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Clearaudio · MC V2.1
$5,500
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 · MC V2.1
A 7-gram Clearaudio moving coil in aged ebony, with gold coils and a boron cantilever. The Absolute Sound singled it out in a Clearaudio front end.
Authorized Clearaudio dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
The Stradivari V2.1 uses an ebony body that Clearaudio ages for several months before use. It has Clearaudio's gear-shaped top and a precisely ground twelve-finger platform. Inside are 24-karat gold coils arranged symmetrically about the pivot. Around them is Clearaudio's patented V2 magnet system. A boron cantilever carries a Clearaudio Prime Line diamond, and the finished cartridge weighs just 7 g.
Reviewing a Clearaudio Performance DC Wood with the Tracer arm, The Absolute Sound swapped in the Stradivari V2 and was very taken with it. The whole setup sounded nimble, smooth and quiet, with crisp attacks, natural timbres and a low noise floor. It was set up at Clearaudio's 2.8 g tracking force. Output is about 0.5 mV, so use an MC phono stage with around 60 dB of gain or a step-up transformer. Its medium compliance suits rigid medium-mass tonearms, ideally one with easy VTA adjustment for the line-contact stylus.
The Stradivari V2.1 sits between the Concerto V2.1 and the Jubilee MC. On a trade-in, Musical Surroundings takes 20% off a new Clearaudio for any Clearaudio, Hana or DS Audio cartridge (or with one of its turntable packages) and 10% off for any other brand; a worn Stradivari is exchanged for a new one at $3,300 instead of $5,500.
| Type | Low-output moving coil (MC) |
| Output | 0.5 mV (5 cm/s) |
| Internal impedance | 50 Ω |
| Tracking force | 2.8 g ±0.2 g |
| Compliance | 15 µm/mN |
| Tracking ability | 80 µm |
| Weight | 7.0 g |
| Stylus | Clearaudio Prime Line |
| Cantilever | Boron |
| Coils | 24-karat gold, pivot-symmetrical |
| Body | Aged ebony with twelve-finger platform |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Channel separation / balance | 25–30 dB / <0.5 dB |
Clearaudio trade-in and retip exchange (Musical Surroundings). Trade in a worn Stradivari V2.1 and a new one is $3,300 (40% off) on Clearaudio's retip exchange. Trade in any other Clearaudio, Hana or DS Audio cartridge, or buy with a Musical Surroundings turntable package, and it is 20% off ($4,400); a cartridge of any other brand earns 10% off ($4,950).
| Clearaudio retip exchange — Stradivari V2.1 | $3,300 (Clearaudio does not retip in the field; your worn Stradivari V2.1 is exchanged for a new one at this price) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Stradivari V2.1 | $3,300 after trade-in (credit $2,200) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Stradivari V2 | $3,300 after trade-in (credit $2,200) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Concept MC | $4,400 after trade-in (credit $1,100) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Concept MC Signature | $4,400 after trade-in (credit $1,100) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Talisman V2.1 Gold | $4,400 after trade-in (credit $1,100) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Concerto V2.1 | $4,400 after trade-in (credit $1,100) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio Jubilee MC | $4,400 after trade-in (credit $1,100) |
| Trade in your Clearaudio da Vinci V2.1 | $4,400 after trade-in (credit $1,100) |
| Other Clearaudio cartridges | 20 more models qualify; use the trade-in selector on this page or ask us |
Trade-ins of Musical Surroundings brands (Clearaudio, Hana, DS Audio) need an RA number and must arrive within 30 days of the invoice, or full price is charged; other brands need an emailed photograph first. Verified 2026-10-28. Source: Clearaudio dealer price list, January 2026 (Musical Surroundings).
The Clearaudio cartridges Pearl Audio stocks, from least to most expensive:
Plan your Clearaudio system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized Clearaudio dealer. Arrange an audition in our Portland showroom, and ask us about trade-in pricing against your current cartridge. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
Ownership
Trade in a worn Stradivari V2.1 and a new one is $3,300 (40% off) on Clearaudio's retip exchange. Trade in any other Clearaudio, Hana or DS Audio cartridge, or buy with a Musical Surroundings turntable package, and it is 20% off ($4,400); a cartridge of any other brand earns 10% off ($4,950).
Credit is 20% of the new cartridge’s price for a worn Stradivari V2.1 at 40% (exchange); any Clearaudio, Hana or DS Audio cartridge at 20%; any other brand at 10%. Trade-ins of Musical Surroundings brands (Clearaudio, Hana, DS Audio) need an RA number and must arrive within 30 days of the invoice, or full price is charged; other brands need an emailed photograph first. Verified 2026-10-28.
Ask us about this trade-in| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Clearaudio retip exchange — Stradivari V2.1 | $3,300 |
Pricing per Clearaudio - 2026-01 - Dealer Price List (Musical Surroundings, January 2026) and musicalsurroundings.com/faq. Programs are set by the manufacturer and may change.
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 Stradivari V2.1 MC Phono Cartridge 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.
