OM 30/40 in a Concorde body?

KAB used to sell this exact combo - not sure if they still do. So, yes, it will work just fine as long as you're comfortable with the fixed alignment geometry.
 
I've got one of the old LM-era Concorde 10 cartridge bodies, with an old-stock 20 stylus, from back when the 20 stylus was fine line. I use it on my Technics SL-1700Mk2, along with the lighter alternate counterweight that came with the cartridge; the older Concorde is too light to use with the stock counterweight.
 
KAB used to sell this exact combo - not sure if they still do. So, yes, it will work just fine as long as you're comfortable with the fixed alignment geometry.

The question is; should I be comfortable with it?
Since I read the 40 can be such a finicky little bugger to setup is it;
1- Stick it in a Concorde and; Boom! Setup issues gone, great sound!
Or
2- Stick it in a Concorde and; Cr#p! It's off! Never gonna get good sound!

:dunno:

I am going to use it on an SL1200MKII initially and possibly later on a Lenco with PUA7 arm.
 
The question is; should I be comfortable with it?
Since I read the 40 can be such a finicky little bugger to setup is it;
1- Stick it in a Concorde and; Boom! Setup issues gone, great sound!
Or
2- Stick it in a Concorde and; Cr#p! It's off! Never gonna get good sound!

:dunno:

I am going to use it on an SL1200MKII initially and possibly later on a Lenco with PUA7 arm.

Not sure about the Lenco, but on the 1200 it should work great - I think member cactuscowboy has used just that combo with excellent results. If memory serves I believe that will result in proper alignment to the stock Technics geometry. Essentially the same as if you used the Technics alignment jig.
 
The question is; should I be comfortable with it?
Since I read the 40 can be such a finicky little bugger to setup is it;
1- Stick it in a Concorde and; Boom! Setup issues gone, great sound!
Or
2- Stick it in a Concorde and; Cr#p! It's off! Never gonna get good sound!

:dunno:

I am going to use it on an SL1200MKII initially and possibly later on a Lenco with PUA7 arm.

It is designed specifically for a Technics turntable. Using it on a SL-1200, the answer is 1. I've put well over 1,500 hours on my Concorde w/40 stylus. Its performance has been consistently superb, never any IGD or other alignment related problems. Note that the Fritz Geiger stylus retrieves great detail, including clicks & pops if you play VG or lesser condition records. So, in that regard, if you play scratched/worn discs, you might be happier using a conical or elliptical stylus on those occasions.

All bets are off using it on a Lenco, as it's designed for a Technics.
 
The question is; should I be comfortable with it?
Since I read the 40 can be such a finicky little bugger to setup is it;
1- Stick it in a Concorde and; Boom! Setup issues gone, great sound!
Or
2- Stick it in a Concorde and; Cr#p! It's off! Never gonna get good sound!

Comments about finicky-ness on the FG stylus on the Ortofon OM40 are more down to VTA sensitivity.

I highly, seriously doubt that 1mm of alignment error will have any impact on the sound even with the ortofon "40" stylus.

The Concorde series comes optimized for the SL1200 and similar, who specify 52mm of stylus-to-headshell-connector-flange distance.
 
okay - did a little searching (thank you vinyl engine!) and here's the deal:

PUA7 Specs:
Effective length: 235mm
Overhang: 14mm

SL1200 Arm Specs:
Effective length: 230mm (mk2)
Overhang: 15mm (mk2)

So, it looks like due to the fact that there is a 5mm difference in effective length and 1mm difference in overhang you may indeed be significantly out of a "standard" alignment geometry. Doesn't mean it won't work or won't sound great, just a significant chance it may not.
 
Thanks guys! I'm going for the OM. :thmbsp:
The Lenco(s) won't be done (mods) any time soon... And I do want to listen to my records on the SL.
I still need to figure geometry for the PUA/Lenco.. :sigh:
 
Last edited:
vc: What I don't really like about the (current) pro/dj Concorde bodies is the rather heavy weight of these. Granted, the current top hifi needles for these aren't that highly compliant anymore - but I'd still deem the high body weight not quite optimal... In addition, compared to the older, much lighter hifi Concordes (which still have a LM generation generator, btw), the pro/dj Concordes also lack azimuth adjustment.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
In addition to azimuth adjustment, one can also adjust the overhang (cartridge length) on the first-generation Concordes.
 
Me too! :)

Concord Pro S40 and a really neat thing is slipping the stylus off and putting on a 'lessor' one for thrift store LPs or the ProS for Mono --> (will need to adjust tracking weight)
 
vc: What I don't really like about the (current) pro/dj Concorde bodies is the rather heavy weight of these. Granted, the current top hifi needles for these aren't that highly compliant anymore - but I'd still deem the high body weight not quite optimal... In addition, compared to the older, much lighter hifi Concordes (which still have a LM generation generator, btw), the pro/dj Concordes also lack azimuth adjustment.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
My planning was to get a Concorde body, OM40 as 'good' stylus and an Arkiv (which I quite like) for 'the rest'.
This post makes me doubt this.
Because as lini describes compliance matching might/will be off indeed, I need to read spec for both stylii.

Is there also a difference in old/new dj/non-dj OM bodies?

And; Sorry to ask you guys again, but for those of you who do run the 'Concorde 40" (or "30"), is your Concorde body an older type or the 'current' heavier type?
 
Thanks Frank, but.. After some searching I might have a lead on NOS Concorde 30 and Concorde 40 body (hopefully these are the 'old' ones) :thmbsp:

Otherwise I would have gotten me a used dj Concorde (+ new Arkiv stylus) or new 'dj' Arkiv OM (body + stylus) and a 'new' 40 stylus.
 
Last edited:
VC: Regarding the bodies:

- old hifi Concordes: LM generator; light and adjustable body
- current hifi Concordes: don't officially exist, because there is no current hifi Concorde body anymore
- old pro/dj concordes: OM generator, heavy body
- current pro/dj concordes: also heavy body for all versions; but some models still have the stock OM generator (e.g. the Pro (S), Gold and Arkiv...), while some have a modified one (e.g. the Q.Bert, the new S-120 or the Nightclub MkII).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
VC: Regarding the bodies:

- old hifi Concordes: LM generator; light and adjustable body
- current hifi Concordes: don't officially exist, because there is no current hifi Concorde body anymore

KAB "custom builds" their hi-fi Concordes by installing 20/30/40 stylii on a Concorde ProS body. These are intended to by plug-and-play for their line of modified SL-1200 turntables. I'm really not sure how the numbers work, as far as effective mass of the tonearm, stylus compliance, and resonance.

http://www.kabusa.com/ortofon.htm

My old "Concorde 10" body isn't so plug-and-play; I had to loosen the set screw to pull it out to 52mm length (measured using the Technics alignment tool), and use the alternate counterweight that came with it, which isn't calibrated so it requires the use of a VTF guage. The older Concordes will be labeled with "Concorde 10" (or 20 or 30) on the side.
 
SA-708: Yup, exactly - the current KAB Concordes for hifi are a combination of a still current dj/pro Concorde body and one of the current OM/SuperOM hifi needle versions. Exact resonance calculation would be a bit difficult, though - 'cause with the weight ring already being a bit away from the needle, the total 18.5 g of the Concorde body won't completely add to the effective mass. Nevertheless I'd expect the resonance to still be on the rather low side, so some sort of damping method (fluid...) probably wouldn't harm.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Back
Top Bottom