Clearaudio Ovation Turntable, Black / Natural Wood

The Clearaudio Ovation is a belt-driven turntable that combines a Panzerholz-aluminium sandwich plinth, the patented CMB magnetic bearing and Optical Speed Control (OSC) – this version with black aluminium parts and a Panzerholz plinth in natural finish.

The first colour term always means the aluminium parts, the second the wood layer in between. Black on natural is the most contrasty of the four combinations: dark edges, light centre – a turntable you look at without it shouting.

Why the Ovation?

The plinth is a sandwich of Panzerholz between two aluminium plates, additionally damped with embedded metal balls – resonances don't get far in there. The platter rests on an inverted ceramic bearing with a sintered-bronze bushing, its weight carried by the patented CMB magnetic bearing technology; friction thus approaches zero. A high-torque 24-volt DC motor drives the aluminium sub-platter via a ground flat belt, while Optical Speed Control reads the speed via sensor and continuously corrects it. Clearaudio states under ± 0.03 % wow and flutter for this.

What you get

A pure turntable. Tonearm and cartridge are missing not out of frugality but on principle – you're meant to decide both yourself. The interchangeable armboard takes almost any common 9-inch arm; Clarify and Tracer fit from the factory, the TT5 tangential arm needs the Swing Base. Included are the platter with aluminium sub-platter, belt, upper bearing housing, bearing oil, ground cable, power supply, gloves and screwdriver.

Who is the Ovation for?

For analogue listeners buying a turntable as a foundation for decades and deliberately choosing arm and cartridge to go with it. The 13.5 kilos want a rigid, level surface – more setups fail on that than on the technology. Straight talk: if you want to simply play vinyl tonight, the Clearaudio Compass or Concept is the faster route. The Ovation demands a decision about arm, cartridge and phono stage – and rewards it.

Our verdict

Black on natural wood is the finish for anyone who's allowed to show the technology without staging it. Technically identical to the other three, visually the clearest contrast. What the Ovation can really do is decided by the arm anyway – so tell us which cartridge you want to run, and we'll work through the chain together.

Technical data

• Type: belt-driven turntable, without tonearm and cartridge
• Plinth: resonance-optimised sandwich, Panzerholz between two aluminium plates, damped with embedded metal balls
• Bearing: inverted, ground and polished ceramic shaft, sintered-bronze running bushing, patented Clearaudio magnetic bearing technology (CMB)
• Motor: high-torque 24 V DC motor, decoupled in the plinth, ground flat belt onto the sub-platter
• Speed control: electronically controlled, Optical Speed Control (OSC) with optical sensor
• Speeds: 33⅓, 45 and 78 rpm, electronically switchable
• Wow and flutter: < ± 0.03 %
• Platter: 40 mm, high-density engineering plastic (POM), on aluminium sub-platter
• Arm mount: interchangeable armboard for almost all common 9-inch tonearms (one tonearm)
• Recommended tonearms: Clarify, Tracer, tangential arm TT5 (with Swing Base)
• Power consumption: max. 8.6 W, operating 2.5 W, standby 2.5 W
• Finish: aluminium parts black / Panzerholz plinth natural
• Dimensions (W × H × D): approx. 420 × 135 × 350 mm, without tonearm
• Weight: approx. 13.5 kg
• Warranty: 5 years with registration within 14 days
• Matching dust cover: AC024 (optional)
• Model no.: TT035
• Scope of delivery: pre-assembled turntable, platter with aluminium sub-platter, drive belt, upper bearing housing, bearing oil, flat pads, power supply, gloves, aluminium screwdriver, warranty and quality card – tonearm and cartridge separate

Frequently asked questions

What do the two colours Black / Natural Wood refer to?

To the plinth, not to the tonearm or platter. The first term describes the two aluminium plates, the second the Panzerholz layer in between. Here the aluminium parts are black and the wood is left natural. The platter is black POM on every finish.

Does the Ovation come with tonearm and cartridge?

No. Clearaudio supplies the Ovation as a pure turntable. Via the interchangeable armboard you mount almost any 9-inch arm – for example Clarify or Tracer. We choose arm, cartridge and phono stage to fit and hand over the turntable fully aligned.

What speeds does the Ovation manage?

33⅓, 45 and 78 rpm, electronically switchable – so you don't have to move the belt. Shellac fans get their money's worth too, provided the mounted cartridge has a matching stylus for 78s.

Does the Ovation need a special power supply?

No, the matching power supply is included. Anyone wanting to power the 24-volt motor even more cleanly can move up to the Clearaudio Smart Power 24V – a battery power supply the manufacturer expressly recommends for Ovation and Innovation.

Why buy the Ovation from HD Zürisee?

Because we've been building analogue chains for many years and know which arm/cartridge combination really fits together. HD Zürisee in Wädenswil delivers, mounts and aligns on site. Call +41 44 680 22 00, write to shop@hdzuerisee.ch or WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls).

Goes well with

You'll find the arm under Tonearms, the cartridge under Cartridges, the stage under Phono preamps. As a power upgrade, a battery power supply like the Clearaudio Smart Power 24V fits – the selection is under Power supplies. Accessories for the turntable are under Turntable Accessories, care under Record Cleaning. More models: Turntables and Clearaudio Collection.