Record Clamp for Entry-Level Music Hall TT

I would recommend the JA Michelle clamp - around $45 if memory serves. It's a lightweight reflex clamp, not a weight, and will work well to tame the warps you're talking about.

What's the difference between a clamp and weight? Will a clamp effect my ability to use my record mat?

Dmloring,

I owned an MMF 2.1 and used the Michell clamp with great success. It's light and has has a locking collet; perfect for a low mass table like the Music Hall. Most weights would be too heavy for the MMF; the bearing isn't robust enough and the suspension couldn't handle the extra weight.

The Michell clamp should work fine with the Herbie's mat unless you got a really thick one. Michell makes a special clamp for Regas that have a shorter spindle and would probably work for a thick mat.

David

Hi, David, a clamp applies pressure to the record by 1) pressing down on the clamp as you lock it onto a smooth spindle or, 2) by screwing the clamp down onto a threaded spindle. A weight applies pressure on the record by weighing it down. And some clamps are heavy and some weights can be clamped.

I wouldn't use a weight with the mmf-2.2. It doesn't have the most durable platter bearing and a weight might add enough pressure to risk premature wear. I'd go with a lightweight clamp.

The Michell Reflex clamp suggested by Vinyladdict would be a good match. I just took my Reflex clamp and tried it on my mmf-2.1 turntable and it works well. The clamp isn't cheap, retails for $59 at MusicDirect.com (you'd want the regular model), but it's well made and lightweight. It's twice the price of some less expensive clamps but I think you'd be getting more than twice the quality and function with the Michell clamp.

If you don't care so much about aesthetics and don't want to spend that much money, I used a paper clamp as a record clamp with my old Dual 502 and my mmf-2.1. It's the boxy black paper clamp with chrome "wings" to open the clamp. I just put pressure on the record label and then attached the paper clamp onto the spindle. The large size paper clamp has plenty of gripping power and weighs next to nothing.

Tom

PS: The regular Michell Reflex clamp worked with the mmf-2.1 using a Herbie's mat and a heavyweight LP. I even tried it with the Herbie's mat plus the felt mat so you shouldn't have any problems.

PPS: Hi, Armstrod (David), your reply must have been posted just before mine. I would have given you credit and edited the redundancy of my reply had I seen your answer before posting. :-)

Tom

Great. Thank you everyone for your help/suggestions. I will look into the Michell Reflex clamp.

I have the thinest herbie mat, so I presume that the regular michell (not the one made for the rega), is appropriate. I wouldn't say that there is that much spindle left above the record, but I really have no measure of what constitutes a lot or a little spindle showing.

Tom,

Two audiophiles agreeing on something? Stop the presses! :-)

Dmloring,

Somewhere I've seen specs for how much spindle you need for the regular Michell versus the Rega model. If you have the thinnest Herbie's mat you should be fine, as it's probably no thicker than the stock felt mat, and I used a felt mat and the regular Michell clamp. I didn't know any better back then; I use a Herbie's now too.

David

I don't think the Rega clamp comes with the felt washer that allows for the "reflex" action. The washer goes under the LP, btw.

It seems like there was someone selling the Michell clps on eBay for less than $50.

Thanks all. I think I'm going to head over to Music Direct and test out the clamp (I live close by). Not that $60 is a lot of $$, but I may as well see if it makes any difference in sound quality on my warped vinyl.