The Ortofon Concorde MKII Club DJ Stylus is a really good all around stylus that is great for club DJs as well as music enthusiasts. This was the first stylus I looked at as a potential replacement for my Shure M44-7s which is ready to retire.
The overall sound profile isn’t as loud as most DJS type stylus but its no slouch either. Not so much bass in your face as the Shure M44-7, but it has a good amount of low end to tap your feet to. The high end of the profile isn’t as clear as other stylus but is a slight be better than the M44-7 where it’s clearer but not super loud.
Technical Specs
Stylus type: Special Elliptical
Tracking Force: 3.0 g
Output Voltage: 8 mV
Frequency Response: 20-20,000Hz
Output voltage at 1000Hz, 5cm/sec. – 8 mV
Channel balance at 1kHz – 1 dB
Channel separation at 1kHz – 25 dB
Channel separation at 15 kHz – 15 dB
Frequency range at -3dB – 20-20.000 Hz
Tracking ability at 315 Hz at recommended tracking force – 100 μm
Compliance, dynamic lateral – 14 μm/m N
Stylus type – Special Elliptical r/R 13/25 μm
Tracking force range – 2 – 4 g
Tracking force recommended – 3 g
Cartridge weight – 18,5 g
Replacement stylus unit – CLUB
The installation for the cartridge is very simple. Just pop it on and you’re good to go, no alignment needed, just balancing. Tracking force can go up to 4g but it seems like it handles fine for backcueing at 3g. I don’t really scratch and since this is more of a elliptical stylus, I don’t wanna cut with it too much… that can be done with the VNL cartridge instead.
At the same time, it does feel a little light but it doesn’t jitter or get jolted that easily despite that fact, but coming from a M44-7, it’s a bit of a difference as you don’t have to use as much force to place or cue.
Overall, the sound profile of this stylus is close to what I’m used to for the M44-7. Not as loud, but pretty darn close. Considering the VNL was riding really close to the platter for me, this is what’s on the turntable for now until I get a new one and I can really test out both styli. But for DJing and not scratching, this stylus would be the one I would use. For lots of cuts, scratches and cueing, the VNL would be able to take the beating, much like the M44-7 could. With the Club I would worry I would wreck the records after a while.
But since I’m mostly using these for sound recording, I think I would use the VNL for most Pop records and maybe switch to the Club for the heavier bass tracks. Both are really good in terms of overall sound quality but for reproduction purposes, the VNL seems a lot more balanced and closer to natural, vs the Club just has that nice club sound that makes you wanna move.
For more information, check out Ortofon’s page: https://www.ortofon.com/club-p-813
The Review
Ortofon Concorde MKII Club Stylus
A very good club/DJ oriented stylus with high output and good sound profile for dance music.
PROS
- Very easy install
- Dance music oriented sound profile
- Very similar to the Shure M44-7
CONS
- High signal isn't as pronounced.
