Hello all,
Longtime lurker, first time poster. I've done some pretty thorough digging and have struck out trying to find any threads that completely answer my questions, so I'm starting a new one.
I recently purchased a secondhand Clearaudio concept. The sale came with a MM concept cartridge (used; mounted), a Clearaudio dustcover, and a nano phono v1. I've been looking to upgrade my table for months, and when this came up at a great price I jumped on it without hesitation. A few hours after closing the deal I'm starting to realize that there are some downsides to buying this table secondhand, namely the lack of customer support I'd get through an authorized dealer. In order to save $$ off the sticker price, it's time I learned to be a self sufficient audiophile. My primary question to any concept owners is this: What servicing should I expect to perform on this turntable and what tools and/or materials will I need to set up the table?
The table itself looks to be in good condition. I purchased it through an online sale on a legitimate site, but the description was lacking and the pictures could have been more thorough. Basically all I know is that this is a one owner unit and was purchased from Acoustic Sounds. It's three years old, and I'm guessing it hasn't been recalibrated, oiled, had a belt changed, or had the cartridge replaced in all that time. From what I gather, based on the item description in the listing and what the owner has told me in DMs, the unit is a few years old, was used moderately, and while it was never abused, it certainly wasn't meticulously maintained.
The table happens to be about a two hour drive from me, so I'm thinking I'll go pick it up in person instead of risking shipping (seller didn't save the packing materials). Once I get it back to my home, I'll be on my own setting it up and servicing it. I live in a midsized city without a good audio shop, and the closest Clearaudio dealer is two hours away. Are there any resources that any concept owners would recommend reading/watching? Are there any tools I should go ahead and order? (I assume that nothing is coming with the sale except the items listed.) Any pointers some more experienced hands would give a Clearaudio noob?
Thanks in advance for all of your help. I'm a bit out of my depths but feel confident in my abilities. Just to give you a sense of my technical proficiency, I've been into collecting LPs for 10+ years and have owned a half dozen turntables, but this will be my first foray into higher-end gear.
