Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

In other words, whatever you pass under the stylus comes out brilliantly. The Reference Jubilee has the sense of poise and refinement that marks out a thoroughly well-engineered product, but never sounds flat or torpid. In fact, it combines its sophistication with a joyous sense of dynamic alacrity and a willingness to let its hair down when required.

Key to this side of its performance is the bass, which is nothing short of magnificent. The Reference Jubilee has an almost 'direct drive' sense of timing and precision at the low end, showing that Clearaudio's engineering on the drive and bearing system was well worth the effort. The bassline from Bob Marley and the Wailers' 'Waiting In Vain' [Legend, Island Records BMW1] was a delight from start to finish. If you hear this on the radio it bounces along in a typically cheery reggae style but, through the Reference Jubilee, suddenly those notes take on real form. They have their own space and a proper sense of texture and definition, moving the track to a new superlative level.

That exceptional bass doesn't dominate proceedings, however. On the Bob Marley track I was well aware of the crisp percussion effects lurking in the background, while the vocals were definitively front and centre. This turntable has a solidity to its imagery, and never any sense of uncertainty as to performer placement.

Universal Appeal
At the top end, the Reference Jubilee's mastery of sonic magic continues. I've used the MC Essence pick-up for years and know it well, but it really does gel beautifully with the Universal tonearm. I might have called the arm a few unsavoury names during setup, but all was soon forgiven.

Treble quality of the deck, arm and cartridge was impeccable, with transparency, definition and an underlying sweetness present and correct. Percussion elements were brought into the main mix and their nature expertly captured. The synthesised 'hi-hats' on 'Nothing To Fear' from Chris Rea's God's Great Banana Skin LP from 1992 [EastWest 4509-90995-1] had a crispness and clarity to them, but there was never any doubt they were an electronic facsimile of the real deal.

Another striking thing about the Reference Jubilee's playback of this track was the dynamic range exhibited. During the initial verses the vocals projected gloriously into my room, with all those delicate effects neatly lined up behind. However, when Rea lets rip on the slide guitar, lesser decks have a tendency to flatten the 3D perspective as they struggle to fit it all in. Clearaudio's turntable was having none of this, leaving the performance to wash over me with authority and impressive scale.

Sheer Precision
If I had to pick a small flaw in the Reference Jubilee's armoury, it is that its lateral image width does not extend quite as far beyond the plane of the loudspeakers as some of its competitors. This is not something that particularly stands out, though, and is countered by the front-to-back scale and sheer precision of separation in the centre of the soundstage. The pleasing cacophony of instruments on Ronnie Lane's 'Careless Love' [Anymore For Anymore; Universal Music 355 046-6] was an absolute riot, with Jimmy Jewell's saxophone ringing out strongly and cleanly.

In contrast, a more intimate and simple recording played exquisitely to the Reference Jubilee's strengths. The track 'Your Heart Is As Black As Night' from Melody Gardot's My One And Only Thrill [Verve 1796787] was captivating, with her vocals husky and alluring. In addition, Patrick Hughes' trumpet could have been in the room with me, and the backing double bassline kept just the right distance, setting up a wonderful, solid foundation for the piece.

The urge to dispense with the Professional Power 24V PSU and plug in the standard plug-top item proved irresistible. After all, DC is DC isn't it? What difference could it make? The answer was a great deal. With the standard PSU plugged in, the noise floor rose noticeably and vinyl roar became moderately intrusive on quieter tracks. Worst of all, though, was the wonderful bass, which gained bloat and lacked in definition. If your Reference Jubilee comes with the standard PSU in the box, don't even think of using it. If you do, you really won't scratch the surface of this deck's capabilities!

Hi-Fi News Verdict
The Clearaudio Reference Jubilee is a fitting milestone for this German brand – taking its first turntable design and updating it with 30 years of experience. Yes, setup is a little fiddly, but the effort is amply rewarded by the performance on offer. The deck can wear its 'Reference' tag with pride and with the hope that it sires a permanent version, as this stunning LP spinner begs to break free of its limited-edition shackles.