KAB Ortofon Concorde back in stock (Reloop branding)

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

  1. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    Ah, the neighbors’ favorite cartridge/stylus combo! :righton:
    Funny how mix&matching can produce so many sound profiles.
     
  2. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    They LOVE me. Good thing I’m in the concrete basement of a house, and not in a wood-floored flat!
     
    ultron9 and Oelewapper like this.
  3. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    Any experience with the blue DJ Concorde mk1? Is it a good idea to mount a 20-30-40 stylus on it?
    Also curious about the Pro-ject Pick it 25A...Where does it fall in the original Ortofon range? Color fits the DJ Concorde nicely, I hope, but it may be a different blue nuance. Edit: it seems to be a modified OM 10.
     
    McLover and aphexacid like this.
  4. aphexacid

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

    Location:
    Illinois
    I like the way the pick-it looks, I wanted to get it just for that aspect.
     
  5. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    It has a compliance of 25um... I much prefer a lower compliance on a Technics tonearm.
     
  6. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Technics and Ortofon need to team up with an audiophile concord cartridge system. Plus, lots of vinyl newbies would be very pleased with he plug n play aspect, even include one with the 1500c.
     
  7. normanr

    normanr Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    I think this has come up many times before, but has anyone tried using this "genre" of cartridge in a Pioneer PLX-1000? The headshell-to-stylus measurement in the manual is 54mm for the Pioneer vs 52mm for the Technics but has anyone tried it in practice and checked whether the alignment is incorrect?
     
  8. Mike70

    Mike70 Forum Resident

    Agree, i think 20 it's a good upper limit. But ... in a theorical way, as always, it depends on practical context.
    it's not the same a very good plinth, tonearm with fluid dumper, blah blah.

    I use the vm540 in a technics tonearm and it works flawless ... before that i used a headshell with 11 grams and also worked very good ...

    So, it's very difficult to answer with generic / theorical observations without the total application context. Unfortunately, it's what we can do almost all the time.
     
    Metamorphcycle likes this.
  9. Pmds55889397

    Pmds55889397 Forum Resident

    Agree, meanwhile I need to fit my new Bronze to a headshell, should keep me covered next couple of years(not the fitting but listening)
     
  10. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    The output from the Concorde is really low for some reason, the Super OM rated at 4mv is much louder, I don't like having to turn the volume up too much with vinyl due to the increased noise floor. Also I didn't find the Concorde to be particularly bass heavy either.
     
    ultron9 likes this.
  11. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    I don't see how the plinth can make a difference to tonearm resonance, but the fluid damper and a stiff magnesium tonearm definitely make a difference.
    I agree, those tonearm resonance calculations are just an approximation, in the end you need to put it to the test to be sure.
    But 25um compared to that 20um upper limit is a difference of 25% higher compliance, so that's a lot.
     
    patient_ot likes this.
  12. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Agreed but aligning a cart with the Technics gauge is not particularly difficult and to my ears sounds fine.
     
  13. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    There is a member here that regularly uses cartridges with a compliance of ~30CU on a Technics 1200G arm. It's worth noting that they have a KAB fluid damper, plus some of those cartridges come with a damping brush. Maybe not the best match on paper but it could "work" in practice.
     
    Oelewapper likes this.
  14. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    Ok, that's about the Pick it. What about mounting 20-30-40 stylus on a DJ S? Would there be a benefit or problem due to the higher, 6mV output or some other characteristics that are different from the classic (KAB) Pro S range with 20-30-40 stylus? Question is: is it better to look for Pro S or DJ S on the used market and fit it with 20-30-40 stylus? Also curious about comparing DJ S + STY tip with the Anniversary Concorde + STY tip.
     
  15. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    I just purchased a Super OM10. I’ll swap out STY10 with STY40 from my Reloop Concorde Black and see if I like it STY40 on the Super OM body.

    I do like STY40 on the Reloop Concorde Black, though. It adds a lot to bass-light LPs - like Ultravox’s “The Collection.” I bought that about 35 years ago, and in my new system, I didn’t realize how thin it sounds.
     
  16. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    Idk, but the anniversary Concorde body is probably better, since it’s designed as a HiFi cartridge and has the 2M Blue driver inside.
     
  17. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Hits collections with 7 tracks per side are not the place to look for sound quality on vinyl.

    I have a bunch of old Ultravox vinyl here (actual albums, not "hits" LPs) and those all sound excellent with no lack of bass.
     
  18. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    What are the innards of the Concorde Black, same as OM?
     
  19. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the STY40 on the Super OM body vs the Concorde Black.
     
  20. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    Wait, now I realize that it's the same compliance as with STY 20-30-40...Are you saying you are not a fan of the KAB Pro S Concordes that are quite praised around here?
     
  21. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    I'm wondering how much does "wiring" inside a cartridge actually makes. Yes, how the cartridge is built, etc..plays a huge role. But the actual wiring at the super short lengths inside a cartridge?
     
  22. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    KAB doesn't exist in the UK, it's a Reloop Concorde Black with either STY20,30 or 40, all KAB are doing is pushing the stylus on.
     
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  23. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    I don’t have a KAB Concorde, I went for the Century, the main reason was the silver wiring.
    I do think that Concorde cartridges are a bit better in dealing with tonearm resonances compared to regular carts, but at 25um it’s still a high compliance.
    Another reason is that because of my DJ background I’ve always seen the Pro S as a basic entrylevel cartridge (together with the Pro it’s at the bottom of the first gen concordes). It’s still a bit puzzling to me that with a better stylus it gives such good results.
    I really think the anniversary 40 option of KAB is a much better choice.
     
  24. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    I understand that would normally be the case, but I had hoped for better. My Roxy Music and David Bowie collections from around the same time sound great. The lack of any bass was stunning. The mids and highs were adequate. There was zero warmth.
     
    patient_ot likes this.
  25. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    I'm not sure, but based on the sound profiles I've read about, I doubt they're the same inside. Could be wrong, though.
     

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