Hello, all: I'm pleased to report that, just today, I purchased a super-clean Technics 1200 MKII from 2004. The 'table is great on all accounts, but it didn't include a headshell, or cart. I've aligned a cart - or two - in my day, but I hate the process. IGD and sibilance drive me nuts; I just don't trust myself with the alignment process. So, of course, my attention turned to the Ortofon Concorde series. As these carts are designed specifically for the 1200, it's a convenience that is hard to resist. It looks as though Ortofon released some new Concorde models just this year: Ortofon DJ Cartridges, Ortofon Concorde, Concorde cartridges, Ortofon OM, OM cartridges . The marketing is a little cheesy, but if it sounds good, it sounds good. Seems to me that the model most suited to the hi-fi world is the Concorde MKII Club: Concorde MkII CLUB Has anyone heard it? My other thought is to try one of KABs ProS Cartridge w/STY30 Stylus, but it's probably about double to price. I'm not totally familiar with the Concorde history, but I guess this is KABs attempt to put the 10, 20, 30, and 40 styli on a Concorde body. I know this has been discussed a bit around here, but I suppose the unique angle of this thread ought to be focused only on Concorde bodies, experiences and opinions. I'd also like to know if anyone has heard any of the Ortofon Concorde carts that have recently been released. Thanks!
Any elliptical for a DJ isn't an elliptical like we know hi-fi/home listening carts to be. It's going to be much fatter and mounted on a fat, strong cantilever so it can take abuse. Converting those dimensions listed on that site would show a .5 x .10 mil elliptical. That's not going to be that much different than a fat .6 or .7 conical stylus. If you are sensitive to IGD, you WILL hear it on a cart like that. I would skip this cart entirely if you are trying to set up the turntable for home listening/hi-fi use.
Concordes work well on 1200/10s and you can always swap out the DJ stylus for an OM 10, OM 20 or better, I did see a brochure for all the new Concordes in a local shop, but I have no idea what they are like compared to the older versions. Another option would be to get one of the 2Ms in the fitted headshell, more expensive, but probably better sound, especially if you can stretch to the Bronze which I have tried on a 1210 and it was very impressive, although that was through a very good phono stage.
If you can't align a cart yourself, take it to a shop and have them do it for you. If you can't go to a local shop, buy a cart from someone that will put it on a decent headshell and use calipers to align it to the Technics standard.
I do have someone who can help me who is excellent at cart alignment, but I feel like the Concorde is specifically engineered for the Technics 1200, so it might be better that a human set-up. That's my imagination, anyway.
If you are fixated on the Concorde, I'd get one from KAB and call it a day. I wouldn't mess with any other Concorde. Doesn't matter how tailored it is for the Technics, a fat DJ stylus will have IGD no matter what you do. FWIW in terms of tailoring all they probably did was build the cart with Technics 52mm overhang. You can do the same thing with a conventional cart on a headshell and a pair of calipers. I would rec a Technics overhang gauge, but too many of them are warped and therefore useless (got one like that recently).
As I said the Concordes work great with Technics, but almost all of them come with spherical tips, they are marketed for DJs who back cue, most decent hi fi carts have more advanced stylus profiles, so you will want to replace the stylus which means the cheapest Concorde body is likely your best bet and then get a good OM stylus, but buying a 2M in fitted headshell will give you all the advantages of a Concorde with a better cart and stylus, unless you plan on deejaying of course. I'm pretty sure the overhang on the fitted 2Ms is perfect for the Technics, I did try one on a 1210 and would imagine I checked that, but I can't be sure, it sounded like it was spot on though.
Yup. Here it is at Turntable Lab. However, at that price, it would make sense to buy the cart, a headshell, and have my friend just align it thereby destroying my thoughts about a Concorde. I guess I didn't realize that these carts have a larger elliptical which get into conical territory. So, you're saying that the KAB version will also add unnecessary IGD, @patient_ot?
Ideally you need a cheap used Concorde body with no stylus, then get an OM 20 for example and you will have a great cart that is perfectly set up for plug and play, I actually have an OM fitted to my 1210, but as it has a Rega arm it's a standard OM body not a Concorde.
No, the new Ortofon whatever it's called that some hype marketing thing for DJ. If going through KAB, I would get the OM30 or OM40 stylus for the Concorde. Those are advanced stylus shapes and should be IGD eliminators on most records. I wouldn't bother with any of the OM ellipticals.
The origins of the Concorde were Hifi but it got co-opted to DJ usage so is usually supplied with styli more suited to the requirements of DJing such as being able to scratch and back cue rather than domestic Hifi. Dubmart is on the money when he suggested a Concorde body that may be used and a new styli which is what I use actually for vinyl in my Marantz deck with an S shape arm.
If one can just buy - say a Pro S Concorde body for $100.00 - and replace the stylus with a 30 or 40, then what is unique about the KAB version?
I thing special about the KAB version, you could make your own if you wanted. It have the PROS30, it was $300 if memory serves.
I realize it's an old thread. As an FYI Ortofon has released an integrated for hifi I have it and love it, on my Technics SL-1210M5G. The Concorde Century I purchased mine from Ortofon's Concorde Century MM Cartridge
Hey Guys, I started a thread on choosing Ortofon 2M Series PnP and Concordes for Technics SL-1200GR. I'd appreciate your help there. Thank you!