ClearAudio Concept in the house...

You did good Rob. AND, you are making more than a few of us think.

Thanks!
+1.

I think this is the table Jeff from AVS suggested to me when I'm ready to go analog.

Big congrats on the new TT, Rob! It will give you many hours of listening pleasure!
 
+1.

I think this is the table Jeff from AVS suggested to me when I'm ready to go analog.

Big congrats on the new TT, Rob! It will give you many hours of listening pleasure!

Looks like a superb value. :disbelief:

Why do I keep coming back to this thread?!!! And Joe, you're not making it any easier. :)

Thanks again Rob.

Doug,

How do you think I feel? :exciting:


I'm just a bit disappointed that alignment was so easy :) Seriously I'm happy for you.

:rofl:
 
This is a great thread . You got yourself a great table and your putting the idea in the heads of many who don't do vinyl..... Yet!
Myself for some reason I never built a high end setup for anything but vinyl
And I'm on the other side of the fence thinking if I should buy in and get an sacd player.
That's as far as I would go as I dont understand the whole digital thing. Bits and gigs, usb's ,tb's and all that are beyond my knowledge.
I'm not saying its not fine sounding music , I'm just saying I don't understand it.
Maybe it's just the "you can't teach old dog new tricks" thing.
But I got a new preamp coming and I might like to actually use it for something other than volume control for my phonostage.
Another thing is record shopping. I can walk in and out of any normal music store(not
Many left)and look around and leave and not feel anything. When I walk into a record shop, I'm not sure why maybe the smell. But I get into a zone and I can spend the whole day there trying to look at every record in the store. I often get parking tickets in Princeton looking at records and forgetting about the damn meter.
Lol anyway great job on the clearaudio. Best of luck!!
 
This is a great thread . You got yourself a great table and your putting the idea in the heads of many who don't do vinyl..... Yet!
Myself for some reason I never built a high end setup for anything but vinyl
And I'm on the other side of the fence thinking if I should buy in and get an sacd player.
That's as far as I would go as I dont understand the whole digital thing. Bits and gigs, usb's ,tb's and all that are beyond my knowledge.
I'm not saying its not fine sounding music , I'm just saying I don't understand it.
Maybe it's just the "you can't teach old dog new tricks" thing.
But I got a new preamp coming and I might like to actually use it for something other than volume control for my phonostage.
Another thing is record shopping. I can walk in and out of any normal music store(not
Many left)and look around and leave and not feel anything. When I walk into a record shop, I'm not sure why maybe the smell. But I get into a zone and I can spend the whole day there trying to look at every record in the store. I often get parking tickets in Princeton looking at records and forgetting about the damn meter.
Lol anyway great job on the clearaudio. Best of luck!!

I don't know what it is about vinyl, but listening sessions are so much more satisfying. It has more meat on the bones. Music sounds like it should. Despite what many have told me ("there's better out there"), I want a VPI Classic 3 in Rosewood and a Lyra Kleos Cartridge. I could spend more, but looks are important for me in two areas: speakers and turntables. I know that's soooo wrong....but I want speakers and a table that sounds great and looks great. The ClearAudio Innovation Wood might be the best looking table (IMO)....but the VPI Classic 3 just looks like how I think a table should look! Hence the reason its my Avatar!

1011vpi.promo_.jpg
hw-cls10r3.jpg


There is something you rarely hear people talk about: spring tables vs mass tables. If you have a concrete floor, you can have either and rock on. If you're like me, and have a sub-floor, then a mass (aka heavy ass) table is much better. Another reason why the VPI Classic 3 makes sense for me. It weighs a ton! IMO, there is no greater example of the law of diminishing returns as their is with vinyl. You have to spend ungodly sums to get that 1% or 2% better.

One last thing I've found when people start to dip their toe into the vinyl water, they have a misconception that buying records from the local pawn shop for $1 is going to result in a magical musical experience. Most times, those records are pretty beat up and sound terrible. My recommendation is to have a smaller record collection of new records - especially new records from Acoustic Sounds. Their reissues of some great recordings from their sister company, Quality Records are excellent: http://www.qualityrecordpressings.com/index.cfm?go=projects Starting out, I would rather have 10-20 new records (even if they are reissues) that I absolutely want and love, rather than 100-200 beat up old records. Just my two cents....build YOUR record collection - not someone else's.

As for digital, its a source that is required if you want a virtually unlimited selection of new music. But if you're like me, you will first check if a new LP is out on vinyl before buying the high-res or CD.

Mike
 
Hey..so first chance I have had to post this but got my Concept Wednesday. Very cool.

First let me say thanks to Jeff from A/V Solutions who not only made it possible but gets the SPARTACUS of the month award..Thank you Jeff.

So this is my first new commercial audiophile table as opposed to the legacy tables I have been working on for years. Its as basic as basic can be but really, isn't that what you want ? Basic and a fine example of German engineering. Love the deep rich full sounding tone of the table. It took a little getting used to the setup (designed to be very EASY but difficult for the guy used to doing his own thing...lol)

Loving it and paired it with a NAD 1130 to use as a phono stage (I have others but this was an experiment that has gone very right...)

Pictures !

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Rob...congrats on a fine 'table. You'll love the sound and simplicity which will provide hours of great music. Enjoy.

Dave
 
I don't know what it is about vinyl, but listening sessions are so much more satisfying. It has more meat on the bones. Music sounds like it should. Despite what many have told me ("there's better out there"), I want a VPI Classic 3 in Rosewood and a Lyra Kleos Cartridge. I could spend more, but looks are important for me in two areas: speakers and turntables. I know that's soooo wrong....but I want speakers and a table that sounds great and looks great. The ClearAudio Innovation Wood might be the best looking table (IMO)....but the VPI Classic 3 just looks like how I think a table should look! Hence the reason its my Avatar!

1011vpi.promo_.jpg
hw-cls10r3.jpg


There is something you rarely hear people talk about: spring tables vs mass tables. If you have a concrete floor, you can have either and rock on. If you're like me, and have a sub-floor, then a mass (aka heavy ass) table is much better. Another reason why the VPI Classic 3 makes sense for me. It weighs a ton! IMO, there is no greater example of the law of diminishing returns as their is with vinyl. You have to spend ungodly sums to get that 1% or 2% better.

One last thing I've found when people start to dip their toe into the vinyl water, they have a misconception that buying records from the local pawn shop for $1 is going to result in a magical musical experience. Most times, those records are pretty beat up and sound terrible. My recommendation is to have a smaller record collection of new records - especially new records from Acoustic Sounds. Their reissues of some great recordings from their sister company, Quality Records are excellent: http://www.qualityrecordpressings.com/index.cfm?go=projects Starting out, I would rather have 10-20 new records (even if they are reissues) that I absolutely want and love, rather than 100-200 beat up old records. Just my two cents....build YOUR record collection - not someone else's.

As for digital, its a source that is required if you want a virtually unlimited selection of new music. But if you're like me, you will first check if a new LP is out on vinyl before buying the high-res or CD.

Mike

Mike...I concur

Dave
 
+1 Mike on many fronts

1) Your choice in turntable goes beyond specs...its a style too...Some like the DJ looking tables, some the wood look, some clean lines...its a personal taste thing just like picking a car...

2) Listening is definitely an experience...to be enjoyed and focused

3) Plenty of great sources of music out there ..but don't think $1 albums are going to give you chills..they will give you heartache...Would you buy a $1 cigar ? Or expect a $1 steak to be tasty ? You get what you pay for...

4) For Petro...getting into digital music is easy..you don't need a SACD player...you can use a great (dedicated) CD player with a good DAC in it. That's limiting thought to a CD or MP3 collection. If you use a PC and a DAC or a Tablet with a DAC, you can have LIMITLESS Music. As I pointed out I use a Surface Tablet and XBOX music ($99 a year) and have UNLIMITED music...its amazing, high quality...I can listen to Katie Perry or Johnny Cash, Bruno Mars or Glen Miller...or all in playlists...no brainer...

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A well mastered album is everything. It will make me enjoy a genre or a artist I would otherwise not enjoyed.
Mike your post makes me want to refresh my collection with 20 more reissues. Where can I start a post "best mastered new issues you own" ?
 
Rob, thanks again for the great write-up on this 'table. I've decided to throw caution to the wind and get back into vinyl. The Concept is one of two tables that I'm looking at right now and this thread is a huge help. :peace:
 
Congratulations Doug. I'm right behind you. I am sure it will be a fun journey.
 
Well, if you guys do ..make sure you speak with JEFF from A/V Solutions. Not only is he a great help but he can help you compare models and types if you are trying to decide. I settled on the Concept for some VERY sound reasons (pun intended ?) . I tend to be a details guy..not just specs, but true build and operation. The only thing I will caution on the Concept. It does not have its own vibration, very solid build however; it is subject to footfalls if you do not have it mounted on something very solid or damped. There are so many inexpensive ways around it but being honest. That is its only drawback. When taken with the drawbacks of similar tables in that price range, I would rather have that than say motor issues, hum, etc. , right ?

HOPE TO HEAR YOU GUYS WITH YOUR NEW VINYL..and like Jeff, I am always here to help...
 
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Well, if you guys do ..make sure you speak with Doug from A/V Solutions. Not only is he a great help but he can help you compare models and types if you are trying to decide. I settled on the Concept for some VERY sound reasons (pun intended ?) . I tend to be a details guy..not just specs, but true build and operation. The only thing I will caution on the Concept. It does not have its own vibration, very solid build however; it is subject to footfalls if you do not have it mounted on something very solid or damped. There are so many inexpensive ways around it but being honest. That is its only drawback. When taken with the drawbacks of similar tables in that price range, I would rather have that than say motor issues, hum, etc. , right ?

HOPE TO HEAR YOU GUYS WITH YOUR NEW VINYL..and like Jeff, I am always here to help...

Thanks Rob. I will definitely be in touch with Jeff.
 
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