Record weights

I love the KAB record clamp, ~$35.  It uses a tight coupling to hold the LP down, not wieght, and it has a neat little bubble level built in.  Especially useful for suspended 'tables.  I have used it for about 6 years without any issues.  Cheap and cheerful, as they say.

I own and love the Durand -- seems like a good weight -- low enough that I can still use it on my spring suspended EAR turntable but high enough that it couples well -- it outperformed the Oyaide weight in my head to head comparison

melbguy, Why, pray tell us, is the Durand record weight "probably the best"?  I actually think it is not a well thought out product (for reasons outlined below), but I would never say it could not "sound good" (which can mean anything to anyone); I would say that almost anything you can make or buy would be as good, if weight is a determinant of the good.  Likewise to Shun Mook and MPingo. Puhleeze! 

Folkfreak, My beef with the Durand, right or wrong, is just the opposite of what you say (that it couples well).  Correctly if I am wrong, but does it not have an array of small ball-shaped spacers, mounted into the bottom surface at regular intervals around the circumference?  Seems to me these stand-offs elevate the weight off the label, thereby greatly reducing its capacity to "couple" to the LP and soak up spurious energy.

As to the OP's question, I would say that weight of 400 to 500g is all you need.  I use a SOTA record clamp and/or the record weight made for the Kenwood L07D.  They both work well enough.  I would not say that one is better or worse than the other.

but does it not have an array of small ball-shaped spacers, mounted into the bottom surface at regular intervals around the circumference? Seems to me these stand-offs elevate the weight off the label, thereby greatly reducing its capacity to "couple" to the LP and soak up spurious energy.

You are correct but these "spacers" are actually sapphire points that ensure the weight couples tightly and accurately -- are purely flat surface is actually anything but as you are probably aware, this way the design ensures that the damping effect happens through these three points -- I understand that the choice of materials and number and location of the "feet" was all assessed in the design.

In my experience over coupling tends to in fact deaden and drag down the sound -- this has been my experience with all of the clamps I’ve tried. It is for this reason for example that the teflon spindle sleeve on the Durand is in fact specced to be ever so slightly loose when the weight is used so that the primary route for energy release is via these sapphire feet and not via the spindle (although of course not so sloppy that the weight can move in use, hence the choice of sleeves with each weight). I actually further found that with this weight I got best results whe I removed a small spacer I had been using under the label (the EAR has a recessed label cut out) thus taking out another energy transfer route not managed via the weight

Any way I’d encourage you to give one a try and not let the price put you off, your dealer should be able to make an accommodation anyway -- I had mine on demo for a good while before taking the plunge

ps more on my experience with this weight is found here

Durand Record Weight thread

My current favorite is the Oyaide STB-MS, which allows you to vary mass from 200g to 440g in increments of 40g. I stay light at 200g on my Lenco, in part out of concern for its bearing, and in part because too much mass can damp dynamics on that turntable..

I also have the HRS Analog Disc, Clearaudio Twister, and Orsonic DS-200g, but the Oyaide sounds best on the Lenco.

When I had an Innovation Wood, I used the Clearaudio Statement weight, which was fantastic. If it wasn’t so heavy I’d have kept it. Like the Durand (judging from Folkfreak’s description), if makes contact only at three points on the record surface. The contacts are are tiny ball bearings of different sizes set into ceramic shafts that supposedly drain vibration into the interior of the weight. The body is layered Panzerholtz and metal (stainless steel, I think), and the spindle collar is also ceramic, the same material as the ’table’s ceramic bearing. Really well thought-out and well-engineered piece, IMO, and it sounded great. Pricey, though, at $1K.