KAB Ortofon Concorde back in stock (Reloop branding)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by snorker, Nov 19, 2020.

  1. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy Thread Starter

    For those in the US that are interested, I saw this tweet from KAB today. Looks like he made a deal with Reloop to get the Reloop-branded Ortofon Concorde bodies. The prices look very reasonable.
     
  2. ultron9

    ultron9 The quest for perspicuity and grace continues...

    Location:
    USA
    I think I'll be getting one of these, with the stylus 30 to replace my TM 20 cartridge, glad they are available again.
     
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  3. aphexacid

    aphexacid It’s not Hip Hop, it’s Electro.

    Location:
    Illinois
    I just did this myself a couple weeks ago. I already had a 30 stylus I was using on a Super om body.
    I saw guitar center had the reloop Concorde. $79. I jumped on it. Sounds excellent.
     
  4. highqualityrecords

    highqualityrecords Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    How is the quality of the A-40 stylus on the website, the nude elliptical? At $179, I would love another cart that doesnt require alignment.
     
  5. aphexacid

    aphexacid It’s not Hip Hop, it’s Electro.

    Location:
    Illinois
    Do you mean the 20 stylus? That one is a nude elliptical. The 40 is a FG stylus, and double the price.

    The 20 stylus sounds excellent. After break in, it’s smooth and detailed. Tracks pretty well. The 30 brings even more detail to the party.
     
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  6. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Do you own a Technics with 1/2" mount? If so, this will be fine. The Ortofon/Reloop Concorde is 52 mm overhang, non adjustable. Which equates to Stevenson geometry.
     
  7. highqualityrecords

    highqualityrecords Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    You are correct, the A-20.
     
  8. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    You can still find the Concorde 40th (Concorde with Ortofon Blue wiring) at a few places. Overseas like Analogue seduction or Thakker will get you some money off. Then you can just purchase the whatever OM stylus you want (20,30,40,78).
    I have the 40th KAB with the 40th stylus......sounds amazing. Basically a 2m Black in a Concorde body
     
    ultron9 likes this.
  9. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    OM 40's Fritz Gyger stylus is superior to a 2M Black, and out tracks it to boot. The Concorde anniversary is likely the definitive platform to install a Stylus 40 on.
     
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  10. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    Went crazy and purchased RELOOP BY ORTOFON BLACK40...

    Let's see... I've got this coming along with a JICO SAS/R stylus for my Shure V15 Type III being shipped on 12/18 from Japan.

    I can't wait.
     
  11. ultron9

    ultron9 The quest for perspicuity and grace continues...

    Location:
    USA
    How does the new Reloop Ortofon cartridge sound? Is it the same specs and design as the previous KAB Concord models?
     
  12. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    Don’t know about the specs. The cartridge arrives later this week. I’ll install ASAP and start spinning. Not sure if there is any “break in” period.
     
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  13. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    I think the Reloop is basically the old version of the Ortofon Concorde used for HiFi back in the day. I would guess the 40th is pretty much the same. I'm not certain how much "blue" internal or "bronze" internal wiring would make much or if any sound difference.
     
    snorker likes this.
  14. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
    Interesting - I have the KAB ProS with the OM30 and the Shure V15 IV with the SAS/S/NEO. Both are really great. I'd probably give the edge to the Shure - but much more delicate.
     
    luckybaer likes this.
  15. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
    Yeah - I always wanted a Shure V15 - finally gave in. Really happy with it.
     
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  16. aphexacid

    aphexacid It’s not Hip Hop, it’s Electro.

    Location:
    Illinois
    The Reloop Concorde Black and Concorde Pro S are the same. Not sure why they stopped making the Pro S if they were just going to do a a Reloop version.
    I have both, they sound identical. Bought a back up Reloop in case they loose their minds again.
     
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  17. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    The Reloop is in the house. I've started listening, but I haven't heard enough to make any intelligent comments about the sound.

    Set up is easy - DUH! And, I'm loving the fact that I can easily see where the stylus is when I'm dropping it into a song in the middle of the LP (not that I do that all to often).
     
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  18. aphexacid

    aphexacid It’s not Hip Hop, it’s Electro.

    Location:
    Illinois
    The 40 on a Concorde, IMO of course, is a different expletive than on an OM/super cartridge. I think you’re going to love it!
     
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  19. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    I'm not sure how to go about making any comparisons - I haven't taken this thing off the tonearm since I first installed it. I've listened to Jar of Flies and Sap by Alice in Chains, Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello, and now I'm listening to (shock) Moving Pictures by Rush. All of these are albums with which I'm quite familiar.

    This cart, with the STY40 stylus, sounds impressive. I'm listening via speakers and not headphones, and bass is very VERY impactful. Mids are very full, yet not abrasive or chewy. Highs are clearly articulated and decay of notes and percussion seems natural to my ears.

    I'll have to listen to headphones to get a better idea of things like surface noise, etc., but as of now, I'm liking what I am hearing!

    For what it is worth, my other carts are:

    Ortofon 2M Red (...meh... rarely used - mainly for the first time I play a used LP after initial wash)
    Soundsmith Otello
    Audio-Technica VM750SH
    Shure V15 Type III (JICO SAS/B and SAS/R styli)

    I like all of them (except the 2M Red - it is "OK," but not close to any of the others), and they all have subtle differences in presentation to my tin ears.

    The rest of my gear is in my signature.
     
  20. Mike70

    Mike70 Forum Resident

    The concorde / 40, Otello and vm750sh are on the same price tag ... more or less 400 usd.

    Can you elaborate what difference you hear on them? Thanks :righton:
     
  21. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    Swapped back to my V15 Type III, and my initial impression is that the Concorde's bass is "heavier." That's not very meaningful, but sometimes the first thing one notices after a swap may be the best impression.

    I'd have to do a lot of back and forth and note-taking in order to capture any meaningful differences, and right now, I don't think I want to spend the time doing so.

    I think I'll just listen to all the carts using a handful of favorite LPs and see what emerges. :)

    For what it is worth, outside of the 2M Red, none of the cartridges I own made me want to stop listening.
     
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  22. Mike70

    Mike70 Forum Resident

    Ok, but that means you don't see differences like "night and day" ... elsewhere you'll remember clearly.
     
  23. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    No immediate night and day differences - well... maybe I'll take that back. The bass presentation on the Concorde does jump out. Moving Picture's Side 1 is pretty awesome with the Concorde. I've listened to it 7 times in the last 90 min or so... (3x with the Concorde, and 2x with the V15 Type III and VM750SH).

    The Concorde hits heavier than either the VM750SH and V15 Type III. I'm not saying it is better, but I am saying it does have a different presentation. All is good, though!
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2020
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  24. Claude Benshaul

    Claude Benshaul Forum Resident

    I'm not really a TT guy and hardly a lover of LP records but I still own an SL1200 M5G to play my smallish collection and got tempted by the KAB ProS+OM40 combination. I'm not disappointed at all. First of all it's a combination that sounds better than the previous AT ML440 I previously used. I admit that it's a subjective impression but what is undeniable is that it's definitively a better tracker. Several records that I despaired from listening to without a skip, these are records that last time I managed to get them to play without having to get up and move the tonearm to the next track was sometime around 1985, well these records now plays flawlessly with the KAB.
     
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  25. aphexacid

    aphexacid It’s not Hip Hop, it’s Electro.

    Location:
    Illinois
    That’s what my eyebrows said to my brain the first time I experienced the Pro S with the 30 & 40. Super clean, super hard, very precise bass hits. Sometimes violently (in a good way). Goes without saying I won’t go back to my OM body.

    Right before I jumped onto the Concorde train, I was listening with a 2m Bronze. Sort of in the middle of a 30 & 40? Don’t have a 2M black. Some say the 40 beats the 2m Black. If it sounds better than the Concorde 40, then wow...
     
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