Record clamp mod

[Pegwill]

Hi Guys

I saw this and thought it looked interesting

Record Clamp Tweak - Audionirvana.org

Gary Koh showed me a tweak he made for the VPI stainless steel record clamp which I thought was interesting so I made one for myself and it sounds pretty good.

www.audionirvana.org

Haven’t tried it myself yet but I will do. I won’t be making it permanent, probably just super glue the balls in place just enough to hold them and see how it works.

Regards
Pegwill

 

[raindance]

You're on the wrong forum.

 

[Pegwill]

Hi

I posted it on the ‘Turntable’ forum which I thought that’s where it belonged. Perhaps a Moderator will move it to the right forum. However perhaps you might like to suggest the right forum. Surely the most import thing is it gets read.

Regards

Pegwill

 

[raindance]

I mean you're in the wrong place entirely for magical thinking.

 

[Doodski]

Hi

I posted it on the ‘Turntable’ forum which I thought that’s where it belonged. Perhaps a Moderator will move it to the right forum. However perhaps you might like to suggest the right forum. Surely the most import thing is it gets read.

Regards

Pegwill

The stuff is pure snake oil. Voodoo. Magic.

 

[TankTop]

That escalated quickly

 

[Godataloss]

looks like a fabulous way to ruin labels.

 

[pjug]

If anyone knows of a lightweight peripheral clamp, please share. A clamp, not just a heavy ring.

 

[MCH]

the cheapest i found (>1 year ago) was this. i am perfectly happy with it.

11.38US $ 9% OFF|High End POM Material LP Vinyl Turntables Disc Stabilizer Record Weight/Clamp With Iron Package Box|Turntables| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

[Pegwill]

Hi
While I use a record clamp or a weight, like many of us, it uses the full diameter of the device to clamp the record. While I don’t know if different materials would have an effect I can see that using three isolation points may be of an advantage. I agree it might scratch the lables as designed. Perhaps a modification might cure that but I ‘m sure I’ve seen a clamp with three spines on. Does it have a effect? I don’t know. You could say that the Michell clamp does not have ant effect, but it is good for slightly warped records, not a total solution. I guess the real answer is to measure it. I don’t have the equipment, but somebody will have. Surely that is what Audiosciencereview is all about question the science. What does the science say about using record clamps in general. I don’t remember seeing a discussion regarding what is the best clamp or not to use one at all with the results based on science
.
Look forward to more comments and discussion which for me is the whole point of the formum Perhaps it’s something the emir could measure for us.

Regards
Pegwill

 

[Godataloss]

If anyone knows of a lightweight peripheral clamp, please share. A clamp, not just a heavy ring.

How does that work? Don't think I've ever seen such a clamp.

 

[MCH]

How does that work? Don't think I've ever seen such a clamp.

I think he refers to the sort of clamp that i posted, it isn't heavy (not to damage the bearings of the turntable) but you turn it and it clamps to the axis

 

[JeffS7444]

I guess the real answer is to measure it. I don’t have the equipment, but somebody will have. Surely that is what Audiosciencereview is all about question the science. What does the science say about using record clamps in general. I don’t remember seeing a discussion regarding what is the best clamp or not to use one at all with the results based on science

Have you devised a test? If not, how do you know that you lack the correct equipment?

My own testing was very basic: Since I have a Behringer DEQ2496 connected to my system, I watched the RTA display as a tapped the record surface (needle in groove, but platter not rotating). And my not particularly well-controlled testing suggested that applying even light pressure to the label area might have a useful dampening effect, even if it wasn't enough to flatten a warped record. I just used my fingers, so I might start off by using some sort of "fleshy" substance (perhaps a felt-lined clamp or weight is close enough).

One other way of testing that just occurred to me is to make recordings of the same music, played with and without clamp. You can then do proper ABX comparison or do spectral analysis to see differences, if any, between the two.

 

[raindance]

How does that work? Don't think I've ever seen such a clamp.

This is a peripheral clamp: https://www.waynesaudio.com/product...udio-basis-kronos-hanss-micro-seiki-music-lin

 

[Pegwill]

Hi

The only test equipment I have is a multimeter I don’t think that would be sufficient correct me if I wrong. I am also not competent to design a test method, let alone interpret the results to me that’s the whole idea of belonging to Audiosciencereview to listen to those that have the equipment and the knowledge carry out the experiments. I note from your testing that you thought there was some merit in clamping unless I have misinterpreted what you said. Sorry if I have.

Regards
Pegwill

 

[Leiker535]

Have you devised a test? If not, how do you know that you lack the correct equipment?

My own testing was very basic: Since I have a Behringer DEQ2496 connected to my system, I watched the RTA display as a tapped the record surface (needle in groove, but platter not rotating). And my not particularly well-controlled testing suggested that applying even light pressure to the label area might have a useful dampening effect, even if it wasn't enough to flatten a warped record. I just used my fingers, so I might start off by using some sort of "fleshy" substance (perhaps a felt-lined clamp or weight is close enough).

One other way of testing that just occurred to me is to make recordings of the same music, played with and without clamp. You can then do proper ABX comparison or do spectral analysis to see differences, if any, between the two.

Hmm, would you mind showing the results? I bought a clamp to use with warpened records, and I must admit I don't hear any changes with other normal records. Still, it is a pretty thing and it has a level bubble on the top which serves a nice purpose.

The effect specific rocks have though seems silly to me, almost like those obisidian turds and magic stickers people put over DACs, but I always stand to be corrected.

Another damping test I'd like to see is of the fluid damper used here:

TD-1200 SL1200 TONEARM DAMPER AT KABUSA.COM

Theoretically it might have a significant result considering use with big tower speakers at loud SPL, but I always wondered if the damper does anything when using headphones like I do.

 

[raindance]

Honestly the best clamping system I have used to date was the concept developed by Ariston, where they made the platter concave and the center clamp screwed on to the spindle. The mat was soft rubber. It was a little harder to align the cartridge azimuth (different results with clamp on vs clamp off) and possibly required a tad more bias (anti-skate) with clamp on, but it could flatten warped records enough to make them playable. I wonder if we couldn't reproduce the concept with a custom profiled mat and a heavy clamp that just sits over the spindle.

 

[Godataloss]

This is a peripheral clamp: https://www.waynesaudio.com/product...udio-basis-kronos-hanss-micro-seiki-music-lin

That is 'just a heavy ring'. Well aware of that one. @pjug seems to indicate there is something different.

 

[raindance]

That is 'just a heavy ring'. Well aware of that one. @pjug seems to indicate there is something different.

No, it IS a clamp. I assume the price is too high, so the OP is looking for an alternate and would like it to be light also.

 

[JeffS7444]

Hmm, would you mind showing the results? I bought a clamp to use with warpened records, and I must admit I don't hear any changes with other normal records. Still, it is a pretty thing and it has a level bubble on the top which serves a nice purpose.

The effect specific rocks have though seems silly to me, almost like those obisidian turds and magic stickers people put over DACs, but I always stand to be corrected.

Another damping test I'd like to see is of the fluid damper used here:

TD-1200 SL1200 TONEARM DAMPER AT KABUSA.COM

Theoretically it might have a significant result considering use with big tower speakers at loud SPL, but I always wondered if the damper does anything when using headphones like I do.

Even if I had saved the results, there'd have been a bunch of caveats, such as whether tapping the record is the best way to gauge the effects of the clamp, and even if it were, how to go about making a "standardized tap"!

My neighbors would be none too keen about my gauging the effects of sound coming from the speakers feeding back in to the turntable, as I think I'd need to crank sound level up quite a bit for that to become an issue. A more neighbor-friendly idea I came up with was simply to clap my hands directly over the turntable (stationary platter, with stylus lowered onto it's surface). And IIRC I scarcely saw a blip on the RTA display as I did so. Perhaps I'd have seen a much bigger effect if I had the dust cover installed at the time.

It appears to me that main sources of unwanted energy in my vinyl playback system comes from subsonic environmental noise not filtered out by the rubber isolation feet of the turntable, and perhaps energy generated by the stylus itself as it tracks the groove.