The new Ovation turntable combines innovative Clearaudio technologies with elegant design and exquisite production quality. The main chassis consists of a complex sandwich of materials: aluminium - panzerholzbullet-proof wood - aluminium, to minimise resonance. Within the chassis, Clearaudio have introduced an elaborate resonance damping measure: a series of internal 'mats' of varying sizes, each containing up to 1,000 tiny stainless steel balls. The powerful and smooth-running DC motor is integrated within, and is effectively decoupled by the main chassis. Clearaudio's Optical Speed Control (OSC) technology continuously monitors a micro infrared strobe to ensure exact speed stability. The motor is hidden beneath the platter and drives the precision machined POM main platter via an aluminium sub-platter. Both are supported by Clearaudio's integrated patented Clearaudio ceramic magnetic bearing (CMB). While most turntable bearings use a metal spindle spinning in a housing with a ball-bearing separating the two, Clearaudio uses magnetism and a ceramic spindle. The platter's weight is supported by the mutual repulsion of two rings of opposing magnets mounted on the chassis and on the lower platter. The non-magnetic ceramic shaft means that no magnetic effects can reach the surface of the platter. The drive system is operated by four blue illuminated buttons, ergonomically integrated into the front left of the chassis. Almost any commercially available 9-inches tonearm can be fitted thanks to the easily interchangeable armboards. The Ovation is available in black or wood. In the black version the panzerholz wood is finished with a piano black lacquer.
