Clearaudio Smart Matrix RCM

I thought I would post some initial impressions of my new RCM.

I have been considering getting an RCM for some time and had been looking primarily at the Nessie range. Until I saw the Clearaudio on my local dealer’s website. 1.5k later, voila.

I would have to say that I am very pleased with it. Once I had overcome its initial reluctance to dispense any cleaning fluid * it is a nice,simple piece of equipment that seems solidly built and works very well without being physically intrusive or loud in operation.

*I believe the fluid reservoir is a fair distance from the liquid pump. It took time for the fluid to get to the pump, which thereafter dispensed it perfectly. I wonder if this to prevent an impellor running whilst dry.

Although “silent” is not strictly true, one could easily hold a conversation or listen to music whilst it us in vacuum mode.

I have used it on the above albums so far. The "Tommy"lp was a s/h buy in the 1980, ELP bought new in 1972, and the Tom Brown lp bought s/h in the 1990s iirc.

I am not going to say it has made a “night and day” difference, with " inky blackness " replacing the sound of eggs frying but it has improved matters on the vinyl I have so far cleaned.

So, yes I am pleased with it:it looks good to my eyes, works smoothly and relatively unobtrusively, and is less expensive than the equivalent Nessie, given that brand seems to require a separate arm to clean 45s.

To me it is good value at its price-point, as far as anything of such a non-essential nature can be.

It may not outperform cheaper cleaners, but it fulfils a number of criteria important to me aside from its ability to clean.

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