for a setup for my family in a nice vintage system in the house.This cartridge does have good detail and very strong dynamics. Pairs with the Vintage Fidelity Research arm and Denon DP-3000 Direct Drive Table, the whole set up really rocks. It can take the percussion transients and dynamic swings of good recordings and makes for very engaging listening.I think it's a good value and could recommend it for rock, pop, jazz, electronica, dance, etc.

Underated high performance product at a good price.

Bought new this in a sealed manufacturers box at a great discount. I had been looking to upgrade my highly rated Audio Technica budget cartridge by fitting an expensive micro line stylus. Bought this instead. The Ortofon Blue has a nude diamond stylus. Set up was easy using a cheap cartridge protractor and a stylus tracking weight scale. Fitted to the straight carbon tonearm on my AT upper budget turntable the sound is wonderful. Bass is taut and high frequencies clear and sharp without being strident. My hi FI is a budget system using the excellent Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers. This is a cartridge that seems to fly under the radar of most reviewers, which is a shame because it is excellent. Even at retail price it's a great buy and a wonderful listen . Give it a ... MoreBought new this in a sealed manufacturers box at a great discount. I had been looking to upgrade my highly rated Audio Technica budget cartridge by fitting an expensive micro line stylus. Bought this instead. The Ortofon Blue has a nude diamond stylus. Set up was easy using a cheap cartridge protractor and a stylus tracking weight scale. Fitted to the straight carbon tonearm on my AT upper budget turntable the sound is wonderful. Bass is taut and high frequencies clear and sharp without being strident. My hi FI is a budget system using the excellent Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers. This is a cartridge that seems to fly under the radar of most reviewers, which is a shame because it is excellent. Even at retail price it's a great buy and a wonderful listen . Give it a try.