Record clamp, to use or not to use, that is the question !

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by gasolin, Jun 15, 2019.

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  1. gasolin

    gasolin Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denmark
    Record clamp

    Why should i buy one,why shouldn't i buy one ?

    Give me your best reason(s), i can't think of many with a high end turntable not using a record clamp or a record weight, so they must be doing something positive.

    Also on a cheap i to wanna be a technics sl 120 turntable, i personally wouldn't like to use a heavy record weight but think it could make a noticeable difference (just not as big as a high end turntable where you more easily can here every little changes you make, to try to make it sound the way you like).

    What is the best low budget Turntable camp ? This one ?

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2019
    Dave Mac likes this.
  2. brockgaw

    brockgaw Forum Resident

    I bought one of these for my modified P25 after using weights, press-on rubber plugs and none at all. I prefer the Michell weight for Rega tables as it flattens mild record warp and solidifies the bass. I use it with an Origin Live mat.
     
    Blastproof, Dave Mac and gasolin like this.
  3. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    My MH 7.1 came with a clamp as it has a sub platter. In contrast the MH 9 series does not so is not supplied with one.
    I honestly could not hear a difference on the 7.1.
    I currently do not use a weight on my Technics, if you choose to do so, I believe they have a weight limit so as to not put too much stress on bearings.
     
  4. gasolin

    gasolin Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denmark
    I don't want to use a heavy record weight on my cheap dj turntable
     
    The Pinhead likes this.
  5. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    What kind of mat one uses may also be a factor?
     
    bluesky likes this.
  6. gasolin

    gasolin Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denmark
    I use this one, i have mention a couple of times a pathe wings mat, i think it was the older turntable i sold that i had a pathe wings mat

    Sign in | Etsy

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    If the majority of your vinyl is flat, I'd let it be.
     
    ls35a and patient_ot like this.
  8. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    Hockey Puck and a drill bit is usually all you need unless your table was designed for a clamp.
     
  9. gasolin

    gasolin Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denmark
    I often buy used records because i want the original, i have some old originals from the 70's and 80's, non of them are 180 gr records that is flatter than the older thinner original records
     
  10. fmuakkassa

    fmuakkassa Dr. M

    Location:
    Ohio
    I always use one on my VPI Scoutmaster. If the LP is not flat then I add the periphery ring and that takes care of it. My turntable was designed to handle the weight of the record clamp. For convenience I don't use the clamp that came with the table which you have to screw in. I use the upgraded VPI clamp that just slips on top of the spindle. It stabilizes the record especially when applying a microfiber brush before playing.
     
  11. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    The answer is subjective. If your records have warps, or are dished can definitely help at bit. Whether you can hear the difference or not on unwarped vinyl probably depends on the particular clamp. Sometimes one model can actually make a TT sound worse, while another makes it sound better. Although in general, clamps do seem to add a little more clarity to the sound in my experience.

    I've never tried the hockey puck idea. It might help, or it might not, or it might possibly make things worse. But it is at least cheap to experiment with, if nothing else. But I'm not sure if I'd draw wide conclusions from your experiences with one...

    All I know for sure is that the clamp I'm using on my 1210GR helps the sound bit.
     
    ripping corpse likes this.
  12. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Innocent Bystander

    I somehow acquired the weight (not a clamp...there's a difference) from an HK T60 some years back. I find it helpful on my Kenwood KT-4100(which has a version of the resin base) for various needs.

    I do not use it on my Dual because of the suspended chassis. I've never considered the impact of the increased weight on the bearing/spindle of the Kenny; I guess it's a possible negative, but no effects so far.

    I've had more than a half-dozen of various clamps and weights. Sold 'em all, just kept the HK. Works for me.
     
  13. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Same here. The only time I really don't use my outer clamp on the Scoutmaster is if I'm playing 45 rpm vinyl from the likes of MFSL, because I'm too lazy to put the clamp on every 10 minutes. I always use the aftermarket inner clamp though.
     
  14. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    Is there even enough spindle to use a clamp? The Rega one by Michell might work.
    Anyway, I only use my if there is a warp. Otherwise, I'd have to stop the platter to flip the record. I'm not a big fan of that.
     
  15. I use the supplied Delrin screw-on clamp from my Oracle Paris MkV. It's lightweight and does a perfect job of securing my vinyl to the platter.
     
  16. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    My TT has a suspended chassis to which the platter is attached, so I'd rather don't weigh it down with one of those contraptions, as it might compress the springs, making the suspension stiffer and loosing effectivity.
     
    Manimal, tin ears and action pact like this.
  17. Dave Mac

    Dave Mac Retired Sophisticated Gentleman Of Leisure

    I too have the Michell clamp shown above (it's not a weight, it clamps to the center spindle.) They ain't cheap, about $60 as I recall. I use it on my appropriately modded Rega 3-24 and immediately noticed the sonic difference the first time I used it. It was subtle but noticeable, better defined bass and overall "weight" and clarity. It's now muscle-memory whenever I play a record. Later on I added a Funk Firm Achromat for even more improvement.

    Dave Mac
     
    Dennis Metz likes this.
  18. bluesky

    bluesky Senior Member

    Location:
    south florida, usa
    not to use.
     
    The Pinhead likes this.
  19. UCrazyKid

    UCrazyKid Grand Puba of Funk

    Location:
    Illinois
    Yes, I find that using a clamp provides a benefit. Both in flattening less than perfect records and damping vibration in the record providing a tighter bass. Most “affordable”? I drilled a whole in a “trainer” heavy weight hockey puck. It has worked great for many years and cost about $2.50
     
    latheofheaven and BuddhaBob like this.
  20. Ontheone

    Ontheone Poorly Understood Member

    Location:
    Indianapolis
    For warped records you really don't get great results unless you use a periphery ring clamp similar to this one by VPI. I just use a cheap Sleeve City weight to add stability and dampening. I think it was $39 on sale.

    [​IMG]
     
    Pythonman and Fishoutofwater like this.
  21. wandique

    wandique >>> Senior Member

    My Clearaudio Concept has no mat so I use a clamp to prevent sliding records ...
     
  22. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    I use mine once in awhile :cheers:
     
  23. Lenny

    Lenny Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Periphery ring. Period! It also adds some flywheel stability, which always helps.
     
    RZangpo2 and Fishoutofwater like this.
  24. BrilliantBob

    BrilliantBob Select, process, CTRL+c, CTRL+z, ALT+v

    Location:
    Romania
    I use the clamp to prevent sliding records and to damping vibration and the aluminum platter huge resonance. According with the needledrops spectrograms, the noise floor diminished.
    [​IMG]

    The TT weight balance is equal. The stock 5mm rubber mat is +260g heavier than the 3mm cork+rubber replacement (for better VTA and freq balance). The clamp I use has exactly 260g.
     
  25. Mike from NYC

    Mike from NYC Senior Member

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    My TT, a Kenwood 750, came with a mat custom designed for it but no clamp so I use it w/o a clamp unless the record is very warped and then I use a clamp like the OP has which I bought a long time ago.

    The manual that came with the TT explained in a rather long article with photos and graphs, the construction, material and properties of the mat they designed which I never saw in any other TT manual ever.

    FWIW, Art Dudley wrote about the effects of the clamp on a VPI TT he was reviewing and concluded he liked the sound better w/o using the clamp as he thought the highs and 'airiness' were lacking when the clamp was used especially with the arm design employed by VPI.
     
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