A DJ cartridge for hi-fi enthusiasts | Ortofon Concorde Elite review 

And guess what most vinyl are cut from a Cd Yes Cd 😂🎉🎉

Thank you

Thanks Terry.

Good info - thanks.

Yes, very snazzy.

Thanks for the info, Peter. Makes sense that it is right between the Blue and Bronze. Cheers, Frank

@@Channel33RPMYes, I was going to suggest the 2m Bronze as well. For the price point, it would be more of an apples to apples comparison than with the 2m Blue. I’ve listened to both the Blue and Bronze, and I can say that I like the Bronze better-just more of everything the Blue has going for it. I’m now running the Black stylus on my Bronze cartridge (they’re interchangeable like the Red and Blue are). Though there isn’t the same amount of difference between how the styli sound as there is between the Blue and Bronze, the Black is still definitely worth it if someone wants to upgrade from the Bronze, but doesn’t want to start again with another product line and therefore a whole different setup.

Congrats on the new turntable - a beauty.

Nice! Which color do you have? I have a white M7L and swapped the golden tonearm to a black one. The elite matches very well with it!

@@QoraxAudio I got on 3 websites preorder lists for a red one and all came up short. I even had a call from one site and gave them a list of preferred colors, several days later they said they were not getting any at all. Still on the notification list but none have sent updates. One day I got an email from turntable lab that they had a matte black and gold one. Jumped on it with no regrets. Each has a limited edition number plaque on the base.what are you using for a cartridge?

@@Onteo1 I'm mostly using the Elite on it because it fits well with the deck, but I've tried most of the cartridges in my collection. I've posted some recordings of it on my channel. I'm using it as a secondary turntable - my main turntable is a Technics SL-1200G, at which I switch between cartridges way more frequently.

@@QoraxAudio I use the ortofon pro s for standard records and my second cartridge is an ortofon OM with a 78 stylus

Thanks JC

Thanks for watching!

Good to know. Thanks!

Frank - can you tell me a bit about your slip mat and 45 adapter? Also, can you point me to a video that explains the benefits of the turntable clamp? Love your content. TY.

I do have a Red as well... a true workhorse! If you ever switch the the Blue, you can keep your current cartridge, and buy a Blue stylus (the Blue and Red bodies are interchangeable). Thanks for watching!

Very similar to my Pickering xv15 625e which I pair witha Jico stylus. It's my main vintage cart. I purposely avoided comparisons to vintage in this video, but the Pickering is great.

I second that! I love that cartridge/stylus

Yes Pickering XV-15 625e + Jico stylus

@@Channel33RPM what is the VTA setting for the Concorde?

I have come close several times to pulling the trigger in the DL-110. Seems like it was just $250. Crazy how the price keeps going up on that one... Still playing around with the tracking force on the Concorde.

@@Channel33RPM I see Amazon has it for $270. The cart looks the same but shows no packaging. I think there was a thing about "Japanese versions" ... I see the going rate at $399US. Still, cant say how much this is leaps and bounds over EVERY other cart I've had. Next time you get some extra dough to blow, I think you would love it. I listen to all kinds of music and this handles them all well. Peace out Frank.

Oh man... I am not 100% sure. The Reloop is basically a 1200 clone, so I imagine it would be a good fit.

Yes - absolutely.

Concordes are plug and play

Thanks Andy.

3 grams is 3 grams, VTF has nothing to do with cartridge weight (let's not count balancing issues). Concorde weights 18,5 grams, that's heavier than most traditional headshell and cartridge combos.

I have the M44-7s and the M44-Gs and the Ortofon Club MK2s. The Club MK2 is better then the M44-7 sound wise. To me the the Elite only sounds a bit better then the Club MK2.

I love my RED too. Other better specced ones in my opinion lack mid and low range.

Thanks - and you're right, I didn't specifically mention straight tonearms. I noted that the cart can be installed on any tonearm that uses the Baerwald alignment method. I think that excludes all (most??) straight tonearms??? But I'm not sure.

@@Channel33RPM I hear ya.I guess the Baerwald alignment method is the proper tool to use when aligning a cartridge to an s-shaped tonearm.

Yes, absolutely - I believe that was the original intention.

A lot of what you are saying is true, but not the part about surface noise. Output voltage has nothing to do with it. You need a certain amount of gain to turn the phono signal into a line level signal. How you go about doing it shouldn't have any effect on surface noise. I think its possible you're mistaking surface noise with overall sound quality or too much gain. All other factors being equal, the lower a phono carts output, the better it sounds. The electricity needed to make a signal is mechanically generated by the movement of the stylus through the groove on the record. This puts out a very weak signal. The cart in the video puts out 6 mv. A typical low output phono cart can be as low as .5 to .3mv. 6mv is 12x more output voltage than .5mv. In other words, you're trying to get 12x the output power using the exact same record spinning at the exact same speed. You sacrifice quality for quantity.

I stand by what I said. This remains my main cart to this day.

$320

@@markfx12 Yikes!

Belief has nothing to do with it. Phono carts do break in. How much you notice, as always, depends on many factors. However, when it comes to break in, phono carts are in a league of their own. I've had carts that literally sounded defective when new. For the first 20 to 25 hours, you can hear a change from record to record. The differences are not subtle, and anyone with normal hearing can instantly hear it for themselves. (As long as they are willing to tell the truth. That said, I know nothing I say will ever change your opinion on the matter. There's no reason to argue the point. I'm making this post because I know a lot of people read these threads. I lost track of how many times someone contacted me asking for advice on what's wrong with their system after they installed a new cart. Its intended for people who may be having an issue.

Thanks Alex. Which AT cart?

@@Channel33RPM 3600 is the same one used on the audio Technica turntable.

@@Channel33RPM the cartridge is a 3600 costing about $30 .00 CDN

yeah it's called a hand i use it all the time to handle records without ever touching the grooves.i know what your talking about tho "the record butler", for the same price but instead of two you can get a 3 pk. called Hudson Hi-Fi "Record Mitt" 3 pack.

@@VinylandKicks86 Not sure if I should label you a smart-ass or respect the comment. It's a somewhat clever reply so I'll give it to you. But thanks for that. Seems a bit over the top but I like the idea.

i doubt this Ortofon Concorde Elite cart is a better match than the Shure M44-7 cart with a 1200 Technics this match up was a game changer for DJs.

@@VinylandKicks86 I’ve own M44 before. I’m looking to maybe get something different next year. JINCO cartridge

You are right - didn't have a good comparative cart.

Hi Nick, good to see you here! I also own one of these Elite cartridges. It's a really nice Concorde, so this one is worth a try if you're into Concordes. Balanced sound, without the typical brightness most Ortofon cartridges have. It also has great channel separation, providing a nicely wide soundstage - especially when I listen to it through my Sennheiser HD800S headphones!

what's going on nick?hope your doing good buddy. just by the specs of this Concorde "elite" alone i'm not convinced this is a better pairing than the Shure M44-7 for the Technics 1200.some M44-7 specs unique wide-diameter Type S cantilever with a tracking force of 1.5 to 3.0 grams, 9.5 mV output produces very powerful resonant sound.M44-7 also has a legendary reputation for ultra high Skip Resistance when back cueing for a mix & battle dj scratching without ever skipping or jumping out the groove.the M44-7 is definitely a better cart on a 1200 for DJing purposes.but probably also just for listening for enjoyment the M44-7 produces impressive sound quality compared to other "audiophile" carts that cost a lot more, what do you think?

@@QoraxAudio Hey, Qorax! Great to see you out here in the wilds of the interwebs…lol. Yeah, man. I don’t doubt I’d likely enjoy this cart. I was just saying that at 8.5mV, the gain and capacitance loading need to be set correctly. Great channel separation is a must, imo. I see some carts out there that cost a lot with like 20dB of separation, which is unacceptable, imo. Not that they can’t sound good, but for a great soundstage, it’s a necessity, but you know that… I see you’ve got a couple vids up using this cart, that I’ll definitely check out. Not sure why I didn’t get a notification. I love your needle drops. They really are some of the best I’ve heard. 👍😊🔊🎶

@@VinylandKicks86 Hey, Kicks! Hope you’re well, man! I don’t doubt the M44-7 is great for DJ’ing and that it likely tracks well. I never DJ’d though. Just interested in sound quality. I used to own one years ago, but don’t really remember how it sounded. It’s a shame Shure is out of the game, but at least JICO still makes styli for em. I still have my M91E, M97xE, and another Shure cart. I was just saying that the gain needs to be set correctly and the capacitance load needs to be set right for any MM cartridge to really shine. I like all my carts, but I’ve really gone off the deep end with LOMC carts…lol. Been using a modified Denon DL103r cart for a while now. The things that are important to me in a cart are great channel separation and a well balanced sound, although I do love Grados with their midrange beauty and certain AT carts that are just fun to listen to with great punch. I’m at a point where I just want reliable great sound to enjoy my records, but the tech stuff has always interested me. I’m all set with chasing gear, and have put together a couple systems I swap between that I really enjoy. How about you? Talk to ya soon, man! 🔊😊🎶 Edit: Not all MM carts are happy at 47K. Some sound better at 27K - 100K. Unfortunately, most phono pres are set at 47K. I built an MM phono stage (tube based) with loading plugs to set any MM cart where it sounds best. MM, MC, MI….Whatever sounds best to you, but it takes experimenting to figure that out. 👍😊🎶

Pricewise, yes. Quality, I am not sure.

@@Channel33RPM Yeah, I checked, price wise, it goes for the around the same price as the 2M Bronze. $699 AU. I’ve had the Bronze on my Audio Technica LP120 for 2 years. The sound just absolutely roars off the turntable. One of these days I’ll try the black. Frank, try the bronze if you get a chance. I still have kept the Blue, but the bronze is a decent jump above…a lot more separation and a bigger soundstage. Alive II sounds insane on it…..

Deleted the reference to megavolt.

@@Channel33RPM you are welcome. ;)

I also use Nightclubs (and have never used anything else) as I first got into DJIng then eventually record collecting. Would you consider the Nightclub hifi/audiophile quality? Would I notice any difference compared to a "general" dedicated listening cartidge instead of our "DJ" cartidge?

Do videos - do reviews - put some time in - get some subscribers

I made I mistake I wanted to fix.

@@Channel33RPM Ah okay, well, this cartridge is nice. I've made a recording with the Elite about a month ago. You can listen it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bu0kCfwynho.html I hope you like it 👍 Btw, that mellowness will fade partly after some breakin - about 30 hours. As for the Ortofon statements: The reason they don't want you to use stylus cleaning fluid is because they don't want complains of people who screw it up. However, it's just fine to use every once in a while, if you have caked on gunk that doesn't go away by a dry brush. Just NEVER use it while holding the cartridge upside down - that way you prevent fluid from leaking into the suspension. While Ortofon claims you need a Bearwald alignment, the Technics 1200 tonearms have an alignment that's way closer to Stephenson... Bearwald requires a lot longer overhang.

@@QoraxAudio alignment question since I have been going down this rabbit hole the past week while looking at carts, and noticed your comment. If the Technics 1200 is closer to a Stevenson alignment, can you still use a Baerwald protractor to set up a cart on a 1200? Is the difference discernable in terms of listening? I asked someone who worked in a hi-fi shop this question and they mentioned that they prefer Baerwald for all TTs except for Regas (and Rega carts)

@@grapefruitplussoda Well, the maximum tracking error with bearwald is the lowest of all being fairly linear. However, Stevenson has less tracking error near the center, but a higher tracking error near the edge. They're all tradeoffs... the optimal alignment differs, depending on stylus shape and the way a record is cut. I prefer the Technics alignment, simply because it's easy to perform using their supplied overhang gauge.

@@QoraxAudio my 50th Anniversary Technics did not come with an overhang gauge, sadly. I do have a Baerwald protractor though. Just wanted to make sure it's not "wrong" to still use on a Technics in terms of wear or listening if the difference is small enough.

Sorry, I should have been more clear - the stylus is definitely replaceable. The cart is in a fixed position though, meaning you can't adjust the overhang. So it can only work on certain turntables. Interesting that they don't recommend using solvents. It sounds very good - but it is not cheap.

@@Channel33RPM OK, good to know about the replacement stylus - thank you.

Yes - sharp eye!

Gone over this topic many, many times and people come out of the woodwork saying it's wrong no matter what... You guys argue among yourselves... 😀 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eASjaXv6_0U.html

@@Channel33RPM I worked for Panasonic in the late 70s-early 80s... take my word. I remember that sales-rep's would say the name an inordinate number of times to impress upon buyers the proper way to say it. At the time, I was just a flunky and didn't care. Somehow, over the decades, I seem to have gotten kind of militant. Panasonic was trying to make word-play on "technical".

I'm pretty sure "new vinyl playing kids" aren't dropping 4 bones on a cart.

🤣@@Channel33RPM

Now you're just nitpicking :) You should have called me on my pronunciation of Nagaoka.

Fun regarding the sound. Lively, bright, detailed. Fun.