Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — Clearaudio CONCEPT SIGNATURE

The Concept Signature is a belt-driven turntable from Clearaudio of Erlangen, Germany, presented by the company as the successor to its Concept deck and on sale from February 2024. It keeps the modular Concept layout and adds a speed sensing system borrowed from the brand's higher-end work. In Germany it costs EUR 2,500 in black or white with an MM cartridge, with wood finishes about EUR 250 extra. UK prices are GBP 1,200 for the deck alone, GBP 1,450 in wood and GBP 2,223 as a package with the Verify tonearm and a Concept V2 MM cartridge.

Key specs that matter

Speeds are 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, with no 78 rpm setting, and wow and flutter is given as 0.05 percent. Drive comes from a decoupled 12 V DC motor and a ground flat belt. The platter is 30 mm of high-density plastic (POM), sitting on a CNC-turned aluminium sub-platter. The bearing pairs a polished steel axle with a sintered bronze bushing running on a Teflon thrust pad. Power draw is 3.6 W at most, 1.92 W in use and 0.74 W on standby. With arm and cartridge fitted it measures 420 x 350 x 125 mm and weighs about 7.5 kg. The warranty is 2 years with registration within 14 days.

Engineering and use context

The new part is Tacho-Speed-Control. A sensor reads platter rotation continuously and feeds it back to the motor electronics, which then correct for a slackening belt, bearing friction or temperature change. The system calibrates itself each time the deck starts, and a rear button starts a manual recalibration. The motor hangs in a reduced version of the IMS Innovative Motor Suspension, where six O-rings in a spider web layout keep it apart from the chassis. Speed and standby are chosen with an illuminated rotary touch control at the front, while a hard power switch sits at the back. The plinth has an MDF core in silver or black, or birch multiplex in light or dark wood, finished with a satin plastic top layer. The supplied Verify arm is a carbon fibre design with a magnetic bearing and an effective length of 239.31 mm.

Pairing

Clearaudio approves all MM cartridges and its MC models from the Concept MC up to the Talisman V2 Gold, and arms from the Concept to the Profiler. Its own nano phono V2 or smart phono V2 preamplifiers, a Concept clamp and an acrylic dust cover are the suggested extras, and an optional Professional Power supply costs EUR 590.

Alternatives

The Clearaudio Concept Active is a turntable from the same series that adds a built-in phono preamplifier.