What is the Mysterious Part on Ortofon’s Popular Concorde MkII Series Cartridge?

The Concorde MkII Series by Ortofon is a go-to cartridge, widely loved by both DJs and audiophiles for its ease of setup, thanks to its integrated headshell, and the excellent visibility of the stylus position due to its wide U-shaped cutout.

In this article, I’ll be exploring a lesser-known part of the Concorde MkII Series.

① The Mysterious Ring
② What’s Its Role?
③ It’s Missing! What to Do?

① The Mysterious Ring

Before we dive into this lesser-known part, let’s take a quick look at the structure of the Concorde MkII Series.
The cartridge consists of the stylus, the main body of the cartridge, and a replaceable finger lift. It’s a simple structure with a sleek design.
Each color in the series is named according to its ideal use: MIX, DJ, Scratch, Digital, and Club, each optimized for a different playstyle.

Now, onto the main topic: What is this lesser-known part? It’s this:

A small rubber ring.

If you’re thinking, “Did it always have this?” you’re not alone. It’s located on the rear part that connects to the tonearm, and since it’s so small, it can easily be lost when attaching or detaching the cartridge.
There’s also very little information available about this ring, leading some to think it’s just a protective ring for shipping, while others believe it serves as a weight, and some even think it improves sound quality when attached!

② What’s Its Role?

So, what exactly is the purpose of this mysterious rubber ring? After doing some research...
I found that the official website actually provides clear information!

Rubber ring for Concorde cartridge

“Rubber rings function is to prevent over-tighten of the cartridge assembly on the tonearm, over-tighten can push the tonearm contacts back. The rubber ring should be pushed to the base of the cartridge assembly, position between the cartridge connector(rare) and the tonearm.”

The rear part of the headshell (the side that inserts into the tonearm) has four small circles that act as contact points, and the ring helps protect these from damage caused by tightening during installation.

③ It’s Missing! What to Do?

Just when you were relieved, thinking you could now use the cartridge with peace of mind, you might encounter this: “The ring wasn’t included... what’s going on!?” We sometimes receive inquiries like this from customers who purchased a two-pack of the Concorde MkII Series.
Don’t worry, the ring is included.

But before jumping to conclusions, let’s go through the steps to check.

[If it’s simply detached from the cartridge]

First, stay calm and check inside the hard case. Look closely to see if the ring is caught on the included brush or stuck in the edge of the case.

[If it’s under the inner lid of the case]

When you purchase a two-pack of the Concorde MkII Series, they come in a hard case. This case, which is convenient for bringing to events, has a removable inner cushion pad. Did you know that?
To remove the cushion pad, simply lift the part labeled ‘LIFT’ at the front right of the pad.

When you lift it, you’ll likely find the small user manual and the rubber ring that you thought was missing.
After retrieving the ring, just place the cushion pad back into its original position. Simple, right?

It’s also possible for the ring to slip between the cushion pad and the case, or to get stuck under the stylus guard due to small tears in the pad (which can happen during shipping, but it’s not a defect).

By the way, Ortofon products use special seals on their packaging that leave a mark when opened. At Sound House, we ship products exactly as they were received, without opening them. Given that this is a popular model, we’ve sold a huge number of units, and I’ve never heard of a case where the ring was missing, which speaks to the high quality of the manufacturer’s production and inspection standards.

For those who lost just the ring from an older headshell...
Unfortunately, the ring is not currently sold separately. However, you can still attach the cartridge without the ring, just be careful not to overtighten it during installation. Some headshells from other manufacturers also include rubber rings similar to Ortofon’s, so you could reuse one of those if needed.

Conclusion

By setting up your cartridge properly and using it correctly, you can enjoy a better listening or DJ experience while also extending the life of your cartridge.
In the audio world, (unfortunately) misleading information can sometimes circulate as if it were common knowledge. When that happens, it’s important to do your own research, find accurate information, and enjoy great sound. That’s part of the joy of being an audiophile.

On Ortofon’s website, you’ll find many videos and pages detailing cartridge and turntable setup. Google Translate is very accurate and reliable these days, so even if the international pages seem intimidating, give it a try—you might discover something new!

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