Clearaudio Concept
High-end turntables · 2009–present In production
£1,495 UK RRP
The German brand's breakthrough deck: a friction-free magnetic-bearing tonearm and resonance-damped POM platter, sold ready-assembled. Multiple award winner.
Made Clearaudio's magnetic-bearing arm technology affordable.
Checked against the manufacturer’s site: 2026-07
Who it suits
Best suited to: an established system where the amp, speakers and room can resolve what this deck retrieves from the groove. Less ideal for: a first turntable — the same budget goes much further spent on mid-range separates first.
Compatibility and setup
- Manual operation: you cue and lift the tonearm by hand at the start and end of each side — there’s no auto-return or auto-lift.
Good to know
- No built-in phono stage — use an amplifier with a phono input or add a separate phono preamplifier.
- Professional setup of tracking force, alignment, azimuth and arm height is worth budgeting for at this level.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45/78 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Cartridge included | Concept MM/MC |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | POM |
| Tonearm | Clearaudio friction-less magnetic-bearing |
| Dimensions | 420 x 125 x 350 mm (W x H x D) |
| Weight | 7.5 kg |
| Finishes | Medium-density fibreboard: Silver or Black; compressed solid wood (birch multiplex): Wood or Dark Wood |
| Years | 2009–present |
How it sits in the catalogue
Its belt-drive mechanism is the majority choice in the database (130 of 159). On price it sits toward the affordable end of its category — 5% of priced high-end decks cost less.
Live merchant offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Clearaudio Concept…
Retailer searches
4 UK merchants stock Clearaudio — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analogue Seduction | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most items; specialist packing | Search at Analogue Seduction ↗ |
| Criterion Audio | hifi independent | UK delivery; Cambridge demo rooms | Search at Criterion Audio ↗ |
| Doug Brady HiFi | hifi independent | UK delivery; specialist setup | Search at Doug Brady HiFi ↗ |
| The Audiobarn | hifi independent | UK delivery; demo by appointment | Search at The Audiobarn ↗ |
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