TT Weights VPI center clamp

A two-piece screw clamp (as Markd51 described and as Teres clamps are) makes it easy to avoid label damage. Just stop the clamping piece from spinning while you tighten. One-piece screw clamps don't allow that, so *may* risk some label damage.

If a clamp uses rubber or a similar material at the interface between clamp and LP it may have a negative impact on sonics. Rubber absorbs vibrational energies, shifts them in amplitude and frequency, then releases them after a time delay. This softens transients, dulls dynamics and smothers low level details. In a word: mud.

If you can, try removing the rubber bit and using the clamp "bareback". Your system resolution will probably increase. Everything should tighten up a little. If maximum resolution is your goal, remove rubber from around your analog rig wherever you can.

Assuming the OP’s question was legitimate, I can honestly state that the screw down design DOES NOT damage the label (or anything else for that matter) in any way. Remember we are talking about screwing it down by hand...

I’ve been using their Brass 1080g weight for several years on my VPI Aries (original) without any problems.

If using a heavy TT weight on a vpi platter (I have the carbon fibre heavyweight) - you need to account for the indent in the VPI platter after removing the rubber washer. I didn't read about anyone on here bringing this point up. As per Mike at VPI a "cardboard circle" cut out of a cereal box is about the right thickness. This lessens the frisbee effect but I agree with Mark - the screw down clamp is preferable. The VPI clamp clamp on my TNT does a good job.

I'm going by memory here, but I think I can remember a long time back, one, or some VPI owners disliking the Rubber Spindle Washer (as Doug recently brings up in this thread) and substituted a Carbon Fiber Washer of the same-similar dimensions as the VPI Rubber Washer.

Claimed there was some very slight improvements in Sonics.
Doubtful I would hear them, but some might? In the stock configuration, the Rubber Washer of course goes between Record, and Platter, and not between Clamp, and Platter.

I would assume supply houses, perhaps like McMaster-Carr would carry such? Mark

Mark,

I compared a small rubber O-ring vs. the supplied (hard) Delrin washer between the platter and the LP (beneath the LP) when clamping on my first Teres table. To be honest, I barely heard any difference. Might have been my imagination, since I wasn't operating double blind - just double stupid! ;-)

I might hear a bigger difference today, since our system has advanced very far from those days. But I'd rather watch the Olympics. :-)

OTOH, some clamps/weights I've seen had a large embedded O-ring on the bottom of the clamp, presumably to protect the record label. That was a bad idea. The sonic mud was readily audible in a transparent system.