clearaudio Electronic GmbH Statement Phono User Manual

: June 12, 2024
: clearaudio

clearaudio Electronic GmbH Statement Phono User Manual

Dear Clearaudio-customer

Thank you for choosing the statement phono preamplifier, a high quality product made in Germany by Clearaudio.
To avoid misuse and achieve the best possible results with your statement phono preamplifier, please read the instruction and user manual carefully.

The design of the Clearaudio statement phono preamplifier revolutionizes the reproduction of vinyl records to a standard barely imaginable.
The fully symmetrical circuit topology of the statement phono preamplifier together with the ability to use either RIAA, or almost any other phono equalization curve makes the statement phono
preamplifier one of the most flexible and sophisticated phono preamplifiers in the entire audio world.
Hand selected and matched electronic parts such as extremely low noise resistors and non magnetic silver-glimmer capacitors contribute towards the phenomenal performance.

Fully symmetrical analogue circuit
Extremely low noise resistors and non-magnetic silver-glimmer capacitors
Remote control input load adjustment
RIAA and fully adjustable equalization curves
2 phono inputs
3 additional analogue inputs
Fully symmetrical accu power supply in separate, massive housing.
Double shielded case construction

We wish you a lot of pleasure with your new Clearaudio statement phono preamplifier!

Clearaudio electronic GmbH

This section must be read before any connection is made to the mains supply.

Safety instructions

General information

Check the device for visible damage before using it for the first time.
If the device is damaged, it should not be connected to the mains.
Also, never connect the device if it has been dropped or gotten wet, contact your dealer to have the device inspected.
Never expose the device to rain or moisture.
Never touch the power cord of the device with wet hands.

For your own safety, regular visual inspections of any defective insulation on the connection cable are also recommended.

A damaged cable should be replaced immediately by a specialist!

Never pull on the power cable to unplug the device, but directly on the plug!

The inside of the device is maintenance-free, never open the housing or try to repair the device yourself. This can also lead to loss of warranty.

If you do not operate the device for a longer period of time, we recommend disconnecting the
power supply from the mains.
Not suitable for children! Scope of delivery may contain small parts that can be swallowed.

Intended use

The statement phono is a phono preamplifier to amplify the signal of the phono cartridge.
The intended use of the statement phono in accordance with the information provided in the user manual only.
The power supply may only be operated with maximum permissible connection values according to the technical data. Any other use or modification of this product is not intended.

Location of installation

The device should only be set up on leveled surfaces.
Avoid location with direct sunlight, temperature fluctuations and high humidity. Likewise, avoid

placing electronic devices near heaters, heat lamps, or other devices that produce heat.
The device is designed for operation in heated rooms.

Never block the ventilation slots or cover the device with a cloth or similar.

No objects with an open flame may be placed on the device (burning candles or similar).

Phonostages provide a very high level of amplification, to address the fact that the electrical signal
generated by a phono cartridge is extremely low. As a result, phonostages are extremely sensitive,
which leads to the potential problem that high-frequency interference may also be amplified to
a point at which it becomes noticeable. Unfortunately it is not possible to completely protect the
sensitive phono stage circuitry from this interference without degrading its high fidelity performance.

Therefore care must be taken to position the phonostage away from sources of high frequency
interferences such as mobile phones, modems and powerline communication systems (PLC) in
which data is sent over the mains power network.

Overload

The product is designed to comply with all necessary safety regulations, however you should not
leave the device unattended under extreme loads.

Maintenance

Only use a soft cloth with a smooth surface for cleaning. Never use agressive cleaning detergent.

Health information

Permanently high volume can lead to various types of hearing damage. Use high volume responsibly!

Service

During the gurantee period, the statement phono may only be repaired by the manufacturer, otherweise the warranty will become void.
All Clearaudio products should only be serviced by specialist retailer.

If despite the high production standard, a repair is necessary, the statement phono must be sent to Clearaudio through your dealer.

Transport

Always us the original packaging when transporting the Clearaudio statement phono.
Be sure to pack the device exactly as it was shipped.

Safe transport is only guaranteed in the original packaging.
When packing, proceed in reverse as described for assembly.

Disposal

Do not dispose this product together with other waste. WEEE Reg. No.: DE26004446

CE Marking

The Clear audio statement phono is delivered in special packaging to ensure its safe transport.
Retain this original packaging for any future transportation. Please check the contents immediately after unpacking:

Clearaudio statement phono preamplifier
External power supply
1 Power cord
2 Connection cords
User manual
Warranty card
Clearaudio quality control card

Set up Placement of the statement phono The statement phono should be placed close to the turntable in order to use as short as possible phono cables between the tonearm and the statement phono. The best connection between the cartridge and the statement phono will be achieved with a direct-wired tonearm. The statement phono should be placed as far away as possible from motors, transformers, power amplifiers or any other source of hum-inducing magnetic fields

Applying Power
The external power supply contains two separated power supplies, which provide four individual supplies to each channel. Before applying power, check the voltage indication on the external power supply is correct for the local AC power in your country. Connect both 15-pin D-Sub-connectors to the statement phono and lock with the integrated screws, then connect the AC power cord and turn on the AC power-switches on the power-supplies. After 3-5 seconds the “Mute LED” turns off and the signal outputs are working.

Note:
Never disconnect the D-Sub connector from the statement phono if the power supply is still on.
Before you disconnect the D-Sub connector from the power supply or from the statement phono, make sure, that the AC Power switch is in the OFF position! Only then you can disconnect the D Sub connectors.
For optimal audio performance we recommend that the statement phono is left continuously switched on stand by made to minimize thermal cycling of the components.

Input and Output Connections
The quality of the interconnect cables are extremely important in realizing the full sonic potential of the Clearaudio statement phono. Ideally the interconnect needs to be symmetrically designed, not coaxial. Inputs and outputs for left and right channels are marked accordingly on the rear panel.

If you are using the unbalanced RCA-Inputs, the ‘Input Select Switch’ must be in the “Unbalanced” position, if using the XLR connector the switch must be set to “Balanced” it valids by balance+. By Statement are everything other.
To achieve the best high fidelity performance you also can connect the statement phono directly to your power amplifier. The automatic mute function will prevent any noise from reaching the loudspeakers if the statement phono is turned on or off while the power amplifiers are still turned
on.
Minimizing Hum
Note: You should minimize hum before listening to an LP record!
Also we recommend the use of phono cables with symmetrical design such as Clearaudio “Quint” or “Sixstream”. To minimize hum and other undesirable noise, if possible you should use the balanced inputs and outputs.
Also always take care to ensure an effective ‘Ground’ connection to your turntable.

Please note:
Phono preamplifier are devices with a high signal gain, because the voltage which is supplied by the cartridge of the turntable is very low (in the range of a few µV). For this reason high frequency interference signals are noticeable reinforced. A complete blocking of these interference signals in the device would degrade the audio performance.
A result could be that high frequency interference, for example from the 230 V net or 115 V AC will
affect the sound quality.

The device should therefore not operate near to high frequency generating devices such as mobile phones or modems or electricity networks for data transport (PLC).

Rear view of statement phono

Pic. 1: Back view of the statement phono

Pin connections: Inputs and Outputs XLR:| Pin 1 = GND (Shield) Pin 2 = Hot (+) Pin 3 = Cold (-)
---|---
Power Supply 15-pin. D-Sub Connector:| Pin 1, 9 = -18 V output class A buffer Pin 2 = GND remote control Pin 3, 5, 10, 13 = GND Pin 4, 11 = -18 V phono preamps Pin 6, 14 = +18 V phono preamps Pin 7 = +15V remote control Pin 8, 15 = +18 V output class A buffer
Pin 12 = remote

If you use a mobile phone near the statement phono, the audio performance can be influenced!

General information of display modes

The letters in the display will be highlighted in each menu step or in any location you are.

Input signal is too high > please degrase phono gain (54dB>34dB) or preamplifier gain (20dB>12dB
If the unit is not in use or if there is no music signal for 3 minutes, the unit will automatically switch to stand by mode.
Any signal on chosed input will switch on the unit automatically
This screen appear, if the unit leave without any signal on chosed input

10min. Please, switch off the unit on power supply.

Turn the menu control to choose the indicated menu item. Push the menu button to select / enter.
The three main settings:
- input
- control
  setting
Menu for set up of phono input 1
(XLR – balanced)
Menu for set up of phono input 2 (RCA Cinch – unbalanced)
Menu for set up of line input 1
(XLR – balanced)
Menu for set up of line input 2
(RCA Cinch – unbalanced)
Menu for set up of aux input
(3,15 jack – unbalanced, on front pael)
Display indicates that the “RIAA Equalization” is switched on. Only possible in phono 1/2 mode. For more information please see “RIAA Equalization”.

RIAA Equalizer (EQ) on:

RIAA curve usage described in a follow up appendix!

Return to “input main menu”.
Choose your input by turning the menu button and push to confirm.

Control:

By pusching “switching on/ off”. – the backround blue screen switched off in 3 sec after any change you make on menu per MENU knob or RC
By pushing “warning on/off” you can choose whether the overlimit warning will be indicated in the display or not. We recommend that this is left “on”

Troubleshooting

If you have a problem with your statement phono, first check the possible causes to rule out incorrect operation.
If the error persists, please contact your dealer!
Never try to open the device and/or repair it yourself, this will void the warranty!

Error	Cause	Measure
Device does not work	Is the power cord plugged in and the power switch
turned on?	Check the connection.
No sound or low volume?	Did you choose the right
input?	Check the connections of your hificomponents.
Have you selected the correct operating mode?	Check the settings on the

underside of the phono stage.
Is the device in „mute“ mode or is the volume set too low?| Check the volume setting of your device.
The connection cables are not properly connected.| Check the tonearm and cartridge connections due the their respective user manual.
Devices with a headphone output only: Are the headphones still plugged in when you are trying to play music through the speakers?| Disconnect the headphones.
**Hum or noise| The ground cable is not connected or is faulty.| Connect the grounding cable from the turntable/tonearm to the respective grounding connection on the back of the device. If there are several ground connections, interrupt them one after the other and check the sound quality again.
The device should not be operated in the vicinity of high-frequency devices such as mobile phones or modems or on power supply systems used for data traffic (PLC).| Make sure there is a minimum distance of 30cm between the power supply units of any type and the MC preamplifier or phono preamplifier. Powerlan adapters should not be operated on the same socket as the phono preamplifier.
One channel quieter or louder| The channels of an input are set differently.| Check the settings on the underside of the phono stage. These must be carried out identically for an input.
****Remote control does not work**| The sensor of the phono stage is covered.| Do not place any other objects in front of the phono stage, as these could interfere with reception.
You are out of range of the receiver.| Get closer to the device.
The battery of the remote control isexhausted.| Replace the battery as described in this user manual.

Technical specifications

Mode:	MM / MC switchable //Subsonic filter switchable
Amplification:	+ 34dB (MM mode)+ 54dB (MC mode)
Input load:	47kΩ (MM mode)25Ω – 10kΩ (MC mode)
RIAA accuracy:	± 0.05dB / 20 – 100kHz
THD:	5mV / 1kHz / +50dB: < 0.0035%0.5mV / 1kHz / +70dB: < 0.0015%
Signal to noise ratio:	5mV / 1kHz / +50dB: -82dB / -90dB (A-weighted) 0.5mV /

1kHz / +70dB: -72dB / -80dB (A-weighted)
Headroom:| + 25dB
Max. output voltage:| > 12V
RIAA:| 75μs / 318μs / 3180μs, 2 passive filter
Channel seperation:| > 80dB (at 1kHz)
Output impedance:| 10Ω
Inputs:| Phono 1: balanced XLR (rear) Phono 2: unbalance RCA (rear) Line 1: balanced XLR (rear) Line 2: unbalanced RCA (rear) AUX: Jack 3.5mm (front)
Outputs:| unbalanced (RCA) balanced (XLR)headphone output (Jack: 6.3mm)
Power consumption:| Max. consumption: 200 watts In operation: 50 – 100 watts Standby mode: < 0.5 watts Off mode: 0.0 watts
Power supply:| Fully symmetrical line and Accu – power supply
Main power / channel:| 2 x 2 x 22V / 1A
Battery power / channel:| 2 x 18V / 3.2Ah
Total weight preamplifier:| Approx. 12kg
Total weight power supply:| Approx. 22kg
Dimensions preamplifier (W/D/H):| Approx. 435 x 350 x 100mm
Dimensions preamplifier (W/D/H):| Approx. 17.13 x 13.78 x 3.94 inches
Dimensions power supply (W/D/H):| Approx. 435 x 350 x 100mm
Dimensions power supply (W/D/H):| Approx. 17.13 x 13.78 x 3.94 inches
Manufacturer’s warranty:| 5 years*

Provided that the warranty card is correctly completed and returned to Clear audio, or your product is registered
online at https://clearaudio.de/en/service/registration.php, within 14 days of purchase.

The full, extended warranty period for the statement phono is 5 years. To receive this full Clearaudio warranty, you must either complete and return the relevant section of the warranty registration card to Clearaudio, or register your product online athttps://clearaudio.de/en/service/registration.php,
within 14 days of purchase. Otherwise only the legal warranty of 2 years can be considered.
The full 5 year warranty can only be honoured if the product is returned in its original packing.

ENGLISH

WARRANTY

For warranty information, contact your local Clearaudio distributor.
RETAIN YOUR PURCHASE RECEIPT
Your purchase receipt is your permanent record of a valuable purchase. It should be kept in a safe place to be referred to as necessary for insurance purposes or when corresponding with Clearaudio.
IMPORTANT
When seeking warranty service, it is the responsibility of the consumer to establish proof and date of purchase.
Your purchase receipt or invoice is adequate for such proof.
FOR U.K. ONLY
This undertaking is in addition to a consumer‘s statutory rights and does not affect those rights in any way.

Handmade in Germany

Clearaudio Electronic accepts no liability for any misprints.
Technical specifications are subject to change or improvement without prior notice.
Product availability is as long as stock lasts.
Copies and reprints of this document, including extracts, require written consent from
Clearaudio Electronic GmbH, Germany.

Clearaudio electronic GmbH
Spardorfer Straße 150
91054 Erlangen
Germany
Phone /Tel.: +49 9131 40300 100
Fax: +49 9131 40300 119
www.clearaudio.de
www.analogshop.de
info@clearaudio.de