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Ortofon OM 20; REVIEW & the Shure catridge deception unveiled

I'm taking the time to write this brief review about the Ortofon OM 20 in order to guide other users who are trapped in the sub-$500 cartridge, state-of-confusion that I've been in for a long time now. Units I've previously used have included the entire Shure family(V-15 III, V-15 IV, V-15 V, V-15 VxMR, M97xE, M75ED), the Denon DL-103, Denon DL-110, Linn Asaka, Grado Black, Grado Silver, Grado Sonata, and a ton of other unmentionable cartridges(Audio Technica, ADC, Empire, Sumiko, Benz Micro, Stanton, etc) that were tried briefly and discarded.

I love the warm, rich, romantic tonality of the Grado family, but their miserable tracking performance has eliminated them from consideration...sadly. I was very happy with the Denon DL-103 as well, but due to various issues including tonearm incompatibility, finding the right step-up device, and mediocre tracking ability, I gave up on this model as well. I've dabbled and in and come back to Shure-land many times, largely due to the universal claims that Shure cartridges are "warm", "neutral", "flat", "non-fatiguing", etc; all promises that appeal to me greatly. Their reputation as superior trackers is nice as well.

The problem is that few people seem to understand what Shure cartridges actually do. Over the past 10 years I've experimented with them on many different arm/table combs(Linn, Thorens, JA Michell, Music Hall, Project, Lenco, Pioneer, Technics, etc) with tube and solid-state alike and through Harbeth, Tannoy, Quad ESL, Altec, Spendor, JM Reynaud, AR, Monitor Audio, B&W...the list goes on. The results are always the same. Shure cartridges are hard-sounding! While their tonal balance may be "warm and neutral", they all, universally, have a plastic, hard, edgy and unpleasant character that ultimately renders them HARSH and useless. Warm does not always mean smooth; a lesson I've recently and finally learned.

Previous to this, the cartridge I've been listening to and enjoying for a long time is a Shure M73ED, which is a re-branded M75ED. Initially, I found it soft, thick, creamy, and punchy but was bothered by some subtle hardness that I was attributing to the various phono preamplifiers I poured through trying to fix the problem. This is how the Shure cartridges fool you, seducing you with their meaty, dark sound, and attractive specifications. Some may not even notice their nasty character that lurks just below the surface. You go on tweaking; cables, turntables, speakers, tubes, preamps, tonearms, etc trying to get everything dialed in just right; a fool's errand. The problem is Shure.

The M75ED is a relatively cheap cartridge. It's less detailed and refined than the V15 series. Again, lured in by it's warmth...I continued to experiment with it until a few days ago when I was experiencing mistracking and some horrid sounding cymbal crashes. Frustrated, I removed the cartridge from my tonearm completely, imagining that I would listen to nothing while I waited for my Grace FT-8 to arrive from Soundsmith*. Sitting on my shelf where I have several cartridges that are not in use, I spotted an Ortofon OM 20 that I'd forgotten about. I've read many reviews wherein the OM series has been called "bright", "thin", or "cd-like" and that alone has been enough to discourage me from taking it seriously enough to mount.

None of these adjectives could be further from the actual truth, which brings me to the next lesson learned; bright does not necessarily mean harsh. Prior to installing the OM 20, I had been listening to a Japanese pressing of Elvis Costello "My Aim Is True" and noticed how the cymbal crashes sounded like an artificial, one-dimensional splat with the Shure. I cued up the OM 20, bracing myself for the edginess I'd read about and was completely shocked when the cymbal crashes came around. Rather than the splat, cymbals seemed to shimmer. They were bright, like real cymbals, but smooth and airy in their extension. Rather than calling attention to themselves, they held their own place in the sound-field and instead of a quick, unpleasant explosion(Shure), they cascaded and decayed into space.

The Ortofon OM 20 may be slightly forward, but not in an undesirable or overbearing way. It is clean, quick, lively, and detailed, but with absolute smoothness, finesse, and incredible refinement...especially considering that this is a $200 "budget" cartridge(though I do not, as a rule, equate high-cost with stellar performance). The midrange is articulate, vivid, satisfying, and highly musical. Bass is fast and well defined with more-than-adequate punch and extension. The highs are extended while also having a liquid softness to them. This cartridge is revealing, but refuses to be unpleasant. I'll say it again, this cartridge is smooth...perhaps with even a minute dash of sweetness; unlike the Shures, which are dark, hard and extremely unmusical.

Many Ortofon dealers describe their wares as "accurate". I now understand this statement. The OM 20 has a way of drawing me in to the musical event that is not at all unlike the feel of live music. Violins sound like violins, cellos like cellos, crunchy guitars through EL34-driven cabinets sound as they should, and snare drums have all their snap, depth, and sizzle fully intact. I've noticed that my vinyl playback now has all the dynamic, full-spectrum characteristics that my Marantz SACD player has, but minus the subtle glare of digital reproduction. The OM 20 has given me chills, caused me to sing along with the music, stomp my feet, and dance around the room like an idiot without realizing what I was doing more times than I can remember ever having experienced with any other cartridge/system. And these are behaviors that I typically never engage in.

The Ortofon OM 20 is very much alive, yet it is relaxing to listen to. It is exciting and dynamic, but the music retains all of it's fleshy naturalness and fluidity, like a velvet tapestry with intricate patterns and vibrant colors. The Ortofon is not glassy or grainy in the slightest. It's satisfying and has incredible presence. It reminds me of Quad ESL 57 speakers. It manages to be extremely true and revealing, offering a unique window into the music, but with a total absence of fatigue or unpleasantness. I keep throwing record after record at this cartridge...old pressings, tinny 45's, '60s British rock records, etc...waiting for it to sound ugly or shrieky and it just won't happen. I should also mention that it tracks like a beast; as good or better than any Shure product I've used. Currently, I am convinced that this is the finest sub-$500 cartridge there is**.

Turntable:
Lenco L75

Arm:
Linn Basik LV-X

For details on amplification, wires, and speakers, see my profile.

I would also like to add that if you try or have tried an Ortofon OM 20 and you find it too bright or harsh, I would suggest that your problem lies elsewhere in the system and should be explored. I know that this is an old, standard audiophile sales argument to explain shitty sounding gear...but in this case I believe it's actually the truth.

*A couple months ago I purchased a used Grace FT-8 with a broken cantilever that a friend of mine raved about. I've sent it out for repair and will be comparing it to the Ortofon OM 20 when it returns.


**I'm aware that the OM 20 is not longer in production, but they are still to be found all over the place. I have never tried the OM 20 Super, though I am told it is basically the same animal. The 2M series has replaced the OM. I understand they are very similar and I would be very curious to try one at some point.


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Topic - Ortofon OM 20; REVIEW & the Shure catridge deception unveiled - Mr Blue Sky 13:04:24 05/16/11 (36)

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