Record clamp

I use a weight, wide, keeping the lp both flat, thus grooves are not angled improperly as a slight center rise will create, and helping the groove vibrations more solidly reaching the stylus, rather than some vibration taken by the lp’s ability to flex a speck. The forces involved at the stylus are Tremendous!

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT618A-AT618a-Disc-Stabilizer/dp/B07HB2LDYT/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=...

heavy enough that a clamp is not needed.

will that much weight affect your bearing?

as for the cartridge/arm/TT, I am kind of with you, upgrade TT and Arm last as your ability to discern improvements increases along with budget. Seems you went BIG on the cartridge, I doubt I’ll ever spend that much.

anybody considering adding a TT, or upgrading a basic setup:

think long now!

1. get a decent TT, nothing expensive, use it to determine if you will stick with LP’s. i.e.

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB.

DD, Perfect Speed, decent deck, decent arm, plan on near-immediate cartridge upgrade. You can use it’s optional built-in Phono EQ to start, then go to any Line Input.

2. get alignment tools and acquire skills yourself, will make the biggest difference to success. Practice on the stock cartridge. Proper Cartridge setup is IMPERATIVE!

3. get an advanced stylus MM cartridge (ML, LC, SAS, ... better/deeper groove contact, less wear to both LP and stylus) (higher cost offset by better life)

https://www.sound-smith.com/articles/stylus-shape-information

It will sound better: any LP on any TT, then it will help you:

4. get a great MM Phono stage, that’s hard, get return option until you
keep one. (no longer get Phono EQ from the TT).

5. MC Cartridge/SUT combo. Keeps your wonderful MM Phono stage. Use a separate SUT to try a MC cartridge (SUT with PASS, so you can run a MM cartridge thru it, bypassing it’s transformers).

6. Then better TT and Arm(s) as $ allow.

7. Arm(s), this is the biggest functional decision:

a. Compact Plinth with Single 9"Arm: removable headshell so you can use MM, MC, Mono cartridges. SUT with single input with MM Pass.

b. Larger Plinth allowing a long arm, perhaps single arm still, thus removable headshell for different cartridges

c. larger Plinth, 2 arms, perhaps 1 long; perhaps 1 fixed cartridge (no removable headshell); perhaps 1 MM, other MC; perhaps 1 stereo, other mono ready to go.

SUT with two or 3 tonearm inputs, keep using your MM Phono stage, the SUT with Pass is the tonearm switcher.

DUST COVER. I definitely need one, and I prefer it OFF while playing, then easily back on.

What Plinth? What Isolation?

What Arm(s)?

What Spinner?

good luck with that, I chose Vintage JVC TT81 in Vintage JVC Large 2 arm plinth CL-P2, it’s leveling feet, it’s 7 layer solid plinth on 2" x 2" isolation pads.

Rega table is a low mass but not suspended, so the clamp/light recommendations are spot on. You should get better performance than a heavy weight style, and certainly don’t want to use a heavy weight style on a suspended table (but better match with high mass tables).

If I still had stock, the MyMat with no weight or clamp would be a great decision.

Rega table is a low mass but not suspended, so the clamp/light recommendations are spot on. You should get better performance than a heavy weight style, and certainly don’t want to use a heavy weight style on a suspended table (but better match with high mass tables)

.
My table was high mass- 25lbs just the platter alone - and the Gravity One easily had greater detail, dynamics, extension, and even bass than when records were clamped tight to the platter. Clearly there is a huge difference between sophisticated designs like the Gravity One and all the others which are basically clamp more and tighter.
 This makes a lot more sense if you study my threads on vibration control, my turntable, Townshend Pods and Podiums, etc. Then it becomes clear rigidly clamping can only take you so far. The greatest benefits by far are allowing the record to move, but in a carefully controlled manner, and dissipate energy as efficiently as possible, and as evenly across the whole range of frequency and dynamics as possible.  

This you cannot do by simply clamping and weighing it down. Not on any table. Of any mass. Or suspension. Or lack thereof.

andyhifiman OP



This sort of light aluminium clamp that screw down onto the record is the best, no weight.
And it even better if you have a small appox 2cm wide by 1mm thick washer on the spindle under the record. This makes the record sit higher in the center, and when the clamp is screwed down it pushes down even better to the edge of the record and takes all the warps out.
https://www.amazon.com/Record-Doctor-Clamp-Black/dp/B077YVJW1T

Cheers George