Clearaudio Concept turntable
High-end turntables · 2009–present In production
$3,000 US reference price
Clearaudio Concept is a current belt-drive, manual operation, 33/45/78 rpm playback high-end turntable. The US reference price is $3,000.
Decision snapshot
The five things to check first
- Plays
- 33/45/78 rpm
- System hookup
- Phono input or preamp needed
- Cueing
- Manual cueing
- Stylus path
- Cartridge identified
- Buying status
- Current model
Setup bottom line: Budget for a phono input or separate phono preamp as well as amplification and speakers. Check model-specific stylus evidence →
The German brand's breakthrough deck: a friction-free magnetic-bearing tonearm and resonance-damped POM platter, sold ready-assembled. Multiple award winner. Sold in the US as the Concept AiR.
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 | 16.5 lb (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 (151 of 183). On price it sits toward the affordable end of its category — 13% of priced high-end decks cost less.
Cartridge and replacement stylus
Factory cartridge: Clearaudio Concept MM.
Keep the evidence layers separate
Buying evidence for this model
- US reference price
- $3,000. A dated guide value for comparison, not an offer or availability claim.
- Live retailer offers
- No live offer feed is enabled for this model.
- Retailer links
- Brand or product routes to relevant US retailers; a search link is not a stock claim.
An internally verified exact identifier may improve offer matching, but it is not published as a catalogue fact unless independently corroborated. Always confirm the exact model, final price, delivery and returns with the retailer.
Where to buy the Clearaudio Concept
6 US retailers stock Clearaudio — linked directly to the product page where we have one, otherwise to a site search for the deck.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Sounds | hifi independent | Ships worldwide from Salina, Kansas at carrier rates. | View at Acoustic Sounds ↗ |
| Elusive Disc | hifi independent | Free shipping on orders over $79. | View at Elusive Disc ↗ |
| Audio Advice | hifi independent | Free shipping on most orders. | Search at Audio Advice ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Turntable Lab | hifi independent | Free shipping to the continental US on most orders (bulk/oversized items excluded). | Search at Turntable Lab ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |