Ortofon CC-ELITE Concorde Elite Turntable Cartridge

The Ortofon CC-ELITE Concorde Elite is a moving-magnet turntable cartridge designed for vinyl listeners and DJs who prioritize detailed record playback. Its integrated Concorde-style body mounts to compatible Bayonet/SME tonearms without conventional cartridge mounting screws. The cartridge includes a Nude Elliptical diamond stylus and is intended for stereo record playback.

The Elite uses a Nude Elliptical diamond tip to trace record grooves with a lower moving mass than bonded stylus designs. This profile is engineered to retrieve fine groove information across its specified 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range. Ortofon specifies the stylus for listening use rather than heavy back-cueing or scratching.

A specially developed coil system produces an 8.5 mV output at 1 kHz and 5 cm/sec., supporting strong signal delivery into a compatible moving-magnet phono input. Channel separation is rated at 25 dB at 1 kHz, while channel balance is specified at 1 dB. These specifications make it a practical choice for a system built around a 47 kOhm MM phono stage.

The cartridge combines a rigid 750 µm aluminum-magnesium cantilever with a purpose-developed rubber suspension. This assembly is designed to maintain stable tracing of groove modulation, with a specified tracking ability of 100 µm at 315 Hz. Its recommended tracking force is 3.0 g, within an approved 2.0 to 4.0 g range.

The Concorde Elite is a direct upgrade path for turntables using an SME/bayonet tonearm connection. Its black and gold body uses a specially molded stylus housing with genuine gold plating. With a 52 mm cartridge length and 13.5 mm stylus-tip-to-bayonet-center height, it follows the Concorde MkII physical format.

Key Features

• Moving-Magnet Design: Provides 8.5 mV output for compatible MM phono inputs.
• Nude Elliptical Stylus: Tracks fine groove detail for focused stereo playback.
• Aluminum-Magnesium Cantilever: Rigid 750 µm design supports stable signal transfer.
• Dedicated Rubber Suspension: Supports controlled tracking and damping characteristics.
• Bayonet/SME Mount: Fits compatible tonearms without standard cartridge screw mounting.
• Gold-Plated Stylus Body: Adds a black-and-gold finish to the molded housing.

Design & Installation

The CC-ELITE uses a black cartridge body and a specially molded black-and-gold stylus assembly with genuine gold plating. Its Nude Elliptical diamond is fitted to a rigid aluminum-magnesium cantilever, while the cartridge employs a dedicated rubber suspension and coil system. The complete cartridge weighs 18.5 g excluding screws.

Install the cartridge only on a turntable tonearm with a compatible Bayonet/SME connection, then set tracking force to the recommended 3.0 g and confirm tonearm setup. Match it with a moving-magnet phono input or phono preamp specified for a 47 kOhm load resistance and 150 to 400 pF load capacitance. For replacement, use the Ortofon Stylus CC MKII Elite.