A year with the Clearaudio Concerto & The Clearaudio Ambient
- Thread starter malvai
- Start date
sachu888
Well-Known Member
anm
Well-Known Member
I move all my audio gear to a safe place (boot of my car) at least 2 days before movers/ packers come in 
Carry Headshell separately along with yourself. Remove platter and pack in same box but separately as it may come off. Tie the tonearm with tonearm rest. If TT has dust cover try to fill in as much soft material as possible so as pressure on dustcover does not break it but taking care of tonearm.. Cover the whole TT in thick newspaper. Again cover with plastic use lots of tape. Put the whole thing in thick thermocole. Put it again in heavy cardboard box then wooden box.
Best wishes for safe journey
Regards
Ok guys! I am back again to report the progress of the soundsmith re-tipped Clearaudio Concerto MC cart...
With over 60-70 hours, the Concerto is singing better than ever before!
To put things in perspective let me give you a round up of the cart as it were from clearaudio. Do remember that the original cart was last heard by me via very different amplification, so that would also contribute on the overall presentation...
Concerto in stock form singing through Nighthawk Phono + Jeff Rowland Coherence 2 preamp + Krell FPB 200 power amp + B&W 801 Matrix S03 Speakers:
The sound here was always very detailed and extended through both the extremes with a very nice mid-range. The sound was never cold & clinical as some might report. (Though, when I had the Audio Research LS2B, it did sound very bright...).
So i guess the Coherence 2 contributed to the warmth.
The Concerto, when set up right used to stupefy me every time in terms of detail retrieval, channel separation and its bold full bodied presentation. It lacked the Ortofon Rondo series' romantic warmth. But that is not what I have ever aimed at anyway...
It was a superb cartridge in the sock form. Money well spent.
Soundsmith re-tipped Clearaudio Concerto MC cart + Nighthawk phono + Accuphase E-460 Integrated amp + B&W 801 Matrix S03 Speakers:
The retipped concerto, during the first 20 hours seemed to be absolutely UNCHANGED. But 50 hours later, it is now showing that while the over character remains unchanged, there surely are some very subtle changes!
The detail retrieval is still at par as it were in its stock form. The channel separation is still as marvelous as it were, the highs, lows and mids still as engaging as they were....
but on listening carefully one realises that things are different. The Concerto now is imaging even better. The high's are a LOT more airy. On good recordings like The Direct To Disc recording of Lee Ritneur's Sugarloaf Express it is clearly evident.
The cartridge also seems to be a touch warmer. And the tonal quality is a wee bit sweeter... but this could very well be the doing of the Accuphase...
Overall verdict?
The Soundsmith re-tip was worth the money and worth the long wait!
With over 60-70 hours, the Concerto is singing better than ever before!
To put things in perspective let me give you a round up of the cart as it were from clearaudio. Do remember that the original cart was last heard by me via very different amplification, so that would also contribute on the overall presentation...
Concerto in stock form singing through Nighthawk Phono + Jeff Rowland Coherence 2 preamp + Krell FPB 200 power amp + B&W 801 Matrix S03 Speakers:
The sound here was always very detailed and extended through both the extremes with a very nice mid-range. The sound was never cold & clinical as some might report. (Though, when I had the Audio Research LS2B, it did sound very bright...).
So i guess the Coherence 2 contributed to the warmth.
The Concerto, when set up right used to stupefy me every time in terms of detail retrieval, channel separation and its bold full bodied presentation. It lacked the Ortofon Rondo series' romantic warmth. But that is not what I have ever aimed at anyway...
It was a superb cartridge in the sock form. Money well spent.
Soundsmith re-tipped Clearaudio Concerto MC cart + Nighthawk phono + Accuphase E-460 Integrated amp + B&W 801 Matrix S03 Speakers:
The retipped concerto, during the first 20 hours seemed to be absolutely UNCHANGED. But 50 hours later, it is now showing that while the over character remains unchanged, there surely are some very subtle changes!
The detail retrieval is still at par as it were in its stock form. The channel separation is still as marvelous as it were, the highs, lows and mids still as engaging as they were....
but on listening carefully one realises that things are different. The Concerto now is imaging even better. The high's are a LOT more airy. On good recordings like The Direct To Disc recording of Lee Ritneur's Sugarloaf Express it is clearly evident.
The cartridge also seems to be a touch warmer. And the tonal quality is a wee bit sweeter... but this could very well be the doing of the Accuphase...
Overall verdict?
The Soundsmith re-tip was worth the money and worth the long wait!
Listening to The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out... the music finally sounds glorious after a long long time!
I love the way the set up is now imaging. The bass notes nice and tight. The drums and cymbals have the correct tone. I cannot complain at all!
The set-up has never sounded so good as it is doing now. Finally, I can sit back and relax. No need to change a thing! No niggling doubts - nothing!
I love the way the set up is now imaging. The bass notes nice and tight. The drums and cymbals have the correct tone. I cannot complain at all!
The set-up has never sounded so good as it is doing now. Finally, I can sit back and relax. No need to change a thing! No niggling doubts - nothing!
abhijitwadekar
Member
congrats manav!
seems like finally you have attained your audio nirvana:clapping:
hope this state last for some time
hyeah:
regards
Abhijit
seems like finally you have attained your audio nirvana:clapping:
hope this state last for some time
hyeah:regards
Abhijit
the unfortuneate has happened......
let me summarise:
good vinyl rig + new maid + unlocked room (stray incident) + over zealous attitude to please + dust on rig + good intentions + lack of konowledge = calamity = 9 months of wait for pkeasure + 30k of expense....
let me summarise:
good vinyl rig + new maid + unlocked room (stray incident) + over zealous attitude to please + dust on rig + good intentions + lack of konowledge = calamity = 9 months of wait for pkeasure + 30k of expense....
i agree mate! thankfully i had not sent out the ortofon... so will send this baby with it as well!
i guess i gotta make god with my trusty Clearaudio Aurum Classics MM till i get them back + burn in the Denon 103 Pro on the Thorens...
that means I gotta take time out to re-build the Thorens double quick.. time... gotta make time!
i guess i gotta make god with my trusty Clearaudio Aurum Classics MM till i get them back + burn in the Denon 103 Pro on the Thorens...
that means I gotta take time out to re-build the Thorens double quick.. time... gotta make time!
yup amit... 2nd time... i am gonna be down by $35o for the concerto and $450 for the SPU (may=be even more... depends on peter now)....
its crazy.......
thankfully Virenji is a bright light... his phono is gonna save me some $$$$....
its crazy.......
thankfully Virenji is a bright light... his phono is gonna save me some $$$$....
Thorens?????
there is bro... the woman actually took it off and did her thang to it!
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