Clearaudio TTs good or bad

I will be watching any responses you get as I am also considering the Clearaudio Champion Level II with an fully modified Origin Live RB250 and a clearaudio cartridge. Thanks for asking the question. Now we just need some of you analog experts to speak up. crc

Can't comment on sound quality (heard it at a store) but it is very susceptible to footfalls. Probably needs a Big Rock or Aurious (sp?) for optimal setup. If you believe the reviewer types, the VPI is supposed to sound "big and airy" and the Clearaudios are supposed to sound "quick and lean".

I need to add the clearaudio solution to this list & A basis 2000 but the basis looks like a poor value. THANKS..

Hi Bj. The Glider sounded good on a solution/morch arm. The champion sounded good with a clearaudio victory/morch arm & a BPS, same arm. Sound: clear, fast, not necessarily lean; information retrieval is superior to "plusher" TTs (/older designs). IMO, Clearaudios need a good RIAA to sound correct, otherwise upper or lower register may be pronounced.

Which SME arm? Crc: what's the mod on the 250?? The champion is rigid & fast -- I assume the 250 will keep up?

Cheers!

The SME V is the arm, but this combination is a bit out of my range. But this is what my dealer is recomending. I am trying to keep it at $3300. I've read that the RB600 works well. I do listen to a lot of 70/80 rock. so a lot of my music are not great recording. Also my dealer does not like RB600 because no vta adj.

I personally own a Clearaudio Solution with Origin Live RB250 tonearm and have been suitably impressed. It does offer, as previously stated, a very quick and clean sound though certainly not in the 'analytical' realm (a camp I generally steer away from). A most enjoyable and 'pleasant-to-listen-to' sound in my system. My listening room has a carpeted concrete floor and the table sits on a relatively stable rack, so footfalls are not an issue and I couldn't offer much insight on this area, though I do have the spiked feet resting on Yamamura Art-Q Dampers for further isolation. Good luck with your vinyl quest.

I made mistake it is a SME 309.

In response to the modification on the RB 250, it is the full origin mod. This means new wiring beefing up the arm tube at the end where the tracking force weight mounts. You can find a better description if you go to the Origin Live site. crc

Bj: SME sounds good, I heard a V on a bigger C/audio deck. RB's are limited by the vta question -- but why a 600 instead of starting w/a 250, and upgrading later, to another brand if you wish. Just a thought...

Cheers!