Ortofon - Concorde 5S MM Phono Cartridge

The spherical-tipped Concorde — more forgiving of worn records and imperfect setup, and the cheapest way into the shape.

The Concorde 5 series arrived in 2025 and answers an obvious gap: the iconic Concorde silhouette with its integrated headshell, at genuinely entry-level money. Ortofon positions it just below the premium Concorde Music series, built around the award-winning Concorde MkI design.

The 5S is the spherical sibling to the 5E, and Ortofon’s pitch for it is practical rather than audiophile: built for reliability and ease of use, with a spherical diamond providing stable tracking and requiring less precision during setup, for people who want a hassle-free listening experience.

That is an honest description of what a spherical tip does. An R 18 µm sphere sits higher in the groove than an elliptical and is markedly more forgiving of worn records, of a slightly off alignment and of a tonearm that is not perfectly level — which makes it a sensible choice for a second deck, a party system, or a collection with a lot of well-loved second-hand vinyl in it. It also delivers slightly more output than the 5E at 4.5mV.

Everything else matches the 5E: aluminium cantilever, 20 µm/mN compliance, 750 ohm generator, polymer and brass body, 1.8g tracking force, 47k ohm loading, tool-free bayonet mounting, and the same brush and rubber ring in the box. Ortofon states the Concorde 5 models are fully compatible with the Stylus 5S, 5E, 10, 20, 30 and 40 — that is the OM stylus family, so this body can carry a nude elliptical, a nude Fine Line or a nude van den Hul profile later without buying another cartridge. For a body this affordable that is an unusually long upgrade path — so a customer can start here and fit an elliptical or nude Fine Line tip later.

Features

• Integrated cartridge and headshell — fits any bayonet S-shaped tonearm with no tools
• Spherical diamond, R 18 µm — forgiving of worn records and imperfect setup
• 4.5mV output, slightly higher than the 5E
• Compatible with the Stylus 5S, 5E, 10, 20, 30 and 40 — the full OM upgrade ladder
• 750 Ω generator; 20 µm/mN compliance; polymer and brass body
• Stylus brush and anti-overtightening rubber ring supplied
• The most affordable way into the Concorde body

Specifications

• Type: Moving magnet stereo cartridge with integrated headshell
• Series: Concorde 5, introduced 2025, based on the Concorde MkI design
• Mounting: Bayonet / SME connector, integrated headshell. Fits S-shaped tonearms; no tools required
• Output Voltage: 4.5mV at 1kHz, 5cm/sec — note this is higher than the 5E’s 4mV, which is the same relationship Ortofon publishes between the OM 5S and OM 5E. It is not an error
• Channel Balance at 1kHz: Less than 2dB
• Channel Separation at 1kHz: Greater than 20dB
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz, ±3dB
• Compliance: 20 µm/mN, dynamic lateral
• Stylus Type: Spherical diamond
• Stylus Tip Radius: R 18 µm
• Stylus Suspension: Ortofon proprietary
• Cantilever: Aluminium
• Coil System: Quad coils
• Coil Wire: OFC
• Recommended Tracking Force: 1.8g
• Internal Impedance, DC Resistance: 750 Ω
• Recommended Load Resistance: 47k Ω
• Recommended Load Capacitance: 200 – 500pF (Ortofon’s product sheet)
• Cartridge Body Material: Polymer and brass
• Colour: Black
• Total Weight: Ortofon publishes two figures: 18.5g on both of its websites and 18g in its own Concorde 5 series product sheet. We have quoted the websites, which agree with each other
• Compatible Styli: Ortofon states the Concorde 5 models are fully compatible with the Stylus 5S, 5E, 10, 20, 30 and 40 — that is the OM stylus family, so this body can carry a nude elliptical, a nude Fine Line or a nude van den Hul profile later without buying another cartridge. For a body this affordable that is an unusually long upgrade path
• In the Box: Stylus brush and a rubber ring, which prevents overtightening and secures the fit to the arm
• Cleaning: Ortofon does not recommend solvents of any kind for cleaning either the record surface or the stylus, warning that they may damage the stylus cement and that interior parts of the cartridge can be seriously affected by solvent intrusion. Ortofon states that its warranty will not be valid where such treatment has caused a cartridge to malfunction. Use a dry fibre stylus brush, drawn from the rear of the cartridge forward toward the tip
• Origin: Not published. Ortofon states elsewhere that its cartridges are designed and crafted in Denmark, but publishes no country of manufacture on this product
• Warranty: Ortofon’s own webshop terms specify a two-year limited warranty against defects in workmanship and materials. Ortofon Inc. covers cartridges bought from an authorised US dealer for one year, excluding expendable items. A US dealer purchase falls under the one-year terms
• Not Published: Channel separation at 15kHz; frequency range as distinct from the response window; tracking ability at 315Hz; tracking force range; tracking angle, which Ortofon publishes for its other cartridges but not for the Concorde 5 series; internal inductance; country of manufacture