What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Enthusiastic, vigorous and open sound, but not the most coherent around
Pros
- +
Compact and stylish
- +
expansive and natural performance
Cons
- -
Doesn’t connect individual instruments as well as the best
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
The Clearaudio Emotion turntable has been a favourite of ours for, oh, ages now – but many prospective buyers' own amplifiers don't have the gumption to boost a record player's feeble signal without assistance.
Enter the Smart phono. Small, shiny and switchable from moving magnet to moving coil turntable designs, the Clearaudio summons up an expansive, natural sound.
Music is well separated and speedy, with real verve at the low end. Unlike the very best products at this money, mind, it can't knit individual instruments into an entirely believable whole – so it's not the default choice Emotion owners might assume.
