Record Weights: Weight vs Material

[Sampajanna]

I was at the record store yesterday and listening to the Mofi point source speakers, which were cool (my buddy is looking into them), and checking out all these vintage TTs as well. Anyway, the boss did an experiment with a heavy record weight (Thorens) vs a tiny one with some special gibberish in it of the ordinary audiophile exotic material kind. The whole experiment and conversation intrigued me. Then I read the review of the Origin Live weight by Hifi Advice, a site I love, and this made me wonder a couple things:

1) What do you think about heavy vs material?
2) What weight do you use?

 

[Another Johnson]

A weight will affect the suspension on a suspended table. So I don’t use one on the LP12s.

On a solid unit, like my Clearaudio Master Reference, a weight will impact balance and maglev bearing. I use a Clearaudio clamp out of habit.

The material of a MAT is important as a mat is in contact with the whole vinyl surface. A weight on top of the label seems like it would only do nefarious things to the suspension or balance. And the label area is so small, how much effect could it have?

What do you think you heard?

 

[Sampajanna]

I didnt hear much. very subtle difference. Just was curious. the dealer said some people think the heavier the better but he thinks the material the clamp is made of is more important than the weight, i.e. how heavy it is.

 

[Gregadd]

I prefer a clamp.

 

[Sampajanna]

Do you think said clamp should be heavy or made of a certain material?

 

[Corinthian]

Presumably a clamp (threaded or similar fixation) doesn't need to be particularly heavy? It would seem intuitive that a weight would require a heavy material of some sort. I've used both threaded clamps and weights on the TT that I've had, and neither method really fixes the issues of a slightly warped disc. I've recently bought a Bergmann Galder TT with a vacuum hold down, which in my mind is just magic - perfectly flat disc.

 

[Another Johnson]

Presumably a clamp (threaded or similar fixation) doesn't need to be particularly heavy? It would seem intuitive that a weight would require a heavy material of some sort. I've used both threaded clamps and weights on the TT that I've had, and neither method really fixes the issues of a slightly warped disc. I've recently bought a Bergmann Galder TT with a vacuum hold down, which in my mind is just magic - perfectly flat disc.

Vacuum hold down has always seemed to be the most promising.

At one time I used a periphery ring on a high end VPI table, which I think has a better chance of flattening a record than a label covering weight or clamp. But I had only a few records that were improved by using it, and so it was revealed as another mostly useless, expensive tweak. In fact, it made dropping the needle more tricky since you don’t want to drop onto the ring.

People swear by these kinds of mods.
My experience is that they’re just part of the OCD TT culture. Resist if you can.

 

[Gregadd]

i would suggest some sort of anti-resonance material.

I used the SOTA reflex clamp. The SOTA had a massive plater, and a relatively fragile ruby bearing, and a low torque motor. Adding s significant mass was neither necessary nor advisable. As it was spring loaded. it also had vacuum hold down.

 

[PeterA]

I had a screw down clamp with washer on my SME 30/12. Then I had a vacuum hold down with my Micro Seiki SX8000II. Now I have a heavy stainless steel weight on a very slightly concave platter surface with leather mat on my American Sound. This solution has been the most effective at keeping records flat and it is very easy to use. It is a very elegant solution to a common problem.

The challenge is getting the right amount of weight. Too much and it over damps the sound. Not enough and it is less effective at flattening the record. The challenge is striking a balance for the right sound while also making the records perfectly flat. In my case, the LP to platter interface is an interval part of the design of the turntable. With aftermarket solutions, there may be trade-offs depending on the approach.

 

[Lagonda]

I have tried a few different center weight, the best is the screw-down lead model that came with my Maplenoll TT and i don't even screw it down Bought a couple of different models, one on someone knowledgeable recommendation. I also got a 2,7 lb stainless model that just deadens the sound to much. I suspect the original one just has the best contact points and weight for this TT. and having a good mat is part of the equation.

 

[Sampajanna]

The Thorens one looks really cool spinning, but it is very heavy. I worry it would dampen sound. It was hard to tell in teh shop with equipment I’m not used to