To Clamp or Not to...

[hifitommy]

i have a nearly weightless clamp from france which i sometimes use bot mostly i use the sota relfex clamp. it takes a rubber washer under the record and presses the vinyl slightly down over it. i use this on my sota sapphire and alternate with an orsonic (small) clamp.

i recommend the ttweights lightweight clamp and its price isnt prohibitive. ulstimately i want to get their periphery ring which holds down the outer edge fo the LP, great for some warps.

i like your acrylic but wonder about how much spindle there is for the clamps to purchase onto. i might use some blu-tac or cheeep equivalent under the acrylic and on top of the aluminum (ooopsy, did i leave out an i for you canuks?).

i once modified a rabco st4 tonearm for low mass by cutting the counterweight exactly in half (weighed in the lab at the hospital with a triple beam). i wont outline the entire mod here but suffice it to say i was able to reduce the required vtf on the XLM from 1.5gr to 1.0gr. modding can be fun if you stay within your capabilities.

[poppachubby]

i have a nearly weightless clamp from france which i sometimes use bot mostly i use the sota relfex clamp. it takes a rubber washer under the record and presses the vinyl slightly down over it. i use this on my sota sapphire and alternate with an orsonic (small) clamp.

i recommend the ttweights lightweight clamp and its price isnt prohibitive. ulstimately i want to get their periphery ring which holds down the outer edge fo the LP, great for some warps.

i like your acrylic but wonder about how much spindle there is for the clamps to purchase onto. i might use some blu-tac or cheeep equivalent under the acrylic and on top of the aluminum (ooopsy, did i leave out an i for you canuks?).

i once modified a rabco st4 tonearm for low mass by cutting the counterweight exactly in half (weighed in the lab at the hospital with a triple beam). i wont outline the entire mod here but suffice it to say i was able to reduce the required vtf on the XLM from 1.5gr to 1.0gr. modding can be fun if you stay within your capabilities.

Great advice Tommy, the spindle was a great concern and ultimately dictated alot of how the mat would turn out. The Clearaudio clamps are good for little spindle and of course clamps designed for Rega decks will grab almost nothing.

[JoeE SP9]

i have a nearly weightless clamp from france which i sometimes use bot mostly i use the sota relfex clamp. it takes a rubber washer under the record and presses the vinyl slightly down over it. i use this on my sota sapphire and alternate with an orsonic (small) clamp.

i recommend the ttweights lightweight clamp and its price isnt prohibitive. ulstimately i want to get their periphery ring which holds down the outer edge fo the LP, great for some warps.

i like your acrylic but wonder about how much spindle there is for the clamps to purchase onto. i might use some blu-tac or cheeep equivalent under the acrylic and on top of the aluminum (ooopsy, did i leave out an i for you canuks?).

i once modified a rabco st4 tonearm for low mass by cutting the counterweight exactly in half (weighed in the lab at the hospital with a triple beam). i wont outline the entire mod here but suffice it to say i was able to reduce the required vtf on the XLM from 1.5gr to 1.0gr. modding can be fun if you stay within your capabilities.

That lightweight clamp, could it be a Planax?

[hifitommy]

i got it in a small group ofitems at a hifi store that took some stuff in trade. it requires some hand and finger strength to use it. for a while, my arthritis prevented me from its use. otherwise it does a GREAT job of immobilizing the disc on the platter.

[JoeE SP9]

I've had one since the early 80's. They are great for spring suspended TT's. No weight and pressure adjustable. I know you know this. This is for the benefit of others.
I wonder why no one makes them anymore. Maybe I'll make (or have made) a couple and try to sell them.

[hifitommy]

and the design is quite different from others. i doubt that it is in production anymore.

[JohnMichael]

Well poppachubby I have decided to try a turntable weight. Now that I am using the Funk Firm Achroplat I thought now is the time.

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/80943

I will let you know what I think of it. The table is sounding better with the ceramic bearing and since the platter is lighter than the Rega glass platter I do not think it will stress the bearing.

When it arrives I will let you know what I think.

[hifitommy]

http://www.ttweights.com/catalog/ite...92/6999370.htm

not too heavy, and not too costly. $55. my desire is for the periphery ring.

[JohnMichael]

Thanks hifitommy I also found this one at a weight of one pound. Also made from aluminum.

http://cgi.ebay.ph/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=330335030991

Much to consider.

[poppachubby]

Some new weights I made...



Here's a brass unit 02audionoob...



This is the one I'm most excited about. It's quite light, only a couple hundred grams, but this is the style that everyone was suggesting I try out.

[JohnMichael]

Is this the beginning of a new business venture for you? Poppachubby's analog accessories made to order.

[poppachubby]

It can go on the shelf next to The Acyli-Mat*TM noob Lic., or had you forgotten about that little known product by Chubby Industries?

[JohnMichael]

Thanks poppachubby for my renewed interest in record weights. The TTweight arrived today and I am enjoying the improvement. The weight is holding the record tight against the Achroplat. I am enjoying tighter more solid bass, better ambience retrieval and less high frequency fuzz. It is easy to lift on and off of a spinning platter.