ClearAudio Pack Concept Kardan (TP053KA)

Three components assembled in Erlangen, Bavaria, make up the Concept Kardan Pack. It includes the Concept turntable in black finish, the Satisfy Kardan aluminium tonearm, and the Artist V2 cartridge with an ebony body. The set is factory pre‑adjusted, allowing immediate use without additional azimuth or anti‑skating settings.

A chassis designed for silence

The Concept turntable is built on a medium-density fibreboard (MDF) construction, a material chosen for its natural damping properties. The top layer incorporates a high‑tech satin plastic compound that helps dissipate unwanted resonances. The unit weighs 7.5 kg with the arm and cartridge mounted, heavy enough to ensure good stability without requiring a dedicated stand.

The DC motor, powered by an external voltage‑stabilized supply, is completely decoupled from the chassis. This mechanical separation limits the transmission of micro‑vibrations to the platter and, by extension, to the groove. Power consumption remains modest: 0.5 W in operation, 1.5 W at maximum. All three speeds are available (33, 45 and 78 rpm) with an accuracy of ±0.04% according to the manufacturer’s measurements.

POM platter and bronze bearing

The 30 mm thick platter is machined from polyoxymethylene (POM), a dense technical thermoplastic that Clearaudio also uses on its high‑end models such as the Innovation. This material has acoustic characteristics close to vinyl itself, which promotes a homogeneous coupling with the record. Under this main platter, a CNC‑machined aluminium sub‑platter provides the connection with the spindle.

The bearing combines a hardened, polished steel spindle running in a sintered bronze sleeve with a Teflon thrust pad to reduce friction. The platter spindle is made of bronze, a classic choice for its ability to absorb vibrations while providing smooth and silent rotation.

The Satisfy Kardan arm: gimbals and direct wiring

The Satisfy Kardan arm stands out for its gimbal design (hence the name), more conventional than the magnetic Verify arm supplied as standard on the Concept. This dual‑pivot architecture offers more intuitive handling when changing cartridges and simplifies setting tracking force and azimuth.

The vertical bearing uses a polished tungsten shaft housed in a sapphire bearing, a technology borrowed from Swiss watchmaking for its precision and longevity. The two horizontal bearings are ceramic, a material renowned for its hardness and long‑term low wear. Magnetic anti‑skating is adjusted without mechanical contact, then locked in place with a screw accessible near the tonearm base.

One of the major strengths of this arm lies in its continuous Direct Wire Plus wiring. The signal runs uninterrupted from the cartridge pins to the RCA connectors, eliminating intermediate solder joints that can introduce micro‑breaks or impedance variations. The 1.1 m cable is terminated with MPC RCA plugs (Clearaudio proprietary connectors).

The black aluminium arm tube accepts cartridges weighing from 2.5 g to 17 g, covering virtually all MM and MC models on the market. Tracking force is set via a graduated micrometric dial, allowing fine adjustments around the recommended value.

Artist V2 cartridge: ebony and elliptical diamond

The Artist V2 cartridge belongs to Clearaudio’s Moving Magnet V2 range. Its hand‑polished ebony body is not just an aesthetic choice: this very dense wood helps reduce unwanted resonances while keeping the mass to a contained 8.4 g.

The elliptical stylus mounted on an aluminium cantilever offers a good compromise between resolution and ease of setup. The recommended tracking force of 2.2 g (±0.3 g) falls within the usual range for this type of cartridge. The frequency response covers the audible spectrum from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with an output voltage of around 3.6 mV allowing direct connection to any standard MM phono preamplifier (load impedance: 47 kΩ, capacitance: 100 pF).

Channel separation of 24 dB and a 0.8 dB balance between left and right channels reflect careful factory selection of the generators. Clearaudio ranks its MM V2 cartridges in four performance levels after individual measurement, with the Artist V2 positioned on the third rung of this hierarchy.

Technical specifications

Concept turntable, black finish with silver chassis

• Drive: internal belt
• Motor: decoupled DC motor with low-noise bearing
• Speeds: 33, 45, 78 rpm
• Construction:
  • Black anti-resonance aluminum chassis
  • Platter spindle in bronze
  • Platter in polyoxymethylene (POM)
• Performance:
  • Speed variation: ± 0.04%
  • Maximum power consumption: 1.5 W
  • Power consumption in operation: 0.5 W
• Physical dimensions:
  • Weight: 7.5 kg
  • Dimensions (W × D × H): 420 × 350 × 125 mm (with tonearm)

Satisfy Kardan tonearm, black aluminum

• Construction: gimbal-mounted tonearm, magnetic anti-skating
• Materials: black aluminum tube
• Technical characteristics:
  • Compatible cartridge weight: 2.5 g to 17 g
  • Pivot-to-spindle distance: 222 mm
  • Overall length: 302 mm
  • Weight: 350 g
• Connectivity: Clearaudio Direct Wire Plus cable (1.1 m) with MPC RCA connectors
• Mounting: Clearaudio standard (24.85 mm diameter)
• Adjustment: tracking force via micrometric vernier

Artist v2 phono cartridge

• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Output voltage (1 kHz, 5 cm/s): ~ 3.6 mV
• Channel separation (1 kHz): 24 dB
• Channel balance (1 kHz): 0.8 dB
• Tracking ability: 80 μm
• Compliance: 15 μm/mN
• Recommended tracking force: 2.2 g ± 0.3 g
• Cantilever: aluminum
• Stylus profile: elliptical
• Coil impedance (1 kHz): 0.66 kΩ
• Coil inductance: 400 mH
• Load resistance: 47 kΩ
• Load capacitance: 100 pF
• Cartridge weight: 8.4 g (± 0.4 g)
• Cartridge body: ebony wood