I UPGRADED TO A $1600 TURNTABLE!!! | RECORD PLAYER SETUP

It finally happened. I waved goodbye to my reliable, beautiful Pioneer PL-518X and welcomed my new turntable, the Clearaudio Concept, into my life. I went to my local Hi-Fi store, Audio Element, for a MASTERCLASS on how to set up my new turntable, and wanted to document it in hopes of being one of the best videos on KZbin explaining the process. There's really nothing like the dealer experience, and you don't always need to break the bank to appreciate Hi-Fi. Sean is a wizard when it comes to setup, and really knows his stuff about all things audio -- as does the owner Brian and everyone else who works at the store. This is my first real step into Hi-Fi audio, and having spent just a few days with the table at home -- I'm hearing my records in an entirely new way, and I am totally blown away by the increased quality of the experience as a whole. It's really maximizing the potential of my Pioneer receiver and my Polk speakers. Look forward to more videos about the table in the future! For now, feel free to ask any questions in the comments.
Thank you to CLEARAUDIO and AUDIO ELEMENT for making this video possible. Check them out for incredible hi-fi gear and wisdom and be sure to follow Audio Element on social!
clearaudio.de
audio-element.com/
INSTAGRAM: / audio_element
TWITTER: / audioelement117
FACEBOOK: / audioelement117
If you want to find your local Hi-Fi store, contact Garth at Musical Surroundings. He'll point you in the right direction!
www.musicalsurroundings.com/
✔ Check Us Out: www.toomanyrecords.net ✔
★ FOLLOW ME! ★
INSTAGRAM - / toomanyrecords_
TWITTER - / toomanyrecords
FACEBOOK - / toomanyrecords
PATREON - / toomanyrecords
PODCAST - www.dragonwagonradio.com/toom...
REVERB LP - reverb.grsm.io/toomanyrecords
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small
commission. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this at no additional cost to you! Thank you for the support!

[@pandstar]

Very nice video! Brian and his crew at Audio Element are first class. They carry a very good selection at the lower end of the high end, up through the extreme high end.

[@erikdanerd4176]

What a beautiful table and what an amazing store. I went in there for a simple cartridge upgrade and Sean took the time to answer all my questions and make suggestions.

[@TooManyRecords]

Sean is a saint, man. Real stand up dude.

[@garrapaterorulez5017]

Congrats brotha on the new TT...... looking forward to see episodes with the new set up. cheers \,,/ JC/Miami

[@alvarogomez2080]

Dude Congrats !! Beautiful Turntable for sure. Enjoy it brother!

[@NickP333]

Excellent choice with the Clearaudio, Matt! I’ve been using a highly upgraded and modded Technics SL-1200 M3D, but if I were to buy a new deck, it be that exact same turntable. Your guy at the hifi shop did an awesome job with the set up. You could’ve even made this a TT set up vid! I’m sure you’ll sleep better at night after knowing it’s set up properly and getting the VTA dialed in! I certainly do... You’ve just gotta keep going down that extremely deep rabbit hole, which you’re obviously stuck in by now. Now new phono pre, preamp, power amp, speakers, cables, etc., etc. 😜🤪

[@jimgardiner1558]

Great choice for a turntable. I have had my Concept turntable for about 7 years now and I love it. No issues so far. The only maintenance so far was to lubricate the spindle with the supplied lubricant. The tone arm on yours looks slightly different than mine. There is no visible anti-skate adjustment on my tone arm (there is a way to adjust the anti-skate but is not easy). So far I haven't seen the need to play with the factory set skating adjustment. Also when I bought my turntable it came factory set for the included MM cartridge (basically plug and play). One of the features that attracted me to this turntable was the magnetic bearing in the tone arm. It gives great isolation between the arm and the table. What impressed me when I listened to it at the show-room was how quiet it was between passages on an LP (I heard it described as a "black background" by some reviewers which perfectly describes the lack of rumble and surface noise).

[@cryptodream5092]

Good video, always on the lookout for improvements in my music experience 😉

[@bwilson0191]

Thank God you finally upgraded to a really nice turntable! Congrats!

[@TooManyRecords]

Thanks Brent!

[@augustjosh77]

Nice job .. great questions!

[@NoEgg4u]

@14:58 I know Garth; met him at audio shows. He is very knowledgeable and personable. Big thumbs up on a very good video. There are countless people that swear by digital, based on lousy sound coming from their records. If those folks would see this video, and understand that proper alignment is imperative to getting the magic out of the grooves, they might realize that their poor record playing experience is due to using a department store turntable and not setting up any adjustments.

[@Flatheadmedia1]

Nice table. I just upgraded to a 2016 VPI Scout 1.1 from a vintage Thorens TD-160 MkII. Sounds great.

[@RocknRonni]

Congratulations I also like clear audio turntables very well-built the MC would have been the better choice but that's definitely something you need to do in the near future get a nice low output moving coil but congratulations on the Step Up from the mid fi to hi-fi looking forward to your next video where you let us know how much more you enjoy your music and what are the difference is you here

[@TooManyRecords]

Me too :)

[@matthewmartinez3596]

This place is the real deal. I bought my Rega there last year. Incredible service. They even called me about a week later, just to check up on my turntable and how I was liking it.

[@nudebaboon4874]

Really, "the real deal" no it isn't, you should ALWAYS set the speed with a record being played, because of weight and drag. Hopefully he's learnt that by now.

[@basile1286]

Cool video .Gonna buy mine tomorrow. Excited af.

[@KWW0321]

That looks really clean! I finally upgraded to my Mcintosh greeen ufo saucer and havent looked back!

[@MW2SHOTGUNMASTER]

Wow that was so extremely detailed. Awesome video and awesome turntable.

[@TooManyRecords]

Thank you! They really do pay great attention to detail, we just captured it :)

[@BlueFoxAwesome]

Happy listening man! Not my kind of TT but I appreciate the detailed setup they did!

[@dulow]

Sick man! Homie hooked you up, he tweaked that turntable hella clean. Wish I had a store close to me with this type of service, especially when dropping this kind of cash on a record player.

[@TooManyRecords]

Yeah he did a BANG UP job. But that's what they do. They're professionals. Best of the best.

[@Trojan0304]

Nice video, still happy with my old Technics 1600 mk2 , Pioneer 518 & Pioneer receiver Sx 780. They keep working for decades, lol

[@mikewish19]

The concept is a great turntable. I have one as my mono deck with ortofon quintet mono cart. Sounds very good. Enjoy.

[@tonymontana897]

Congrats on your new turntable man. Clearaudio make some of the nicest TT's from the modern era. I have plenty of vintage TT's, some PL 570s and PL 530s and would love to have a modern turntable to be able to compare. I'll never sell my vintage gear. It's too beautiful and awesome to let go.

[@controlgroup3]

Happy for you man, that turntable is GORGEOUS

[@TooManyRecords]

It really is :)

[@rosco8720]

Good for you. Always exciting to upgrade equipment. Hope you enjoy. Remember we never get done upgrading.

[@matpars]

Can’t wait for the follow up speaker video 😉

[@TooManyRecords]

Mathew Parsons eventually my friend. Gotta spend some time with this first. I’m so happy why rush it all

[@youwise8D]

Dunno bout everyone else but Matt and his new turntable is the best valentines couple of 2019 imo

[@TooManyRecords]

#GOALS

[@mortallious1234]

The never ending quest, good luck to you all.

[@JKadison]

Looking at that same table. Great video!

[@sidvicious3129]

Good job here, the most important part is establishing a relationship with a local dealer, there is simply nothing like it. Enjoy your new table and now you can attest to the fact that there is a difference in turntables.

[@keithb6717]

Yes it's always nice to have weed too.

[@nudebaboon4874]

Yes, you can start the 'relationship' by telling him you set the speed with a record and the arm in play, ffs.🤷🏻‍♂️

[@lordtoffington3664]

I love the smell of brand new hi fi equipment.

[@contemporaryhomeaudio]

"as long as it's not Mumford and Sons I'm fine" lmao and couldn't agree more

[@theaudiophilebarista2424]

Clearaudio makes great turntables. Great choise. My Clearaudio Performance is some 10 years old and still as solid as when I first bought it. The Performance also has a magnetic bearing for the platter. It 'floats' and takes forever to come to a full stop after giving it a push.

[@Baerchenization]

Damn... I knew I had forgotten something! I wanted a magnetic bearing, too... but then I made an impulse buy going by the looks only, as with all my audio stuff :P

[@theaudiophilebarista2424]

Baerchenization You bought a turntable on impulse? Wow. Is it any good? 😀

[@Baerchenization]

@@theaudiophilebarista2424 ​I don't know! I still need to buy a tonearm and cart on impulse :) Also, it does not have a lid/cover, which doesn't go well with our cat... need to find a matching cover on impulse first ;)

[@theaudiophilebarista2424]

@@Baerchenization Well, I wish you some impulsive days then. Have fun

[@ericmiller5771]

As someone who works at a Hi-Fi showroom, I can't thank you enough for making this video. THIS is what people getting into the hobby need to see. There's a reason that turntable costs $1,600, and you nailed it here. I also wanted to add that Musical Surroundings is a wonderful company to work with, and Garth is a great dude. He really taught me a lot about turntables, materials, and craftsmanship when I started in the industry, and I'm sure if you're in the Midwestern US, he'll send you straight to my store.

[@TooManyRecords]

Yes! This is amazing, Eric. Thank you for this textual support.

[@narimkim2568]

well-deserved upgrade! congrats

[@TooManyRecords]

Thank you

[@Blackshoveldeathgrip]

Super video! I’ve been looking at one of these! Congrats

[@TooManyRecords]

Take the plunge!! I’ll do another video after I spend some more time with it :)

[@Blackshoveldeathgrip]

I hope to do so soon.. interested in your thoughts . Take care

[@MrJemabaris]

The reflection of the fan or whatever it might be, drove me crazy :D

[@iimv]

same

[@poetryonplastic]

Clearaudio tables are excellent pieces of kit, congrats! I would have gone with a VPI myself, but different strokes for different folks.

[@jamesmiller8183]

My guy at the local audio shop likened VPI to a Ford Mustang and ClearAudio to a refined German auto. So, as you said “different strokes … “

[@albertguffanti8414]

VPI owner here…and it’s amazing. Absolutely no urge to upgrade after 5 years.

[@itimmy101]

Congratulations on your upgrade buddy!👍👍

[@TooManyRecords]

Thank you my man!

[@DylanKalloo]

I didn't know this was a thing! Awesome to see it put together from the ground up. Thanks for sharing :)

[@TooManyRecords]

It’s a beast. In the best way.

[@nudebaboon4874]

​@@TooManyRecords Who tf sets the speed without a record being played, there's the weight of the record and the drag from the stylus, minute but there.

[@BarakaPDub]

Good choice on the Clearaudio. IMO, their arms are really hard to beat at their price point. I like their use of magnets and using them for anti-skate is far cleaner than a fishing weight that's used on some higher end designs.

[@TooManyRecords]

It’s an extremely impressive piece, and after seeing Sean put it all together like this, it’s even more so.

[@mercurialmagictrees]

yeah good points

[@klepp19]

​@@TooManyRecords so Antiskate is not adjusted from the bottom of the table?

[@Andrew-jx8gg]

I thought mine $300 is pretty good and I know a lot about turntable, OH BOI THIS IS THICC! now I know why hifi/great digital music is so much easier than CD or vinyl, but it also makes me appreciate the true audiophile and good turntables/LP culture more. Great video!

[@jarkmodels]

WOW, what an amazing service!. When I purchased my Concept no one check or set up anything!...they just hand me a box and that was it.

[@helgar8456]

Always learn how to set up your own table. That's how you learn to care for and upgrade it.

[@TheMentalblockrock]

exactly! VinylTV has given some very good tutorials on how to do just that.

[@apb1236]

Definitely

[@unklecorky2181]

I'm planning on getting a Rega 3 soon. I assumed it would take an hour tops to set up assuming the cartridge is preinstalled. This video has me second guessing myself.

[@helgar8456]

@@unklecorky2181 Time and patience in setting up you table is an absolute requisite. Michael Fremer has the definitive set up video, but it's a DVD and it'll cost.

[@Gamer420life]

100%%%%% I basically had to set up mine from almost scratch and its given me such a stronger bond

[@rosssmith173]

Every major city needs people like that. I would totally go for that service.

[@matthewjerome3496]

Excellent video.

[@noneofyodamnbidness6373]

Great information! Thanks.

[@MrRom92DAW]

Congrats on the new table bud! I can tell you’re gonna get a ton of enjoyment out of this. The Clearaudio Concept is a great table, in a day and age when there are countless audiophile-tier tables on the market… Clearaudio’s offerings are some of the very select few I would ever recommend, or actually consider for myself. I think you can see (and hear!) first hand what their design philosophy is all about. In the future, a cart upgrade would be right up your alley (we’ve spoken about this quite a bit in the past hahah) and would be the next step to really taking things to a totally unbelievable level. Of course you’d have to go through the whole tonearm/cart setup procedure again, so... hope you took notes ;) Now with this new table you might find you’re hearing more into your records than ever before... and maybe also hearing the deficiencies in a lot of them. Seriously looking into preferred masterings of titles you’re interested in would be a good idea, and I’d love to see you go more in depth on this in future videos as well! Pro-rip: If you’re looking for a good setup/test/reference disc, the “Ultimate Test” LP your dealer used in the video is probably my favorite, but IF and only if you manage to get a well-pressed copy. I’ve seen several bad/off-center copies and I’ve gotten burned by this myself. Not fun, and totally defeats the purpose of owning such a disc. Picking out a “choice copy” might be something your dealer can help you out with. The old CBS laboratories professional discs are really good too, and sealed copies do turn up every now and then. Other Pro-tip: your new turntable also does 78 RPM. That’s a pretty big deal! Definitely do NOT attempt to play one with your regular stylus though (unless it is a modern microgroove/vinyl record cut at 78, that’s totally fine) Old 78s are standard groove as opposed to microgroove, and pressed on shellac… I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but just in case you didn’t know I’d figure I’d give you a heads up. Your arm doesn’t allow you to swap headshells (I prefer a dedicated cart for 78s on tonearms with an SME headshell mount) so in order to play them you’ll need to choose a cartridge that’ll ideally allow you to swap your stylus on the fly... and of course you’ll need a stylus appropriate for 78s to go with it. That limits your options a bit, but all stuff to consider for the future. If you ever get into it, you’re essentially opening up your collection to 60+ years of music you mostly wouldn’t have had access to before. Hope you have room for a few more shelves hahah. Anyway, congrats again bud. Make the most of it and enjoy!

[@TooManyRecords]

This is just the best comment. Thank you Rom! I'm sure I'll have questions for you down the road ;)

[@MrRom92DAW]

Too Many Records hahah I welcome them, always glad to help out! Anytime dude.

[@TheMrgonzalo05]

Great store! I actually bought my Concept dust cover there.

[@TooManyRecords]

Nice!! More love for AE :)

[@musicman8270]

Setup is the fun part, love to have one of those.

[@Mundo-Analogo]

i have the same TT, everything is fine until you need to set the antiskating! Can you show how to do that in a Concept?

[@attherockshow8902]

I'm a little late to the game but great video! I've started to do some research as I think it may be time to satisfy the itch to upgrade from my Debut Carbon. This is one of the tables I've been looking at. I love the aesthetics of this table specially with the satisfy tonearm and magnetic anti skate. I'm curious during this process did you have a chance to listen to any other cartridge ? Just considering options. Thanks !

[@TooManyRecords]

I didn't listen to any other cartridge in this price range, no -- but ultimately, with hifi, you gotta just read some reviews and go with your gut and then SPEND TIME WITH IT. Impossible to discern without spending time.

[@ericjenkins2737]

Don’t make the rabbit hole sound like a bad thing. My system brings me so much joy that I can’t imagine life without it. I’m firmly in the “highly efficient speakers driven by tubes” camp. Setup: VPI Prime w/ Dynavector 20x2H cart, Lounge Audio LCR MKIII and Counterpoint for phono stages, PrimaLuna preamp and monoblocks for amplification into a pair of modded/upgraded 1979 Klipsch Cornwall speakers. Dynamics that will scare the shit out of you and not at all showing any of the “shouty” and shrill characteristics people claim Klipsch display. You just GOTTA use tubes...EL34 preferred. I listen to too much heavy music to go the flea-watt SET route.

[@alphagt62]

Eric Jenkins sounds like a very nice system! I’m a big fan of Klipsch speakers too, I’ve been thinking about building a set of La Scalla’s from scratch. My friends may think me crazy for spending so much on stereo, but that doesn’t stop them from coming by to listen to it every weekend!

[@dksculpture]

Must sound good. Super dynamic!!!

[@colinhathaway9493]

Eric Jenkins I have a Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated amp and I’m taking delivery of some Harbeth super hl5 plus very soon. Looking at replacing my old Gyrodec with a VPI Prime next year. Can’t wait

[@PackardDog]

Agreed! I have the poor man klpisch's KG4's, but with crossovers they sound great! Will be ordering tbe Crites tweeter soon.

[@djbhe]

I've had my pair of Technics 1200MK2's for 27 years with no problems or service and they still look and play like new. I paid $750 for the pair in 1993.

[@sonicyouth29]

Great customer service!

[@jeffreywoodke]

Congrats, excellent choice! I recently upgraded to The Classic by Pro-Ject & a vintage Marantz. Worth every penny! Nothing beats spinning vinyl through a really nice system. Now every time I put on a record it feels like a special occasion, hahaha.....

[@TooManyRecords]

Seriously! I’ve spun maybe... 6 records since I got it and each one felt like the first time I ever spun a record. It’s magic.

[@jeffreywoodke]

Too Many Records Exactly! It definitely ups the fun factor. How’s the table sounding now that you’re home? Took me awhile to really dial my sound in from my previous table. Also cartridge break-in and all that stuff. Now it just sounds like sweet heaven 😉

[@TooManyRecords]

Jeffrey Woodke immediately sounded amazing.

[@stateniland]

Ques.. if you were to replace this cartridge (when it wore out) with the same cartridge would all this calibration be needed again?

[@nusstu]

Why is the tonearm different on my concept? Mine didn't come with the huge thumb screw. Is this upgraded? Also, how do you adjust the VTA with the biz cards?

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Loved this video. Hey please don't listen to the naysayers. I've loved audio for 45 years now, if you're happy with your new gear, then I say wonderful! Make choice, spin up, arm down, sit back, tune out life and relax. Hundreds of people, musicians, recording engineers, producers, audio engineers, assemblers, even packing and shipping people, have devoted their life so you can enjoy 35-40 minutes of their soul. Peace my brother man, now stop reading this and get back to the tunes!

[@matthewwhitehead5505]

Super interesting seeing the cartridge alignment tools and the azimuth setting and all that good stuff... Got to be better than printing a PDF protractor out and doing it by eye.

[@TooManyRecords]

Just a little :P

[@Lee.Higginbotham]

I looked at the Conceot really hard. Ended up getting the technics 1200GR. I gotta have a dustcover and I got a ortofon 2m bronze cartridge. Germans have excellent engineering. I really like the looks of thd Clearaudio Concept black. I see down in the comment section the audio technica crowd is around. They love substandard Chinese made products. Low cost over quality is all they know.

[@1999zrx1100]

The best part about buying decent equipment is when you’re in the mood for an upgrade there are people more than willing to pay good money for your used stuff. If you’re lucky like I have been you can sell it for what you paid 10-20 years down the road. Some stuff becomes a classic that guys have a hard time to find. Those are the units no one wants to part with. Good equipment will last a life time. I’ve had my table over 35 years like most of my other stuff. Best money spent by far. 😎

[@ErikOtto]

Cool to see Diego Luna working for a high end audio store. He's one of the peeps!

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

Got a Concept as well, the absolute sweetspot regarding value for money! Mine is an MC wood I gotten for MM money three years ago. Give it a good phono amp (Lehmannaudio Decade in my case) and it will sing!

[@Cookingwithsteveg]

Great video! I love Audio Element! I couldn’t help but notice your record label and record store are in Oregon. Audio Element is a loooong drive from Oregon. Did you relocate from Pasadena to Oregon after this video or do you also have a store in Los Angeles? Great channel content!

[@TooManyRecords]

NYC -> LA -> NYC -> Portland -- crazy decade :P

[@keeganmatheson6153]

Congratulations! I can't imagine spending that much money on something other than student loans. I hope one day to get a great table as well!

[@MikeHF]

You can and you don't have to spend that kind of money to get one. Buy vintage set it up properly get a good cartridge and you would save over 1k in comparison to this table. I have $300.00 invested in my table and thats with the $169.00 shure cartridge. It sounds fantastic!

[@joebennett3937]

great turntable, built well

[@BadEnglishRecs]

Really nice record player! Congrats. I am still fine with my 80's Sony and Dual, though... mr. Finglish

[@TooManyRecords]

For now ;)

[@passqualecaiazza7728]

I Love my Dual 1229 with Grado silver cartridge. My records sound and play great even 30-40 years later. I track at 3/4 gram .

[@dekadent6622]

the best is the intro ..i want more

[@rvbsoundfactory]

Beautiful turntable.

[@benpit2762]

Great stuff, the MC version is great, slightly more expensive though.

[@scottking2821]

What tonearm is this? Has the Concept had an upgrade? The anti skate adjustment used to be under the arm (and plinth), and a pain in the neck! Ok, it’s the Satisfy tonearm, and a major upgrade on standard. Perhaps you might like to point this out? Still a great setup guide.

[@jk9436]

Going to purchcase my first turntable within the next weeks. I am a little bit worried for the amount of adjusments and hope that my dealer is as competent as yours in this video. Anyways, was a great pleasure to see the adjustment.

[@TooManyRecords]

What are you purchasing?

[@jk9436]

​@@TooManyRecords Hey, I am considering either the Rega Planar 3, the MoFi StudioDeck Plus or the Cambridge Audio Alva TT (as an all-in-one alternative). In the next weeks I will go to a dealer for a test listening and make the decision on this basis. I hope you still have a lot of fun with your turntable and have fun with your records :)

[@Drackleyrva]

Yay! Congrats! It's beautiful---did you have to pay extra for the dust cover? I've been looking to upgrade my TT as well and this Clearaudio is on the list. I'm also looking at the Mofi Studiodeck, VPI Clifford. The Mofi comes with a nice black-tinted dust cover but the others do not. If you decide to get a dust cover, they can run b/w $250-299 dollars! Crazy!

[@TooManyRecords]

The dust cover is extra but essential, imo. This is my first non attached cover though and I’m wondering how much sound quality I was missing out on from my Pioneer by playing with the dust cover on.

[@keeferdog5617]

Dwight R The MoFi StudioDeck is a nice tt. Built in the USA-Detroit area and their phono preamps rock!

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

9:51 that record is warp as hell!

[@tylerchisman9434]

Congrats Matt! A little overly technical at times for me, but enjoyed seeing what $$$$ can get. Too bad that we could here any music (damn copyrights). Maybe a live stream with a little Richard Houghten in the background with the new setup?

[@TooManyRecords]

Livestream today at 5:30 PM PST!

[@DS-xw9jx]

Man! I wish I knew you were upgrading, I would have set you up with the owner at Common Wave Hifi in Downtown LA.

[@TooManyRecords]

I'm sure it's a great store, but I love the people at Audio Element!

[@Michael-w8v]

That is cool turntable! Pioneer PL-518X might be better than my unreliable Pioneer PL-740. I end up decide to replaced my PL-740 for Marantz 6300, since they are well known and more adjustable feature.

[@amdenis]

What’s a great cartridge upgrade for this turntable, as I purchased it 6 weeks ago with the recommended ClearAudio MM cartridge etc? I had a SOTA with a Dynavector 17D2, but it got damaged in shipping to my new home. The ClearAudio Concept is setup properly, but that cartridge is poor compared to even most good $100 MM’s I’d still not choose. The dealer recommended the cartridge highly. He was definitely wrong. I want a great properly compliant cartridge for this table, where instruments and voices sound natural, with high transparency, great imaging and an articulate, but fluid/natural sound. What would you recommend?

[@TooManyRecords]

Honestly, I'm not sure, I haven't upgraded mine and I'm really enjoying it as is..

[@mercurialmagictrees]

awesome video I like the turntable and how the shop associate explained a lot of good details. 10:39 too bad that new pressings has a slight gentle warp. I wonder how that effects the tracking.

[@TooManyRecords]

It's only a slight visual warp. We noticed it, and they concurred that it wouldn't cause any issues. They know better than me :P

[@mercurialmagictrees]

Too Many Records okay that's good, I figured that. most times people don't seem to be concerned about it with new heavier records. I have two questions about the turn table. Is it belt driven and does it require a phono input? I imagine the answer is yes to both questions but I thought to ask now.

[@TooManyRecords]

@@mercurialmagictrees It is belt driven, unlike my last table which is a direct drive. As for the phono question, I'm not quite sure. It doesn't have any sort of build in preamp as far as I know. Mine's connected to the Pioneer receiver.

[@mercurialmagictrees]

Too Many Records allright swell thanks for posting videos and commenting. enjoy!

[@TheDive25]

I've owned thousands of vinyl records and had dozens of turntables in my life and I didn't know any of this stuff. Holy smokes!!!

[@unklecorky2181]

How does this turntable compare to a RP 3 or Project Carbon Esprit?

[@lilyverilla4431]

The video on how to identify a quality pressing when? You made a reference to it and I'm hyped

[@TooManyRecords]

Soon!! Between this and TMR Fest I've been so slammed.

[@jeffcsMN]

Turntable goals.

[@fluidpower43]

Please do a follow-up on your thoughts on the new turntable. I want to pull the trigger on better quality gear but I am afraid I'll spend the dough and not hear a noticeable difference.

[@TooManyRecords]

See, I was slightly skeptical as well. Go spend some time at your local hifi store (reach out to Garth!) and listen to equipment there.

[@fluidpower43]

I'll do that. Thanks.

[@dosstodd8014]

The same people who scoff at investing in quality equipment at a store like this are the same ones who would have bought a $99 BIC table back in the 70s saying $399 was crazy for a Techniques SL 1200. The BICs are in the dumpster and check the price of a vintage 1200. There’s a reason tables like this cost more and people are willing to pay the price. All of my equipment is worth (almost) as much now or worth more than when I purchased it. Had to wait many times to afford what I wanted. But, you’ll never regret buying quality gear.

[@djbhe]

I've had my pair of 1200MK2's for 27 years with no problems or service and they still look and play like new.

[@guardianx1328]

Very cool but intimidating, specially the set up process.

[@33RPMVinyl]

I've been using Clearaudio for 10 years. Their tonearms do an excellent job tracking poorly pressed LP's (i.e. warped or out of round).

[@garysmith1156]

awesome mate:)

[@Jordan-dv6tw]

Are you gonna make another video about what your new player is like now that it's home?

[@TooManyRecords]

Yes, after I spend some solid time with it!

[@johngaldieri5535]

I have a ClearAudio turntable too - it is amazing!

[@TooManyRecords]

Proud to be in the club

[@metal-adventures-joerg]

Thanks for buying a german product! Enjoy it and Greetings from Germany!

[@gerd5479]

So much for Clearaudio saying the Concept is a plug and play turntable.

[@klepp19]

So Antiskate in this table is not done from the bottom of the table as one review said?

[@cesarcamposmartinez]

Maybe this is a silly question, but I am curious... what made you decide for Clearaudio vs vpi or McIntosh or Marantz or other brand with similar quality?

[@TooManyRecords]

It was recommended to me by people who know much more than I do, and I trusted them, and it paid off!

[@seand67]

That Norah Jones LP he tested your turntable with looked warped. Nice purchase

[@schulte3]

Clearaudio Concept comes along with a perfect aligned setup! No one has to "align" the weight or the vta. Clearaudio has got a gauge that they use on every Player! I would slap any salesman finger if he is touching a screwdriver...

[@nudebaboon4874]

Not to mention setting the speed without the weight of the record and tone arm is laughable.

[@PackardDog]

A properly restored 518 is all the turntable anyone needs. My restored pl41 is spot on. No need for bling.

[@Vandamanater]

How do you get it home without messing up all the settings?

[@notthatkevinsmith]

Matt I love you but we could make a drinking game to the number of times you say "wow okay" 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@TooManyRecords]

I WAS AMAZED

[@ReasonablySane]

Sure glad I bought all my expensive stuff in the 70's. But I need to get a couple of truckloads of capacitors now. :)

[@Rebel9668]

And check for out of tolerance resistors and possibly diodes as well.

[@LADOBMELOMANOS]

Matt, how did you take it home so it didn't get unbalanced with the bumps of the road?

[@TooManyRecords]

With this table, once you set it up, it stays because of the type of parts. It's magical.

[@LADOBMELOMANOS]

Wow. That is truly fantastic.

[@ShellstaTube]

1. Remove the platter. 2. Pretty much common-sense from there ... - ensure tonearm is secure. - keep approx flat. - support from movement - perhaps best in box and support box. (Note: you'll unlikely get it back in box as originally packed). - take the drive easy. (presuming it's not drone/ helicopter delivered 😉).