ORTOFON Exclusive 2M Black LVB 250 cartridge:

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven.

Features:

- Nude Shibata diamond on a Boron cantilever - similar to MC Cadenza Black
- New Multi Wall Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNT) rubber compound for the suspension - "more environmental-friendly production... more clean, non-polluting and energy saving."
- €999 / US$999

This could be perfect for the 2021 wish-list for MM cartridge fans.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Michael Fremer (ANALOG PLANET, 5 Apr '21) gets his hands on the ORTOFON 2M Black LVB 250:

"...generally warm, rich yet pleasingly open and smooth tonal balance and responsive rhythm’n’pacing that comes as close to a good moving coil design as I’ve heard from a MM. "

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

$2K here, nothing in stock in NZ until the end of June.

However, consider avoiding the sonic penalty of 30dB(30x) of additional MC circuitry or step-up & the potential increased transparency & immediacy.
And cost saving.

One of the few MMs (or MIs) fitted with a Shibata stylus. (Also the 2M Black.)

Often, I feel that MCs impress on detail & nuance, perhaps at the expense of the bigger musical picture - the dynamic power, energy & 'presence' of real music.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

$2k is a fair wad of cash.

At that price point I'd stick with the Lyra Delos, still under $2k

Hana ML is hard to go past at $1795.00, 2M black is very good at the $1200 mark.