Clearaudio Concept Black Turntable

Listed in The Absolute Sound 2018 High-End Audio Buyer's Guide

"Hugely Rewarding Analog Experience"

The new Clearaudio Concept Black is the latest version of the German company's most affordable turntable. The Concept Black incorporates all of the advanced features of its predecessor, such as aluminum sub-platter and rear-mounted speed calibration found on the highly regarded two-tone black and silver Concept. And it is super easy to use, so that you can start enjoying your favorite vinyl right away.

Clearaudio's Concept Black package has everything you need to start hearing new realism and detail in your vinyl right away! It comes equipped with the highly acclaimed Concept tonearm. An optional high-quality Concept moving magnet or moving coil cartridge completes the system, if you wish to add one.

The Concept was honored by its inclusion in The Absolute Sound 2018 High-End Audio Buyer's Guide, which noted, "Clearaudio's Concept turntable and cartridge offer a hugely rewarding analog experience at a very attractive price."

No Complicated Set Up – Just Start Listening

Even though the Concept Black gives you a real taste of high-end analog audio, unlike pricier turntables, it isn't complicated to set up. There's no extended fuss involved with the Concept. The arm is pre-installed, and most adjustments have already been completed at the Clearaudio factory. So grab your favorite records, settle into your favorite chair, and you're ready to go.

Includes Clearaudio Concept Tonearm

The Concept tonearm is Clearaudio's most affordable tonearm. It features Clearaudio's proven friction-free magnetic bearing technology, which eliminates bearing chatter and offers superior stability. The aluminum arm tube is both light and rigid, while the two-piece aluminum headshell with adjustable azimuth allows for the accurate alignment of any phono cartridge type. An adjustable counterweight and anti-skating control provides easy, accurate cartridge alignment. Clearaudio's hardwired Direct Wire tonearm cable assures signal integrity, ideal for all high-quality cartridges, including low-output moving coils.

The Concept tonearm uses the Clearaudio/Linn standard mount, making it compatible with all Clearaudio turntables and an ideal replacement tonearm for other turntable brands.

"Everything about the [Concept] tonearm – how it looks, its smooth cuing mechanism, its high-quality wiring and cartridge clips – speaks of Clearaudio's attention to detail, and of a genuine attempt to give the buyer of this moderately priced turntable a substantial tonearm that's pleasing to look at and smooth in operation.," notes Michael Fremer in Stereophile magazine.

Three Speed Electronic Speed Change

The Concept Black plays all of your phonograph records, not just your 'long-player' albums. It will play back music at three speeds: 33 rpm, 45 rpm, and 78 rpm. So if you own a lot of 45s, you are definitely in luck! And you don't need to fuss with belts and pulleys to change speed. The speed changes are selectable with a twist of the Electronic Speed Control knob located on the chassis.

Resonance-Optimized Chassis

The chassis shape is optimized for superior resonance control and features a radiused high mass aluminum plinth with a compact footprint. The two-piece 1.2"-thick platter is precision milled from Delrin to provide a stable platform for your records and assists in maintaining accurate speed control. The belt-drive system uses a decoupled DC motor with extremely low noise bush bearings.

The turntable bearings are especially well engineered, consisting of a polished and tempered steel shaft in a sintered bronze bushing, running on what Clearaudio terms a 'mirror of Teflon'.

Optional Concept MM or MC Phono Cartridge

You can order the Concept with the Concept MM moving magnet cartridge or the Concept MC moving coil phono cartridge all ready to go. Or if you already have a cartridge you would like to use, you can order it without a cartridge.

• Radiused aluminum high mass plinth with compact footprint
• Decoupled DC motor with low noise bearings
• Two-piece Delrin 1.2" thick platter
• Clearaudio Concept tonearm
• Polished tempered steel bearing shaft with sintered bronze bushings
• 'Mirror polished' teflon thrust pad
• Belt-driven by a decoupled DC motor incorporating an extremely low noise bearing
• Electronic speed control with 33, 45 and 78 rpm at a turn of a dial
• Mounted and aligned tonearm with friction-free magnetic bearing

• Speed variation: +/- 0.04 %
• Weight: approximately 16.5 lbs.
• Dimensions: 16.54" wide, 13.78" deep, 5.51" high

2019 Editors' Choice Award – The Absolute Sound

"Beautifully proportioned, light but not insubstantial, Concept Black is a model for how a mid-priced, belt-drive turntable should look and perform. Concept Black is made like a fine Swiss mechanical watch; sonically, it offers overall musicality, image focus, transient authenticity, and dynamic conviction. Aided by the optional high-precision Satisfy Black tonearm, mistracking is rendered essentially theoretical, and speed stability is rock solid. Further, image stability is locked down with little to no smearing, even when the turntable is challenged by a tightly packed chorus or complex symphony."

- The Absolute Sound, March 2019

Listed in The Absolute Sound 2018 High-End Audio Buyer's Guide

"Clearaudio's Concept turntable and cartridge offer a hugely rewarding analog experience at a very attractive price. Its combined strengths in resolution, dynamics, low-noise, and sheer musical engagement won't leave you wanting. Couple this with terrific German build and finish, and the Concept is a hands down bargain."

- The Absolute Sound 2012 High-End Audio Buyer's Guide, November 2011

"Everything about the [Concept] tonearm—how it looks, its smooth cuing mechanism, its high-quality wiring and cartridge clips—speaks of Clearaudio's attention to detail, and of a genuine attempt to give the buyer of this moderately priced turntable a substantial tonearm that's pleasing to look at and smooth in operation."

- Michael Fremer, Stereophile, June 2011

"Turntable Product of the Year" 2009 - What Hi-fi? Magazine

"It's fast, agile and detailed in the manner of most Clearaudio decks, and it sounds at home with everything from Bruce Springsteen and Nirvana to an old mono recording of Ravel's Bolero. Dynamics are strong and there's a good amount of heft to low frequencies."

"The Clearaudio Concept is a great all-rounder: it's easy to set up, easy to use and sounds great. At this price point, it's king."

- What Hi-fi? magazine, 2009 Awards

"Product of the Year" 2010 - The Absolute Sound Magazine

"Build and finish are superior. For sheer musical engagement and superb speed stability, it's the 'table to beat in this range."

"Greatest Bargain in High End Audio."

- Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound magazine, Issues 205 and 207

"Best of Show" and "Greatest Bargain at RMAF" - The Absolute Sound Magazine

"Without question, the Clearaudio Concept 'table at $1400 looked to these eyes like a steal. Yes, there are cheaper 'tables. But nothing at the lower end of the price spectrum that I've heard offers the level of resolution and black backgrounds that the Concept did. The Concept, you could say, isn't just a great concept; it delivers the goods and more."

- Jacob Heilbrun, The Absolute Sound magazine

"The Concept, while not an introductory turntable, excels at conveying just why vinyl remains the choice of the cognoscenti… This is a bargain purchase for which you need never apologize."

- Ken Kessler, Hi-fi News magazine, July 2010

"Clearaudio's new Concept turntable and cartridge combo offers a hugely rewarding analog experience at a very attractive price."

"The Clearaudio setup did an impressive job reproducing the air and space from with the orchestra emerges… the Concept strikes me as a hands down bargain."

- Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound magazine, October 2010