Clearaudio Concept or Emotion CMB?


I am looking to upgrade my Harman Kardon T55c turntable using an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge into something a bit more high-end. I was looking to spend between $1000 and $2000. It seems as though Clearaudio tables have been getting rave reviews, particularly the Concept model. However, I have also looked at a couple of used Emotion CMBs that have been listed on Audiogon, which appears to be a more high-end model according to the company's website. They also have the Maestro wooden cartridge. As a relative newbie to "entry-level" high-end, I would welcome any suggestions between the two models. Any other suggestions within this price range would be welcome as well.
cpwheeler

Showing 1 response by snackeyp

I owned a Concept MC for a while but ended up trading it in for a Clearaudio Performance SEP, which is a much more satisfying turntable to my ears. This said, the Concept was a very nice sounding table, I just wasn't too crazy about the Concept MC cartridge that it came with. It was a bit too rendering of sound than musical in nature. Rather than upgrade the cartridge I chose to upgrade the entire system. If you do buy a Concept I would opt for the MM version or ask if you can get it without a cartridge if buying new, and put some money into a nicer sounding cartridge. Or, you might find that wither the MM or MC cartridge sounds great with your system and the music you listen to. My opinions are based on my experiences so please accept them at face value rather than as anything resembling "gospel truth."
I have not heard the Emotion, btw. The CMB is a huge upgrade however, so it might very well be worth pursuing that if it can be had for a good price.
Best of luck!