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Clearaudio · Compass
$2,000
Not currently in our rooms. For a serious buyer we will often bring a piece in from the manufacturer for a private session — tell us about your system and what you are weighing it against, and we will advise.
Clearaudio · Compass
The Compass is Clearaudio's most affordable turntable: a compact, fully assembled German design with the new T1 tonearm and an acrylic dust cover.
Supplied with the T1 tonearm and dust cover. Ask us about the N1 moving-magnet cartridge option.
Authorized Clearaudio dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
The Compass puts Clearaudio's effort where it counts on an entry-level turntable: the bearing, the platter and the arm. A polished, tempered steel spindle runs in a sintered bronze bushing on a Teflon thrust pad. The 20 mm acrylic platter sits on a CNC-machined aluminum sub-platter, driven by a flat belt from a decoupled, resonance-damped 12 V DC motor. The chassis is medium-density wood fiber over a steel bottom plate that adds mass, with height-adjustable, decoupled feet. Speed is selected with a switch underneath, and Clearaudio measures speed accuracy at ±0.05%.
The T1 tonearm is a compact relative of the Satisfy, with an aluminum body and tube, string-based anti-skating and a 1.1 m Clearaudio Direct Wire PLUS cable terminated in RCA plugs. Its 239.12 mm effective length and 222 mm mounting distance are the same as the Satisfy, so the setup geometry is proven. The turntable arrives assembled and ready to play, and the acrylic dust cover with stainless steel hinges is included.
What Hi-Fi? heard a broad, spacious sound with ample detail and nimble bass, and The Ear found it well engineered and easy to live with. The Compass works with any moving-magnet phono input, including the one built into many integrated amplifiers. Choose black or silver, and ask us about fitting the N1 cartridge or another moving magnet to the T1 arm.
| Drive | Flat belt, decoupled and resonance-damped 12 V DC motor, plug-in power supply |
| Speeds | 33⅓ and 45 rpm, switch on the underside |
| Speed accuracy | ±0.05% (measured) |
| Platter | 20 mm acrylic on a CNC-machined aluminum sub-platter |
| Bearing | Polished, tempered steel spindle, sintered bronze bushing, Teflon thrust pad |
| Chassis | Medium-density wood fiber with steel bottom plate; height-adjustable, decoupled feet |
| Tonearm | Clearaudio T1, 239.12 mm effective length, 222 mm mounting distance, 17.12 mm overhang, 24.02° offset |
| Tonearm cable | 1.1 m Clearaudio Direct Wire PLUS, RCA |
| Cartridge | Optional Clearaudio N1 MM (2.9 mV, 2.2 g tracking force) |
| Power consumption | 2.81 W in operation, 5.56 W maximum |
| Dust cover | Acrylic with stainless steel hinges, included |
| Dimensions (W × D × H) | 17.13 × 13.39 × 4.72 in (435 × 340 × 120 mm) with dust cover |
| Weight | 18.5 lb (8.4 kg) with tonearm, cartridge and dust cover |
| Warranty | 2 years with online registration (Clearaudio) |
Clearaudio's turntables, from the Compass to the Statement.
A Concept MM V2 is a natural first upgrade for the T1 arm, and the Nano Phono V2 is a matching phono stage.
Plan your Clearaudio system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized Clearaudio dealer. We can help you choose a tonearm and cartridge, set the turntable up in your system, and arrange an audition in our Portland showroom. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
The Pearl Audio experience
A system at this level should be heard, thoughtfully matched, and properly set up. From the first audition to long-term ownership, you work with the same people, in person.
The Compass Turntable is not in our rooms at present. When it is the right piece for a client we arrange a demonstration unit from the manufacturer and set it up for a private session.
We deliver and install throughout the Portland area, taking care of placement, connections, ventilation and system configuration ourselves.
We support everything we sell for as long as you own it, whether the answer comes by phone, in your home, or through factory service.
Trade-in assistance and qualifying 100% Trade-Up options give you flexibility when your listening priorities or your system change.
