Talk me into a Clearaudio Concept

I've set up TT's before. The Concept is a different beast.

 

I really like the Concept Wood with the Satisfy arm. It punches way above its weight imo. I did not have any issues when I put on a new cartridge and it's a very fine performer overall. I've always been leery of Clearaudio's magnetic arms like the Verify based on accounts like the OP's, and others reporting issues with foot-fall. And the anti-skate adjustment on that arm being underneath the 'table is fairly absurd.

 

I just bought a Concept Wood MC. My plan was to try and sell the MC cartridge on eBay and pickup a reasonably priced Clearaudio MM cartridge for $200. Sounded reasonable enough, and a way to save a little money on this setup, but now you have me wondering....

 

I've set up a Concept with a different cartridge before. And then set it up with the Concept MM recently. The anti-skating is touchy, but things went fine otherwise. In addition to the turntable manual, it was somewhat helpful to download the separate manual for the tonearm.

 

I've taken to another professional since. You will need a digital scale to get a good read on the force. You MUST set the scale at EXACTLY the same height as it would be with a record on the platter. We set the tracking for at 1.7, but I was still getting distortion at some points. I set it up to 2.0 and haven't had any distortion issues YET. Good luck with your purchase!

 

This is so true. I've struggled with mounting a 2M Bronze on my Concept; struggled something fierce. Someone mentioned it earlier in this thread, but one minute it sounds amazing, the next, someone sneezes in an adjacent room and it goes all haywire. It's so touchy. I've got to the point where I'm considering selling it, but I'm stubborn, and don't want to admit it's gotten the best of me.

 

Seems like such a waste to sink in so much time tweaking, adjusting, troubleshooting... instead of listening with a huge grin.

Life's too short. Sell it to somebody who doesn't own a Concept and get something that marries well with yours.

 

How about now?

 

It's because for a magnetic bearing arm, you should be using a cart that has nominal VTF 2.0g or higher.
It has difficulty tracking with carts under 2.0g.

 

Check out my post above. If you haven't already, try this:
Measure the height of the platter with a record on it. Take the platter off and prop a digital scale onto the middle of the plinth and stack whatever you can under the scale so that it's the EXACT measurement of the platter with a record. Set the gauge between 1.7 and 1.9. Check in 3 different spots on the scale and make sure that the weight is between those numbers.
That SHOULD help. I haven't had problems with tracking since I did this. I had distortion issues that were unrelated, but now, about 2 months later I'm finally enjoying the Concept/Bronze combo.

 

My distortion issues might've been unrelated. (I say might've because there hasn't been any for awhile, but I fully expect something bad to happen again). I realized that I was spin cleaning with water from a Brita. The water where I live is very, very hard. I deducted that the residue left from the water was gunking up my stylus. I've since re cleaned my newer records with distilled water and regularly use magic eraser. No issues since, and honestly it sounds better than it ever has. I really think the stylus got filthy.
That being said, if I did it again, I'd just leave the factory installed cartridge on the TT and not touch it. It's been a pain in the butt.

 

Thank you!

 

Will do. Thank you for the tip! I'll give it a try this weekend.

 

Oh. Use the clearaudio VTF scale. Looks like a metallic see saw. I ditched my digital scale because it doesn't measure force at record height which is critical. The CA scale does.

 

The dealer that I went to used the Clearaudio scale, but said that the force that I set was right on. I figure with enough patience, the scale would work. But yes, the dealer said the same thing about the Clearaudio scale. I just didn't want to plunk down another $30.

 

All Clearaudio turntables come with the metal scale. Did yours not include it?

 

Oops. You're right. Now I'm REALLY glad that I didn't buy another one. I wouldn't have trusted myself to use it correctly anyway.

 

Great review on Absolute around:
Clearaudio Concept Black Turntable with Satisfy Tonearm

 

Wow, tested with a $2000 MM cartridge!

 

I got my Concept shortly after they came out, so I must be going on about 10 years now. The previously mentioned composite subplatter turned out to be a problem for me. I was getting an intermittent wobble and it turned out that the composite was failing in some way (chipping? warping? can't recall) causing an imbalance or something. Anyhow ClearAudio was really cool about it, and sent me the machined platter in exchange for my old one. That was, maybe, 2 years along, so they must have made the change quickly. Also, it has 3 spiked feet rather than the later Sorbothane feet. Very reliable and pretty respectable too.