Perimeter Ring Clamps: Yay?, Nay?, Sources??

A "yay" from me.

I use an old TTW ring that weighs about 2.5 lbs. and would not be without it. It resolves any warp in a record (and more have a slight warp than is thought). It also adds flywheel to the platter which helps with speed stability and therefore SQ. By this time I place it down quickly without thinking about it. Though I use it on an old VPI platter that could take more weight, it is enough and, at 2.5 lbs, likely not too heavy for many other platters.

One must then just be a bit careful about placing the stylus. You don’t want it running into the ring. I have modified my arm rest to place the stylus perfectly. Solves the issue.

My only experience with the Waynesaudio periphery clamp is through a friend who purchased one for a  VPI Scoutmaster, his issue was with how it lipped up above the edge of the record it sat on and interfered with the body of an AT cartridge at the lead in groove. He switched carts to avoid this issue and has been using in with success for the last 4 years. I myself run a VPI and use their peripheral ring and would not want to be without it as it certainly takes care of any warped albums when used in conjunction with a BDR screw down clamp. Out of 1,600 albums I have about 4 that the ring does not help, due to the disc them selves being cut a little smaller than industry standard and the ring does not catch the lip of the album, I still use it on those albums for the added mas though. @lewm , I saw your post about record flatteners and thought this would be a great way/simplest way to solve this issue if you could find one that works on one of your tables. Enjoy the music

+1 @lewm . I'd also add, the plain inconvenience of it. Vinyl is enough work as it is. Plus I am skeptical of the changes being better. The biggest is the stylus danger IMO. Might be alright with a MM which has a replaceable stylus. But a high $$$ LOMC is going to cost $4-500 to retip. And I hear it changes the sound. Some say the Zyx can't be replaced. I'm going to try it anyway when the time comes

To add a highly specific experience of my own, I have a Kenwood L07D. Kenwood made an accessory outer ring for the L07D, the DS20, which goes to show how old the idea is. When you install the DS20, you are also supposed to activate a switch on the outboard PS which allows the servo to compensate for the added mass; I have not weighed the ring, but it cannot weigh more than a pound or two or three. Because of my own fear of damaging a cartridge, I generally mount the ring on the platter so it sits UNDER the lip of the LP, not acting as a clamp. I have consistently found that I actually prefer the sound of the L07D without the ring. Just an anecdote and not proof of any general principle, except do be thoughtful about the effect of a heavy ring on speed regulation of a DD turntable. Because Kenwood was.

Scroll down for the post that concerns the ring.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/wayne-s-audio-problems?highlight=wayne