This could be rather interesting. I really like my 2M Black, and wonder if the new LVB stylus will be a straightforward compatible snap on upgrade to the standard 2M Black. Hope so as this could be rather special. My stylus is now perhaps getting past its best so this could be tempting upgrade, although prices to be confirmed for the stylus on its own.
More info over on Stereonet…
The article you posted says in the final paragraph that the new stylus can be used on existing cartridges. At £829 it’s a lot more costly than the standard cartridge.
Yes, you are correct.
Oh crikey - the Shibata diamond on a boron cantilever! Not sure I’ll be able to resist taking a punt on the stylus when it becomes available. I guess it will retail at £400+
I’d expect this to be a top notch stylus Modern Day Moving Magnets give nothing away to similarly priced Moving Coils.
Can someone remind me, is it boron cantilevers that never ever may come in contact with any cleaning fluid? Thanks
Boron is OK, because it resists corrosion. Aluminium cantilevers, such as the Linn Krystal is equipped with, must never come in contact with cleaning fluids. There are a few horror stories to be found in the various fora, complete with photos, of aluminium cantilevers that fell apart after repeated cleanings with stylus fluid.
There are MM out there for pretty serious amounts of money, I have a Clearaudio Artist 
V2 and a Graham Slee MM only phono stage . They are a seriously good pairing , and quite pricey together I see no need for MC at my system level as the sound is very, very good
Thanks, I knew it was one or the other
A little “pop” marketing exercise me thinks.
Good for those wanting boron but celebrating Beethoven it better be good at that price.(I’ll probably never find out)
Yes, I did think the Beethoven association a little unnecessary as Ortofon’s reputation is already very good, but marketing = sales!
Price wise, I agree , it will have to perform exceptionally well as its just starting to edge into the territory of entry level moving coil carts, so would have to be very good to compete with the likes of something like the new Hana range specifically as they seem widely regarded. If I was buying fresh, that’s what I’d be auditioning.
Looking forward to reading any first impressions when the review samples get sent out.
Entry level MC start at under two hundred pounds also from Ortofon , this is an eight hundred pound plus MM
The most expensive MM I could find was £1500 .
I have a quality MM and very pleased with it, as separates the arm , cartridge and phono stage cost the equivalent of a Nait XS 3 . My point is that I could get an arm, MC and phono stage for under a Nait 5 .
I think the difference is really down to quality of components and I am very happy with MM
But would you want a two hundred pound MC cart?
I think Linn used to supply a really cheap cartridge on the LP12 way under the equivalent of £200 today and it was good, very good (k9 ?)
Yes…but the k9 was always a cheap bought in rebadged cartridge not a giant killer
Hello, Denon. Sure, why not…?
Had many a K9, and heard it walk all over some quite expensive moving coils back in the day. I still have one and i’d bet it could still embarrass a few today. It was not a standard Audio Technica although it was based on one.
Not so cheap and not a re-badge. The body was all-new and unique to Linn - out with the plastic and in with metal alloy. I still have one, along with a Nagaoka TS-11, which was a similar deal from the competition…
I may be mistaken, but I was under the impression that MC carts are so labour intensive and exacting to manufacture to enhance and preserve the signal, that only the more expensive units are worth considering?
I’m pretty sure (twas a long time ago!) I initially had a K9 on my LP12 as a starter cart, and thought it really good at the time.
