Outer Platter Rings

About 2 years ago I bought NOS TTW 2.5 lb. ring weight. I wouldn’t be without it and use it (with a center weight) on all records, though when they are demonstrated it is often with badly warped ones and it does make some formerly unplayable disks sound very good. As an aside I wonder whether a PERFECTLY flat record actually exists.

Everything is improved with it. I use it on an original VPI acrylic-lead platter. It secures the disk to the platter far better and far more easily than the VPI screw clamp. It also adds flywheel. It makes light weight disks sound like heavier ones. I have paid more for smaller improvements.

They’re expensive but a lot of lesser improvements are as well. TTW is out of business but as stated above Wayne Audio (no connection) is manufacturing a similar device, "Turntable Outer Ring", formerly available on Audiogon and still available on ebay.

Will Wayne’s audio  outterring work with Hanna el cartridge it’s a low rider , on the first run out groove . It’s 05 mm the cartridge rides lower, any one use the combo together. thanks

I have one for my VPI Prime.  I use is for warped records only and it only works properly on the bare platter, i.e. no mat.  So it gets used sparingly.  I hear no benefit sonically for flat records.  The long and the short of it is that is is of limited benefit.

I use my VPI Peripheral Ring on my VPI platter with either a BDR screw down clamp or a Stillpoints clamp to great effect, also feel that it gives my unipivot arm it’s best chance of less movement so it will work it’s best and also adds mass as a flywheel effect. Wouldn’t use my table, Prime w/SMFA, SDS and peripheral ring with our it. Just sayin.

@fedie
Hard to tell what you mean by  "05 mm".

I measured my ring to be about .01" thick at its thinnest inner diameter, the part which rides on the disk.  That's about a quarter of a millimeter.  In addition most LPs have a somewhat thicker part outside of the grooves at the beginning, which all cartridges have to deal with.

If I had a cartridge that rode so low that it couldn't deal with this ring I would think there's something wrong with the cartridge.  In fact, many years ago I was delivered a Shelter cartridge from Japan that rode very low.  I sent it back and received a replacement that rode at a correct height.

In any event you can inquire about the ring's thickness with Wayne Audio, or see if he offers a return option.