No more record weight for my Rega.

[JohnMichael]

I woke up about 3am sitting in my listening chair and the turntable was still turning. I was glad to see the tonearm was not in the groove with the stylus grinding away. The apartment was very quiet with little ambient noise. When I turned off the table the noise level dropped further. I began to wonder when my table began to have an increase level of noise when spinning.

I first thought maybe the bearing well needs more oil. Next was the idea to try the stainless or ruby bearing instead of the ceramic bearing. I wanted to lower the noise floor of my table. Well this morning waking suddenly at 6am the thought hit me, is the record weight causing the increase in noise. If the weight is causing an increase in noise is it also increasing wear? Well this morning I have been running the table without the weight and that increase in noise is gone.

I am listening to music now instead of just the turntable spinning and the music sounds better. A little more focused and clearer. I think that drop in noise is a greater help than what the weight contributed.

Weights and clamps for tables of greater mass and designed for them are an improvement. A lighter record weight might be a better choice for my table but for now I will forget about weights and clamps. Be cautious adding weight to your bearings you may add noise.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Well JM, seems that you may have touched on something. Interesting what you hear in the still of the night. Does Rega recommend a weight for your table?

My MMF 5.1 has a threaded spindle and the clamp screws on it. Mine is probably more the threading action more than the weight on the clamp that holds the record secure.

I'll be curious to see what the other members of the forum discover. I always worry about falling asleep while I have the turntable running.

[JohnMichael]

Well JM, seems that you may have touched on something. Interesting what you hear in the still of the night. Does Rega recommend a weight for your table?

My MMF 5.1 has a threaded spindle and the clamp screws on it. Mine is probably more the threading action more than the weight on the clamp that holds the record secure.

I'll be curious to see what the other members of the forum discover. I always worry about falling asleep while I have the turntable running.


No I have never read where they suggest a weight or clamp. I doubt if they would reccomend much of what I have done for the table. Since your table was engineered to use a clamp you have no worries.

[poppachubby]

I stopped using a weight when I got the Ariston. I sent my favorite to Adam and he uses it on his Rega now.

Frankly I am surprised that the noise was audible. That's the exact reason that comapnies like Linn are against weights. Since my table is tied in so tightly with the LP12, I decided I would assume their position.

John, I have the Moth MK1 as you know, same arm as you. They are internally grounded which can still leave alot of noise to run into the amp. I grounded the main chassis of my table to my preamp and it's the quietest I have ever had. I can crank the volume with no signal, and only hear the VERY subtle air of power running through. You know that very light "hiss".

I pride myself on how little noise exists in my chain. I owe this debt to Ralph (Estat).

I highly reccomend that you open uop the Rega and add an additional ground. All you need is a solid or stranded piece of copper wiring. I can send you some if you wish.

[02audionoob]

I read somewhere that Roy Hall prefers the sound of his turntables with a single malt Scotch and no clamp. But aside from that, the Pro-Ject/Music Hall clamp is of very light weight compared to those that rely on gravity. The threaded clamp stabilizes the record without adding a significant amount of weight. This shouldn't cause any significant additional wear on the turntable.

I've used a cocktail glass as a weight on my P5 and also tried it out on my MMF-5 when I had it. I also have used hockey pucks. Neither arrangement seemed to cause any noise, but neither made a sound quality difference that made me want to buy a real record clamp or weight. In fact, the hockey pucks were counterproductive.

[JohnMichael]

John, I have the Moth MK1 as you know, same arm as you. They are internally grounded which can still leave alot of noise to run into the amp. I grounded the main chassis of my table to my preamp and it's the quietest I have ever had. I can crank the volum
e with no signal, and only hear the VERY subtle air of power running through. You know that very light "hiss".



I highly reccomend that you open uop the Rega and add an additional ground. All you need is a solid or stranded piece of copper wiring. I can send you some if you wish.


Poppa my Incognito rewire has the ground wire. This noise was mechanical from the extra weight on the bearing. If the place had not been so quiet and no appliances were running I would not have been able to hear it. The noise only became obvious when the table was turned off. The noise was subtle but only noticeable by it's absence.

[SlumpBuster]

The MMF 5.1's record clamp was one of the primary reasons I bought that table. Aftermarket weights always seemed "sketchy" to me. Weights have to get pretty heavy to exert the same force that a threaded clamp does.

[JohnMichael]

Spinning some vinyl today it is obvious that the weight made a difference in sound. Different but not better so the weight has been banished to the Island of Misfit Tweaks.

[hifitommy]

i have never been about weights but clamps make sense in a proper interface of the record to the platter. i used the plastic ratshack clamp on my kenwood kd500 and it squelched the ringing of the platter. one of those great items that the shack sold. i still use their carbon fiber record brush for removal of dust before play.

i use the reflex clamp on my sota, its heavy but the clamping is what i am after. when i had my vpi hw19III i loved the integral screw down clamp that was lightweight.

my other favorite clamp is the nearly weightless planamax-px from france.

if you have seen any of my recommendations in the past regarding clamps vs weights you will remember me recommending against weights and for clamps. now i reiterate that advice.

the only weight i DO believe fully in is the periphery weight which has no way to clamp other than by gravity. i dont have one but wish for one. vacuum hold down would be superior but i dont own a star, just the sapphire tt.

there is a seller on agon that claims his device is a clamp but it is only a weight. i personally think the distinction is clear.

[poppachubby]

Tommy, I hate to be contrary to your years of experience, but I personally see it the other way around. The clamp attaches itself to the platter spindle which extends down to the bearing and is exposed to the inner workings of the machine. This seems more likely to resonate or vibrate and send those up and into the clamp.

With a weight, you can assure that the center hole is slightly larger than the spindle, and therefore all it's doing is applying pressure against the LP. Honestly, I haven't seen too many manufactured weights, but all of my DIY attempts included a large center hole. I would use the label to center it on the LP and then begin.

John how heavy was your weight anyhow?

[02audionoob]

I don't think a clamp that attaches to the spindle of a Music Hall turntable is connecting to any inner workings or anything that vibrates. After all, the bearing is just a ball sitting at the bottom of a well of oil. Nothing moves in there except the spindle itself.

[JohnMichael]

Tommy, I hate to be contrary to your years of experience, but I personally see it the other way around. The clamp attaches itself to the platter spindle which extends down to the bearing and is exposed to the inner workings of the machine. This seems more likely to resonate or vibrate and send those up and into the clamp.

With a weight, you can assure that the center hole is slightly larger than the spindle, and therefore all it's doing is applying pressure against the LP. Honestly, I haven't seen too many manufactured weights, but all of my DIY attempts included a large center hole. I would use the label to center it on the LP and then begin.

John how heavy was your weight anyhow?



The weight was 1 pound/454 grams of aluminum.

I am using the Achroplat Platter which does not require a mat. The record sits directly on the platter and the platter is made of material similar to what the vinyl record is made. I am not sure but the time I have spent listening with and without the weight I wonder if the record was meant to be in such tight contact with the platter. The midrange is more open without the weight.

The noise I have heard with the weight is while the tonearm was at rest. I have heard that in theory a clamp can transmit vibrations from the spindle to the record and then be picked up by the phono cartridge. I am sure this is less of a problem with ttables that are well engineered with excellent bearings such as SME, Basis, VPI. Another problem I had in the past was with a Souther Clever Clamp and if the clamp is over tightened it could force the center low and the outer part of the record to dish.

Out of curiosity I checked the purchase date of the Rega. I brought it home on 8/14/1998. All those trouble free years of musical enjoyment and lots of tweaks I have enjoyed. I think I should buy the new upgrade motor and have it around just in case. Still sounding sweet this morning and one of the greatest values in audio to me.

[Brett A]

(...) A lighter record weight might be a better choice for my table but for now I will forget about weights and clamps. Be cautious adding weight to your bearings you may add noise.

It makes sense, having owned a Rega and knowing a bit about their build and design intention. I've heard it said, but don't know if it's true, that because Roy Gandy doesn't belive in the use of clamps, he designed the Rega with that short little stub of a spindle so we couldn't.

It also makes sense in the light of knowing that the Rega design is one that relies on it being an ultra lightweight machine that will bleed off vibration, not absorb or store it.