Головки звукоснимателя — Ortofon Concorde MKII Elite

The Concorde MKII Elite is a moving-magnet cartridge from Ortofon of Denmark that sits at the top of the Concorde MKII family. It keeps the integrated Concorde format, in which cartridge body and precisely aligned stylus assembly form one unit, but adds a number of component upgrades, including a stylus type normally fitted to hi-fi cartridges. The company positions it as a model that brings a level of quality not previously found in cartridges placed in its DJ category. The list price was EUR 399, and a separate Stylus CC MKII Elite replacement unit is offered.

Key specs that matter

Output is 8.5 mV at 1 kHz and 5 cm/sec, with a channel balance of 1 dB and separation of 25 dB at 1 kHz, falling to 15 dB at 15 kHz. Tracking ability at 315 Hz is 100 µm, and dynamic lateral compliance is 13 µm/mN. The nude elliptical diamond has a tip radius of r/R 8/18 µm and sits at a 20 degree tracking angle. Tracking force runs from 2.0 to 4.0 g, with 3.0 g recommended. DC resistance is 1.2 kOhm and internal inductance 800 mH. The complete unit weighs 18.5 g without screws and comes in a black and gold finish.

Engineering and use context

A nude diamond, rather than a bonded tip, reduces moving mass, and its slim elliptical profile follows high-frequency groove modulations more closely than a spherical or broad elliptical point. The cantilever is a rigid 750 µm aluminium-magnesium tube designed exclusively for this model to balance low weight and stiffness. Ortofon also developed a new coil system for it, plus a fresh rubber compound for the suspension to control tracking and damping. The stylus body is specially moulded and electroplated with real gold. The maker warns that the fine elliptical tip is intended for listening, not for heavy back-cueing or scratching, so it suits playback rather than turntablist work.

Pairing

The Concorde shape plugs directly into the bayonet socket of Technics-style tonearms with no separate headshell, and the combined weight needs an arm and counterweight able to balance the whole cartridge and shell as a single unit. Any standard MM phono input with 47 kOhm loading will accept it, and the high output keeps gain demands modest. Total capacitance of the tonearm cable plus phono stage input should fall within 150 to 400 pF.

Alternatives

The Ortofon Concorde MKII Club uses the same integrated body with a special elliptical diamond of r/R 13/25 µm and an 8 mV output, aimed at DJ and professional applications.