ohbythebay
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I was planning to do a review of the Clearaudio Concept MC cart at some time but when a friend asked specifically, I thought I really should share my experience. I purchased this to replace a defective Audio Technica OC9/III. I based it on two things. One is the claim that this cartridge is a perfect mate to my Concept table. The second was the recommendation of a good friend who is very knowledgeable in the carts and claimed it would “crush” my OC9. As I came to find out, both are true.
The cartridge comes packaged in a pyramid shaped clear Lucite box displaying the cartridge itself. Inside the box, Clearaudio supplies extra screws, a screwdriver and a stylus guard. What was not supplied surprisingly, was any form of documentation. Cartridge specifications and information has to be found externally on the web. Annoying but not a showstopper.
The cart itself is rather boxy looking but has an external casing that appears to be made of the same POM as the turntable platter. The feel is not like plastic but like a fine carbon material. The mounting holes are threaded making the task of mounting to an arm very easy – if you’ve ever struggled with the small nuts and bolt cartridge mounts your will appreciate this.
I mounted the cartridge and ran through the usual setup steps. VTF set to 2.00 (actually 1.99 verified on a digital gram scale vs the table supplied Clearaudio gauge). Azimuth was verified with a mirror and then verified via a test record later. VTA seemed to be spot on (as expected since Clearaudio normally ships these tables with their carts mounted). Rake angle should be 2 degrees tail up from a dead level 90 degrees.
The recommended cart loading is 100ohms however; I did try 121 and 150ohms on a Phonomena II. I found that on my system, the 150ohm loading was quite optimal; at least in initial sessions.
Time to play
I started my test sessions with a standby that tests voicing. Sade’s Smooth operator is a good sample for this. I was immediately captured by the depth of the soundstage, proper width and fine detail. The bass is strong considering the cart loading and the highs beautifully presented. The mid-range was nicely forward and not lost or an afterthought.
Next up, the Moody Blues Days of Future Passed, 45th anniversary remaster. Again, pleasantly surprised as the first notes struck and I could literally feel each detail as the symphony began.
I tried other favorites of different varieties. James Taylor, Elton John, 38 Special. The only way I could describe the feeling was full, rich, detailed. In some ways it reminded me of the warmth of tubes yet the details not lost in the least. It felt “expensive” if that could be quantified.
Compared to the AT OC9/III? The OC9 is a very fine cart with great detail and broad range. But where the Concept MC gives you those same things, it takes two steps forward in terms of soundstage, depth and a musical nature beyond just playing notes. I heard breathing when Sade was performing vocals. James Taylor felt like he was giving me an indoor concert. The symphonic sounds of the Moody Blues were presented as they were recorded and meant to be heard.
In Conclusion
Face it, I am smitten. And for good reason. The advertisement of the match of table and cartridge was 100% accurate and my friend’s assertion it would crush the OC9 (while a bit drastic) was clearly meant to convey what I was soon to learn. The Concept was a clear move “up” in the audio food chain and returned a solid value for the dollar. In fact, due to special pricing, the Concept cartridge cost the same as what I paid for the Audio Technica. After hearing it, I would have paid more (though I am glad I did not have to).
I am also informed, the cartridge takes about 50 hours of play to be broken in and really come into its own. All I can say to that is bring it on.
Various pictures. The Giraffe is optional
The cartridge comes packaged in a pyramid shaped clear Lucite box displaying the cartridge itself. Inside the box, Clearaudio supplies extra screws, a screwdriver and a stylus guard. What was not supplied surprisingly, was any form of documentation. Cartridge specifications and information has to be found externally on the web. Annoying but not a showstopper.
The cart itself is rather boxy looking but has an external casing that appears to be made of the same POM as the turntable platter. The feel is not like plastic but like a fine carbon material. The mounting holes are threaded making the task of mounting to an arm very easy – if you’ve ever struggled with the small nuts and bolt cartridge mounts your will appreciate this.
I mounted the cartridge and ran through the usual setup steps. VTF set to 2.00 (actually 1.99 verified on a digital gram scale vs the table supplied Clearaudio gauge). Azimuth was verified with a mirror and then verified via a test record later. VTA seemed to be spot on (as expected since Clearaudio normally ships these tables with their carts mounted). Rake angle should be 2 degrees tail up from a dead level 90 degrees.
The recommended cart loading is 100ohms however; I did try 121 and 150ohms on a Phonomena II. I found that on my system, the 150ohm loading was quite optimal; at least in initial sessions.
Time to play
I started my test sessions with a standby that tests voicing. Sade’s Smooth operator is a good sample for this. I was immediately captured by the depth of the soundstage, proper width and fine detail. The bass is strong considering the cart loading and the highs beautifully presented. The mid-range was nicely forward and not lost or an afterthought.
Next up, the Moody Blues Days of Future Passed, 45th anniversary remaster. Again, pleasantly surprised as the first notes struck and I could literally feel each detail as the symphony began.
I tried other favorites of different varieties. James Taylor, Elton John, 38 Special. The only way I could describe the feeling was full, rich, detailed. In some ways it reminded me of the warmth of tubes yet the details not lost in the least. It felt “expensive” if that could be quantified.
Compared to the AT OC9/III? The OC9 is a very fine cart with great detail and broad range. But where the Concept MC gives you those same things, it takes two steps forward in terms of soundstage, depth and a musical nature beyond just playing notes. I heard breathing when Sade was performing vocals. James Taylor felt like he was giving me an indoor concert. The symphonic sounds of the Moody Blues were presented as they were recorded and meant to be heard.
In Conclusion
Face it, I am smitten. And for good reason. The advertisement of the match of table and cartridge was 100% accurate and my friend’s assertion it would crush the OC9 (while a bit drastic) was clearly meant to convey what I was soon to learn. The Concept was a clear move “up” in the audio food chain and returned a solid value for the dollar. In fact, due to special pricing, the Concept cartridge cost the same as what I paid for the Audio Technica. After hearing it, I would have paid more (though I am glad I did not have to).
I am also informed, the cartridge takes about 50 hours of play to be broken in and really come into its own. All I can say to that is bring it on.
Various pictures. The Giraffe is optional
