Clearaudio Concept turntable...

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by frimleygreener, Mar 24, 2016.

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  1. sound chaser

    sound chaser Senior Member

    Location:
    North East UK.
    I have the same. Following a cartridge mishap I replaced it with a Maestro (Mk I), it's even better :).
     
  2. zeitlos

    zeitlos Music was my first love

    Location:
    Germany
    I have just been offered a Clearaudio Virtuoso V2 (used – has been played allegedly for about 50 hours) for 400 Euro. Would you consider this as a better deal/solution compared to a new Ortofon 2M Black (ca. 540 Euro) for my Clearaudio Concept (magnetic tone arm)?

    Thanks for any advice.
     
  3. audiorocks

    audiorocks Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I'm using the Ortofon 2M Black with my Concept. It's a very well-regarded combo online. Truthfully, I've never been able to get my vinyl rig to sound quite right. I've always thought it was a phonostage issue but now I'm starting to wonder if it's the tonearm. I'm using a Red Wine Audio Analogica and I've used a Sutherland PhD3 and some others previously.

    Can I choose from any tonearm if I decide to switch out the magnetic bearing one on the Concept? Are there matching considerations between the tonearm and turntable or its hardwired cables?
     
  4. zeitlos

    zeitlos Music was my first love

    Location:
    Germany
    Alright, just came back from the turntable doctor. :) He installed the Ortofon 2M Black onto my Audioclear Concept. Also I now have a Photo-Pre (Lehmannaudio Black Cube Statement). What a magnificent sound! :)
     
  5. zeitlos

    zeitlos Music was my first love

    Location:
    Germany
    My technician who just installed the new cartridge today told me that it's possible to exchange the tonearms quite freely since there seems to be a standard for tonearms which allows you to install also those from different companies (so not just those from Clearaudio).
     
  6. Mike 33

    Mike 33 Active Member

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Lehmannaudio is bang for the buck.

    And if you do an inquiry you get a reply by Mr Norbert Lehmann himself! :)
     
    AmericanHIFI and zeitlos like this.
  7. Mike 33

    Mike 33 Active Member

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    This doesn't apply to all regions so it seems, maybe the USA but I bought my MC wood in The Netherlands with Varify arm.

    Not sure but basicly the Satisfy seems an option. Possible that US goes for Satisfy from the get go and CA has this combo in their line up.
     
  8. whaiyun

    whaiyun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Windsor/Detroit
    The Satisfy is so... satisfying. [​IMG]
     
  9. zeitlos

    zeitlos Music was my first love

    Location:
    Germany
    That's what my local dealer told me. He's in the business for 40 years but really was excited about this product. :)
     
  10. Mike 33

    Mike 33 Active Member

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Here the same, got the decade for ten days breaking in and testing out.

    Bought it with a €100 discount on retail :)

    Great combo with the Clearaudio Concept MC.
     
  11. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    That's a nice carbon fiber variant. Had I known at the time I would've opted for that one over the aluminum, but even the aluminum one is quite good. I personally prefer Clearaudio's mechanical bearing tonearms to the magnetic designs. Seems more solid to me and less fidgety.
     
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  12. zeitlos

    zeitlos Music was my first love

    Location:
    Germany
    I'm also interested in the Clearaudio tonearms to replace my standard one from my CA Concept (magnetic).

    Which one of the following ones would you prefer for what reason?

    CA Satisfy Aluminium (cheapest one)
    CA Satisfy Carbon
    CA Clarify (this is a magnetic one again – any concerns due to this fact?)
     
  13. whaiyun

    whaiyun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Windsor/Detroit
    CA Satisfy Aluminium (cheapest one)
    Not worth going any more expensive for your Concept, unless you plan to move up the line in the future, then you can carryover that arm.
     
  14. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    Curious as to what anyone with experience with this table thinks of

    Clearaudio Concept w/Verify tonearm and MC cartridge
    vs.
    Cleadaudio Concept Wood w/Satisfy tonearm and MM cartridge

    I realize a lot of people would say get the latter with the MC and be done but that's out of budget.

    Coming from a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/ Acryl-It platter, SpeedBox II, and Ortofon 2M Blue.

    Also, preamp is a Parasound Z-Phono USB so this might be a moot point.
     
  15. whaiyun

    whaiyun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Windsor/Detroit
    Clearaudio Concept Wood w/Satisfy tonearm and MM cartridge

    But I'd spend for a better phono preamp first. IMO.
     
  16. zeitlos

    zeitlos Music was my first love

    Location:
    Germany
    Interesting. So you would say the TT itself (Concept) is the limiting element?
    Actually I have no intention to buy a different/better one anytime soon. I thought the tonearm would be one more reasonable investment. But if the player itself cannot really make use of the better tonearm, it makes no sense at all.

    So the "satisfy" is enough, according to your opinion. Carbon isn't necessarily worth the extra charge, right?
     
  17. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    What's the weakness of the phono preamp? Honestly just looking for feedback on it, there aren't many with USB out for needledrops to choose from and that's a critical feature for me.
    Is it the gain settings?
     
  18. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    That 'table is worthy of the Satisfy carbon fiber arm IMO. I've got the aluminum Satisfy on my Concept Wood MC...it's a very good package for the money, but the carbon fiber arm is only $250 more...If I'd known I could order it that way I would have.

    Also, the MC cartridge is a big step-up if you have a phono stage for moving coil. The Concept MM is bested by a lot of MM cartridges I think, so you may want to consider just starting with a different MM cartridge if you're sticking with a moving magnet-only phono stage.
     
  19. whaiyun

    whaiyun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Windsor/Detroit
    PS Audio's NuWave is currently half off NuWave Phono Preamplifier | PS Audio
    It has digital output DSD and PCM
    Heard good things about it.

    You can always use a separate ADC from a preamp out from your amplifier (if it has one).
     
  20. AmericanHIFI

    AmericanHIFI Long live analog (and current digital).

    Location:
    California
    Clearaudio turntables are some of the poorest executed mechanical products to see come out of Germany. I've worked with a few models and I'm also German born.
     
  21. whaiyun

    whaiyun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Windsor/Detroit
    Care to fill out your equipment profile? :confused:
     
    snorker likes this.
  22. AmericanHIFI

    AmericanHIFI Long live analog (and current digital).

    Location:
    California
    :) One of these days. I don't know what I want to list. Highlights-
    Herron Audio system, Kenwood L07D TT, Ortofon Cadenza Bronze/Black cartridges, Audio Physics Avanti III speakers, Vienna Acoustics Mahler, REL Stentor II subwoofer, Audience ClairAudient 1+1, Audience Au24SE/SX cables and power cords, Audience adept response TSS power conditioners, etc.
     
    whaiyun likes this.
  23. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    Anyone else have an issue with the stock spade on the grounding wire being too narrow to fit around the grounding post on their phono preamp? Can I just use any screw or should I cut it off and replace it with a bigger spade?
     
  24. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    Yes. It doesn't fit very well on the grounding post of my McIntosh preamp. That's not limited to the Concept...all the Clearaudio tonearms I've seen have the same spade. I don't see any harm in cutting it off and using a different spade, or none at all, but I'll let others weigh in.
     
  25. Alfredo Richner

    Alfredo Richner Forum Resident

    So, did you end up taking the jump? I have the same setup you mention (Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/ Acryl-It platter, SpeedBox II, and Ortofon 2M Blue) in my bedroom, connected to a Pro-Ject Tube Box S Phono PreAmplifier that goes to a Yamaha RX-V575 receiver and out through the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers.

    Just yesterday I hooked up my new entertainment room setup, which includes the Clearaudio Concept w/Verify tonearm and MC cartridge. I paired it up with Clearaudio's own Nano V2 Phono Pre-amp, the ELAC Element Series Integrated Amplifier and a couple of slim ELAC Uni-fi UF5 Floorstanding Speakers. As soon as I heard the dueling guitars on Wilco's “Impossible Germany”, off Blue Sky Blue, I was smiling from ear to ear.

    Anyways, thought I'd write you since we have similar setups and taste for equipment. I'll charge more reactions as I “break in” this new setup.
     
    wgb113 and cadeallaw like this.
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