Its fun to tell a new mom their baby is ugly. But the ugly ones are the prettiest when they grow up. Then see how they digest it all and react.
Clearaudio TT2
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
I have not tried Funk Firm products. But I have tried some aftermarket parts in my Linn journey.
The absolute worst were from a fellow in Canada who was making plinths, tops, and running what appeared to be a chop shop of parted out hot LP12s. His brand rhymed with Linn but won’t be mentioned. He said in his advertising that he does not like whining people … he expects you to be happy. I suspect that many customers were not.
The best were from Edmund in Hong Kong. I think he used Mober as his brand. His Hercules and his Mober Maxxon motors/controllers were both quite good, although my preference was for the factory products they were intended to displace.
Linn’s open architecture created a cottage industry of aftermarket parts. In most hobbies, the genuine article is preferred over the knockoff when it comes time to sell, and often performance of the OEM parts really is better.
When you start down a funky path, you get to a funky destination. Personally, I’m not a fan of funky. The fresh, clean Linn pleases me most.
I’m in the 9th day of running after setup for the TT2.
The set up looked harder than it was. Once you’ve wrapped your head around the adjustments, changes are predictable, and repeatable. A high level of precision is possible.
In my opinion, based on setting up many uni-pivots, this takes less effort and is less frustrating. It really isn’t too much more trouble than a good gimbal model.
Once you’ve dialed it in, it is an ergonomic joy. It is solid. Cueing is precise. There are no antiskating issues. It tracks beautifully. It is articulate … definition and detail are notable from top to bottom. Instruments and vocals can all be followed easily. Bass is tight and clear. I am using it with Clearaudio's flagship MM. it begs for better. Comparing it to my high spec LP12/Lyra combo, the latter presents a more sophisticated sonic experience on sophisticated recordings.
But cartridge aside, the TT2 is a really enjoyable bit of kit. Clearaudio’s US importer (Musical Surroundings) suggest any of their MC cartridges at or above the Concerto level. I will probably trade some interconnects for their da Vinci V2 and go from there.
The fellow who owned this TT2 and I were comparing notes last week. He had been running a Goldfinger. He confirmed my opinion that the TT2 is not hard to set up, and he said that it was the best tonearm he’d ever heard. I am not ready to make this pronouncement yet … but it is very solid, and a joy to use.
Edit: I do think that clean records are important with any cartridge and tonearm … but it may be even more important with a passively driven linear tracker. I’ve been cleaning every album using the “auto” cycle on the Double Matrix Pro Sonic before putting the record on the platter. Several albums have been played back to back on the Linn LP12/Lyra and the Clearaudio MR/ TT2, and my sense is that the cleaning at this level has benefited the Linn too. There is no doubt in my mind that the Double Matrix Pro Sonic gets things much cleaner than my VPI MW-1, and with much less effort than my Kirmus. It uses a lot of fluid compared to the MW-1, but there is a noticeable payoff.
The set up looked harder than it was. Once you’ve wrapped your head around the adjustments, changes are predictable, and repeatable. A high level of precision is possible.
In my opinion, based on setting up many uni-pivots, this takes less effort and is less frustrating. It really isn’t too much more trouble than a good gimbal model.
Once you’ve dialed it in, it is an ergonomic joy. It is solid. Cueing is precise. There are no antiskating issues. It tracks beautifully. It is articulate … definition and detail are notable from top to bottom. Instruments and vocals can all be followed easily. Bass is tight and clear. I am using it with Clearaudio's flagship MM. it begs for better. Comparing it to my high spec LP12/Lyra combo, the latter presents a more sophisticated sonic experience on sophisticated recordings.
But cartridge aside, the TT2 is a really enjoyable bit of kit. Clearaudio’s US importer (Musical Surroundings) suggest any of their MC cartridges at or above the Concerto level. I will probably trade some interconnects for their da Vinci V2 and go from there.
The fellow who owned this TT2 and I were comparing notes last week. He had been running a Goldfinger. He confirmed my opinion that the TT2 is not hard to set up, and he said that it was the best tonearm he’d ever heard. I am not ready to make this pronouncement yet … but it is very solid, and a joy to use.
Edit: I do think that clean records are important with any cartridge and tonearm … but it may be even more important with a passively driven linear tracker. I’ve been cleaning every album using the “auto” cycle on the Double Matrix Pro Sonic before putting the record on the platter. Several albums have been played back to back on the Linn LP12/Lyra and the Clearaudio MR/ TT2, and my sense is that the cleaning at this level has benefited the Linn too. There is no doubt in my mind that the Double Matrix Pro Sonic gets things much cleaner than my VPI MW-1, and with much less effort than my Kirmus. It uses a lot of fluid compared to the MW-1, but there is a noticeable payoff.
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@Ron Resnick:
I’m two weeks further along with the TT2. I was able to get a new Clearaudio Jubilee MC and I’ve been running it in. My thoughts on the Charisma not being in the same class as the Lyra Etna Lambda were relevant. The Jubilee MC is really really nice. Musical Surroundings says that the Titanium or Goldfinger would be even nicer, and I’m sure they’re right.
Nevertheless the Jubilee MC on the Master Reference (with magnetic bearing upgrade) with the TT2 is the first rig here to compete well with my Linn LP12 Radikal, Keel, Karousel, Ekos SE, Lyra Etna Lambda. They’re both detailed, dynamic, smooth, balanced across the spectrum, and both project a believable soundstage. The Clearaudio rig is a little warmer in the midrange. Both have an exceptional ability to create a black sonic abyss when called on to present silence. These are the best I’ve ever heard in that regard.
As for setup, it was not hard to install the Jubilee MC after having figured it out with the Charisma several weeks ago. The TT2 has been very reliable. It cues and tracks well. I am enamored with its ergonomics. Aside from the high price, it surprises me that they’re not more popular.
I’m two weeks further along with the TT2. I was able to get a new Clearaudio Jubilee MC and I’ve been running it in. My thoughts on the Charisma not being in the same class as the Lyra Etna Lambda were relevant. The Jubilee MC is really really nice. Musical Surroundings says that the Titanium or Goldfinger would be even nicer, and I’m sure they’re right.
Nevertheless the Jubilee MC on the Master Reference (with magnetic bearing upgrade) with the TT2 is the first rig here to compete well with my Linn LP12 Radikal, Keel, Karousel, Ekos SE, Lyra Etna Lambda. They’re both detailed, dynamic, smooth, balanced across the spectrum, and both project a believable soundstage. The Clearaudio rig is a little warmer in the midrange. Both have an exceptional ability to create a black sonic abyss when called on to present silence. These are the best I’ve ever heard in that regard.
As for setup, it was not hard to install the Jubilee MC after having figured it out with the Charisma several weeks ago. The TT2 has been very reliable. It cues and tracks well. I am enamored with its ergonomics. Aside from the high price, it surprises me that they’re not more popular.
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A few thoughts on TT2 setup :
Clearaudio recommends a distance of 62 mm from center of carriage to stylus. This is hard to measure. It is easier to reference the distance between the positioning pin and the rail in front of it. About 2 to 4 mm seems to work pretty well. You tighten the arm into the carriage by lining it up so that the set screw is accessible through a hole in the dust cover. You twist the arm in the carriage to set the azimuth. Tracking force is set by attaching an eccentric mass to the rear side of the arm. Several masses are provided to accommodate a wide range of cartridge masses. For the 7.5 gram Jubilee, I am using the 2.25 gram mass to set tracking force at the recommended 2.8 grams.
Clearaudio provides a tiny circular bubble level for checking azimuth and SRA. It is very light, but it is prone to fall off the headshell. I bought a 6 pack of very small circular bubble levels on Amazon. They have adhesive, so they stick in place. They are easily removed, can be used again, and are potentially useful to check level on other things, like speakers.
Clearaudio provides a linear gauge to help with alignment. This is the most tedious part of the job. You set the stylus on the gauge at the run-out groove, and then cue it up and run the cartridge back to the run-in groove to cue it down and see if it’s on the line. If not, you tweak the arm board and check again. It might take you four or five iterations to get this right. But it’s critical.
When you’re setting the arm’s level, it is really important to adjust the grub screw first, and the support pillars second. Get the bubble centered. If it’s not centered, there will be a slight tilt. The side with extra space between the bubble and the mark is the lower side. You should not have to run downhill if you’ve got the other adjustments right.
You can set VTA on the fly if you want to. The arm is very solid, and the adjustment is made with a knob.
If everything is right, the needle will cue repeatably and precisely. At the end of the side, cue it up, move the carriage back to the outside with the positioning pin as your handle, raise the arm off the record, and remove the record. The arm stays in the vertical position until you release the catch, and set it down again.
It took about two hours to set it up from the time I started removal of the Charisma to proper installation of the Jubilee MC. That’s really not worse than a uni-pivot in my experience. I think once you’ve mastered the linear alignment, it would be faster. Perhaps less than an hour. I’ve only done this twice, but I’m very pleased with the smooth function and the sound I’m getting. I will probably tweak things one final time once I’ve got 50 hours on the new cartridge.
FWIW, I’ve played over 100 records (both sides) since I first set the TT2 up with the Charisma. Jazz, classical, rock, vocals, instrumental, chamber, symphonic, half speeds, direct to disk, solo, organ, audiophile, record store bargains, etc. The TT2 is acquitting itself very well without regard to program … but admittedly, my records are clean. Some records with visible scratches do tick or pop, but you can’t blame the arm for this.
Clearaudio recommends a distance of 62 mm from center of carriage to stylus. This is hard to measure. It is easier to reference the distance between the positioning pin and the rail in front of it. About 2 to 4 mm seems to work pretty well. You tighten the arm into the carriage by lining it up so that the set screw is accessible through a hole in the dust cover. You twist the arm in the carriage to set the azimuth. Tracking force is set by attaching an eccentric mass to the rear side of the arm. Several masses are provided to accommodate a wide range of cartridge masses. For the 7.5 gram Jubilee, I am using the 2.25 gram mass to set tracking force at the recommended 2.8 grams.
Clearaudio provides a tiny circular bubble level for checking azimuth and SRA. It is very light, but it is prone to fall off the headshell. I bought a 6 pack of very small circular bubble levels on Amazon. They have adhesive, so they stick in place. They are easily removed, can be used again, and are potentially useful to check level on other things, like speakers.
Clearaudio provides a linear gauge to help with alignment. This is the most tedious part of the job. You set the stylus on the gauge at the run-out groove, and then cue it up and run the cartridge back to the run-in groove to cue it down and see if it’s on the line. If not, you tweak the arm board and check again. It might take you four or five iterations to get this right. But it’s critical.
When you’re setting the arm’s level, it is really important to adjust the grub screw first, and the support pillars second. Get the bubble centered. If it’s not centered, there will be a slight tilt. The side with extra space between the bubble and the mark is the lower side. You should not have to run downhill if you’ve got the other adjustments right.
You can set VTA on the fly if you want to. The arm is very solid, and the adjustment is made with a knob.
If everything is right, the needle will cue repeatably and precisely. At the end of the side, cue it up, move the carriage back to the outside with the positioning pin as your handle, raise the arm off the record, and remove the record. The arm stays in the vertical position until you release the catch, and set it down again.
It took about two hours to set it up from the time I started removal of the Charisma to proper installation of the Jubilee MC. That’s really not worse than a uni-pivot in my experience. I think once you’ve mastered the linear alignment, it would be faster. Perhaps less than an hour. I’ve only done this twice, but I’m very pleased with the smooth function and the sound I’m getting. I will probably tweak things one final time once I’ve got 50 hours on the new cartridge.
FWIW, I’ve played over 100 records (both sides) since I first set the TT2 up with the Charisma. Jazz, classical, rock, vocals, instrumental, chamber, symphonic, half speeds, direct to disk, solo, organ, audiophile, record store bargains, etc. The TT2 is acquitting itself very well without regard to program … but admittedly, my records are clean. Some records with visible scratches do tick or pop, but you can’t blame the arm for this.
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I’ve spent over a month with the TT2 now.
I’ve installed the Charisma V2.1, then the Jubilee V2, then another Charisma V2.1, and now I’m doing it one more time with another Jubilee MC V2.1. I can do the R&R from one cartridge to the next in under an hour.
There is one particular trick that is hard to describe but easy to see. If you loosen the arm board’s grub screw, and simultaneously adjust to drop the stylus on the line AND bring the line parallel to the track, it can be finished in one iteration. And whatever time you might spend sorting out antiskating on a gimbal or unipivot arm, it’s a non- issue for the TT2 linear tracker.
The TT2 is a really capable arm. It is a great cartridge platform. Mine is a joy to use. It is very logical. Adjustments are easy and the results are predictable.
The arm delivers great fidelity from bass to treble. It is easy to follow voices and instruments. I find myself tapping my toes, dancing and conducting in my chair. These are activities usually reserved for playback on my Linn/Lyra rig.
The modest Charisma V2.1 MM is surprisingly musical and detailed. The Jubilee MC V2.1 is even better.
I’m very pleased with the TT2 and am happy to recommend it to enthusiasts who have decent tonearm/cartridge setup skills as well as those who are patient and logical thinkers.
While working on this project, at my own expense and for my own nostalgia and fun, I had an unexpected super positive experience with the US Clearaudio importer, Musical Surroundings, and their dealers (particularly Music Direct). It is my intention to tell the story in another post (below).
I’ve installed the Charisma V2.1, then the Jubilee V2, then another Charisma V2.1, and now I’m doing it one more time with another Jubilee MC V2.1. I can do the R&R from one cartridge to the next in under an hour.
There is one particular trick that is hard to describe but easy to see. If you loosen the arm board’s grub screw, and simultaneously adjust to drop the stylus on the line AND bring the line parallel to the track, it can be finished in one iteration. And whatever time you might spend sorting out antiskating on a gimbal or unipivot arm, it’s a non- issue for the TT2 linear tracker.
The TT2 is a really capable arm. It is a great cartridge platform. Mine is a joy to use. It is very logical. Adjustments are easy and the results are predictable.
The arm delivers great fidelity from bass to treble. It is easy to follow voices and instruments. I find myself tapping my toes, dancing and conducting in my chair. These are activities usually reserved for playback on my Linn/Lyra rig.
The modest Charisma V2.1 MM is surprisingly musical and detailed. The Jubilee MC V2.1 is even better.
I’m very pleased with the TT2 and am happy to recommend it to enthusiasts who have decent tonearm/cartridge setup skills as well as those who are patient and logical thinkers.
While working on this project, at my own expense and for my own nostalgia and fun, I had an unexpected super positive experience with the US Clearaudio importer, Musical Surroundings, and their dealers (particularly Music Direct). It is my intention to tell the story in another post (below).
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I had a disaster with the Jubilee MC last week, which precipitated the reinstallation of the Charisma. Music Direct (the dealer) and Musical Surroundings (the importer/distributor) stepped up and turned it into an endearing event with a very happy ending.
The Jubilee MC arrived with a stylus protector that was too narrow to fit on the cartridge (without what I considered excessive force). Music Direct and Musical Surroundings actually sent me two new ones and made a special video to show me how much force would be ok.
But … before the replacements arrived, through my own clumsiness and/or carelessness, the cantilever was snapped off. I found it and saved it. Steve Leung of VAS thought he could fix it. I reported the sad event to Music Direct, with a photo. They consulted with Musical Surroundings, and I sent it to Steve (I’ve seen him repair a Lyra Atlas).
And then, out of the blue, Musical Surroundings decided to treat it as a warranty event. I did not ask for this. They were generous on their own, facilitated by Music Direct.
They sent me a brand new Jubilee MC with all new case candy. They sent me a shipping label to return the broken one. I requested FedEx to recall the shipment to Steve, and they did.
So … within one week of breaking the cantilever, I have a new one at no cost, and I’ve returned the broken one at their expense.
In my opinion, this is the highest possible level of dealer and distributor support. Contrast this with my Linn Krystal in 2016. The cantilevers failed on several samples not long after they were installed, including mine. It corroded at the base and collapsed. Linn blamed users using liquid cleaners on the diamond that had wicked up the hollow cantilever. They had never warned against this up to that time, and I had not used any. Linn would not even support the dealers who went to bat for customers. No discounts. No replacements. No nuthin’. That is why I abandoned Linn for a year while I tried other high end options. In the end, I kept the LP12, but switched to Lyra for cartridges.
Right now Clearaudio has moved up a couple of notches.
Music Direct was GREAT! Musical Surroundings were WITHOUT PEER. I was, and am, extremely pleased.
Regarding Steve Leung, he is an outstanding member of our hobby too. His prices are very fair. He is very skilled. And his turnaround times are very reasonable. I have used him on other repairs and retips and been very pleased. I got his name from Harry Weisfeld. VPI and VAS are located in the same industrial park in Cliffwood, NJ.
The Jubilee MC arrived with a stylus protector that was too narrow to fit on the cartridge (without what I considered excessive force). Music Direct and Musical Surroundings actually sent me two new ones and made a special video to show me how much force would be ok.
But … before the replacements arrived, through my own clumsiness and/or carelessness, the cantilever was snapped off. I found it and saved it. Steve Leung of VAS thought he could fix it. I reported the sad event to Music Direct, with a photo. They consulted with Musical Surroundings, and I sent it to Steve (I’ve seen him repair a Lyra Atlas).
And then, out of the blue, Musical Surroundings decided to treat it as a warranty event. I did not ask for this. They were generous on their own, facilitated by Music Direct.
They sent me a brand new Jubilee MC with all new case candy. They sent me a shipping label to return the broken one. I requested FedEx to recall the shipment to Steve, and they did.
So … within one week of breaking the cantilever, I have a new one at no cost, and I’ve returned the broken one at their expense.
In my opinion, this is the highest possible level of dealer and distributor support. Contrast this with my Linn Krystal in 2016. The cantilevers failed on several samples not long after they were installed, including mine. It corroded at the base and collapsed. Linn blamed users using liquid cleaners on the diamond that had wicked up the hollow cantilever. They had never warned against this up to that time, and I had not used any. Linn would not even support the dealers who went to bat for customers. No discounts. No replacements. No nuthin’. That is why I abandoned Linn for a year while I tried other high end options. In the end, I kept the LP12, but switched to Lyra for cartridges.
Right now Clearaudio has moved up a couple of notches.
Music Direct was GREAT! Musical Surroundings were WITHOUT PEER. I was, and am, extremely pleased.
Regarding Steve Leung, he is an outstanding member of our hobby too. His prices are very fair. He is very skilled. And his turnaround times are very reasonable. I have used him on other repairs and retips and been very pleased. I got his name from Harry Weisfeld. VPI and VAS are located in the same industrial park in Cliffwood, NJ.
I mentioned above that I’d had good experiences with several other dealers who were representing Clearaudio, supported by Musical Surroundings.
These are Paragon Sight and Sound, The Music Room, and Hi Fi Heaven. I started my Clearaudio Master Reference project a year ago. I’ve ordered a number of small obscure parts, arm boards, arm weights, belts, VTA base, dust cover, cleaning fluids, etc. Many of the items I’ve requested have been in stock at Musical Surroundings. Some have had to come from Germany. In every instance, Musical Surroundings has been able to come up with my order quickly. I’ve had to wait a few weeks for some of the items that had to come from Germany, but everything I’ve ordered has come without a hitch.
In this day and age when many items for older gear are difficult or impossible to get, Clearaudio is supporting their gear at the same level as the legendary companies like McIntosh and ARC.
The Master Reference, the Universal 12, the TT2, and the Double Matrix Professional Sonic are all bucket list type items with the kind of support that sets the bar high … high enough to be considered exemplary for other manufacturers. And Clearaudio is not dependent on one employee or owner. It is a major enterprise with long term stability and a commitment to service that goes beyond a single visionary founder’s involvement in the business.
These are Paragon Sight and Sound, The Music Room, and Hi Fi Heaven. I started my Clearaudio Master Reference project a year ago. I’ve ordered a number of small obscure parts, arm boards, arm weights, belts, VTA base, dust cover, cleaning fluids, etc. Many of the items I’ve requested have been in stock at Musical Surroundings. Some have had to come from Germany. In every instance, Musical Surroundings has been able to come up with my order quickly. I’ve had to wait a few weeks for some of the items that had to come from Germany, but everything I’ve ordered has come without a hitch.
In this day and age when many items for older gear are difficult or impossible to get, Clearaudio is supporting their gear at the same level as the legendary companies like McIntosh and ARC.
The Master Reference, the Universal 12, the TT2, and the Double Matrix Professional Sonic are all bucket list type items with the kind of support that sets the bar high … high enough to be considered exemplary for other manufacturers. And Clearaudio is not dependent on one employee or owner. It is a major enterprise with long term stability and a commitment to service that goes beyond a single visionary founder’s involvement in the business.
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