Clearaudio Concept
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12170 Registered: Feb-05 | I ordered the Music Hall MMF 2.2 when wouldn't you know it...an opportunity to acquire a Clearaudio Concept came along. On order and will arrive sometime in the very near future. All indications are that this is a killer entry level table...I hope so because as much as it would be great to own the Performance SE, if the Concept rings my bell then that's where it ends. Upgrade the cartridge and phono stage and call it good. Now I have a Music Hall 2.2 that will be looking for a new home very soon...again. |
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New member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 9 Registered: Feb-10 | Art - Lucky lucky man you are. Quite the jump in status from the MH 2.2 to the Concept. |
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Gold Member Username: SoundgameToronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1118 Registered: Jun-08 | Congrats on the Concept. I love the design - a modern turn on what I would call a very traditional seventies shape. All the best with it. Too bad about the Music Hall - won't the dealer take it back, less the restocking fee? Or did you buy it used. What about the Concept...new or used? It lists for almost $1400 on Music Direct sans cartridge. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12173 Registered: Feb-05 | Both tables are new and I will be selling the MH in a few weeks. Someone will get a good buy. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3692 Registered: May-05 | The Concept looks like a very interesting TT. I haven't heard or seen anything made by Clearaudio, so I'd appreciate your insight. Now that I have all this vinyl and the cleaning machine just arrived yesterday, I think LPs will get a lot more playing time. I think my next turntabe will be a VPI Scout, after a few other upgrades of course. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12178 Registered: Feb-05 | Before you buy a VPI, lets hear how the latest generation of Clearaudio's sound. I'll bet they are competitive. Can't really lose either way. |
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Silver Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 535 Registered: Dec-06 | Congrats Art. Looking forward to your impressions and maybe a quick synopsis of what the Concept does better than the 2.2, just to put the two players into perspective. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12220 Registered: Feb-05 | Better than that...I will be participating in a shootout between the Concept and a Rega P5. |
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Silver Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 537 Registered: Dec-06 | The P5 is a sweet looking table. That's when the Rega tables start to look really substantial. What if you like the P5 more? |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12223 Registered: Feb-05 | I've owned the P5...I doubt I will. If I do, I'll keep it. |
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New member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 10 Registered: Feb-10 | I say go for the P9. Go big or go home right? Haha. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12225 Registered: Feb-05 | Write me a check, Tyler, and I'll make it happen...I gurantee...lol! |
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Bronze Member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 11 Registered: Feb-10 | Art, the second I have that kind of money just laying around, consider it yours! I'm still trying to save the money to get my first system set up! Why do I always choose expensive hobbies? Haha. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12227 Registered: Feb-05 | Looking forward to when you get the money...lol! What are you setting up, system wise? |
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Bronze Member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 12 Registered: Feb-10 | Haha. Someday, someday. Well, I've been researching alot, and I know for sure that I will be getting a Rega P1 for vinyl. Off of that I'm looking at the NAD C325 or the Rega Brio. I'm actually going to listen to a Brio at a dealer in about a hour. I've kept the HK3485 or 3490 in my sights as well, since it seems to have good reviews, watts, and a tuner, which the C325 and the Brio do not. I know the Brio doesn't have a remote but that won't be necessary for my setup ayway. As for speakers, I'm looking at standmounts. Evo2-8's, Rega R1's, and Totem Mite / Dreamcatcher are what I have my eyes set on. This is all based off of reviews so far and being that I've searched quite a bit and can't find anything but a Rega dealer in my area, I'm having trouble being able to audition the equipment. Speaker wire, I'm looking at BJC, affordable but still quality. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12228 Registered: Feb-05 | At the Rega P1's price it can be out done by both the Music Hall 2.2 and the new Pro-Ject 1.3. I have friends in he biz that I talked to yesterday that told me that the little 1.3 sounded wonderful at CES. Pro-Ject build quality is far better than the budget Rega. Both the 2.2 and the 1.3 give the P2 a good run and plow the P1 asunder. |
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Bronze Member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 13 Registered: Feb-10 | Art, Interesting, I have heard a P2 and a P5, today and those sounded amazing through the Brio 3's phono stage and RS3's. I have never heard the P1 but the guy that I heard that gear at had nothing but great things to say about the P1 as well. I will look in to the MH 2.2, I have done a bit of poking at it but I'll dig a bit deeper. As for the rest of the gear that I mentioned, have you heard those combo's that I mentioned above or have any comments on the setup? The Brio 3 / RS3 combo that I heard today was absolutely amazing. I was hoping he would have some RS1's or R1's that I could listen to but he didn't have any in and said he wouldn't be getting any RS1's for a while. How big of a difference is there in the RS1's or EVO2-8's? |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12232 Registered: Feb-05 | Unless you are putting them on a bookshelf you would be better off going with the RS3 which really is the sweet spot in that lineup. The P5 is a very good table and the P2 is decent, when built correctly. With Rega the first consideration should always be the little things, such as whether the arm tube is straight or whether the motor makes a lot of noise. Unfortunately build quality should always be the first priority with them. The RS1 and Evo2-8 are very different beasts and I would prefer the RS1. It has a leaner sound that some may not prefer. It's a great match with the Brio 3...the RS3's are an even better one. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12286 Registered: Feb-05 | The Concept has landed! It will be here all setup and ready to on Saturday, and I'm excited! |
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Bronze Member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 14 Registered: Feb-10 | Woot woot. Can't wait to see some pictures and hear a review. What are you going to end up doing with the MH 2.2? |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12296 Registered: Feb-05 | The 2.2 is up for sale and at a very good price. It's just a couple of weeks old and just getting broke in. If you are interested just PM me. |
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Bronze Member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 15 Registered: Feb-10 | Cool deal. I sent you a PM but I'm competely lost at how to check to see if you've responded back, feel like a total n00b. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12305 Registered: Feb-05 | I didn't get your PM, Tyler. Just use my email from my profile. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12307 Registered: Feb-05 | OMG! |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzGold CoastAustralia Post Number: 3017 Registered: Nov-05 | Love it when that happens!  |
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Bronze Member Username: TiforeLittle Italia, Ohio USA Post Number: 16 Registered: Feb-10 | Email sent and that blown away eh? Can't wait to hear about it and see some pictures! |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12308 Registered: Feb-05 | Email back at ya Tyler! Tomorrow I will try to put together a few of the 50 pics we took tonight. What a blast we had! |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14691 Registered: Dec-04 | Watching for the system pics Art! |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12309 Registered: Feb-05 | This was mid demo. We were using the Box Furniture Company rack and Mastersound Due Venti integrated along with a pair of 2K vdH interconnects...fabulous.  That's me being happy as a whole herd of hogs in slop! |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzGold CoastAustralia Post Number: 3019 Registered: Nov-05 | Handsome! And you don't look so bad either Art .  Very nice gear. I bet it sounded great. Any comparisons to your present set up? |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12310 Registered: Feb-05 | Next weekend I'll try to put something together in the thread that I started about the fun to had last night, over in the speaker forum. The first thing we did was take the Saturn off of my rack and put it on the Box rack and I was flat blown away. The difference was incredible. Then we put my amp on the Box rack and the system took another huge leap forward. It was faster with better PRaT. More emphasis on the rhythm section without losing any of the other details. Also tonal richness and correctness improved considerable with the Box rack. When we switched to the Mastersound Due Venti amp everything was right in the world! My next 2 moves will likely be the Box Furniture Co rack and a Mastersound Due Venti. I will then have arrived where very few moves will be left to make. Upgrade interconnects, phono stage and cartridge and voila...world class music in my home. I've never heard music on an audio system sound better than it did last night and that is atestament to Dale Sheperd from Eugene HiFi and his understanding of how to put together a system. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzGold CoastAustralia Post Number: 3020 Registered: Nov-05 | Excellent Art. Way to go. I'm experiencing a similar contentment. It's so hard to really convey to others what we are hearing. But it sure is nice knowing that the path we have found ourselves on is the right one. That rack really looks solid and the Due Venti looks very classy as does the t/t from what can be made out from the pic. Did just a little listening over the weekend due to my mother-in-law being in hosptial, but I can tell you Cassandra Wilson and Miles Davis have never sounded better to my ears. The only thing about the Quads (since you mentioned them a while back) is that they need a bit of juice to be at their best. I think maybe that's why they don't appeal to some people. Our living room has a lot of cubic feet so giving them a fair bit of juice is not a problem. Anyway, you have some nice stuff to look forward to Art. Congrats! |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 13011 Registered: Feb-05 | Nice new review of the Concept. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 13012 Registered: Feb-05 | Nice new review of the Concept. http://www.tonepublications.com/gear/fantastic-value-from-clearaudio/ |
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