Record Clamp for Entry-Level Music Hall TT

I would recommend the JA Michelle clamp - around $45 if memory serves. It's a lightweight reflex clamp, not a weight, and will work well to tame the warps you're talking about.

What's the difference between a clamp and weight? Will a clamp effect my ability to use my record mat?

Dmloring,

I owned an MMF 2.1 and used the Michell clamp with great success. It's light and has has a locking collet; perfect for a low mass table like the Music Hall. Most weights would be too heavy for the MMF; the bearing isn't robust enough and the suspension couldn't handle the extra weight.

The Michell clamp should work fine with the Herbie's mat unless you got a really thick one. Michell makes a special clamp for Regas that have a shorter spindle and would probably work for a thick mat.

David

Hi, David, a clamp applies pressure to the record by 1) pressing down on the clamp as you lock it onto a smooth spindle or, 2) by screwing the clamp down onto a threaded spindle. A weight applies pressure on the record by weighing it down. And some clamps are heavy and some weights can be clamped.

I wouldn't use a weight with the mmf-2.2. It doesn't have the most durable platter bearing and a weight might add enough pressure to risk premature wear. I'd go with a lightweight clamp.

The Michell Reflex clamp suggested by Vinyladdict would be a good match. I just took my Reflex clamp and tried it on my mmf-2.1 turntable and it works well. The clamp isn't cheap, retails for $59 at MusicDirect.com (you'd want the regular model), but it's well made and lightweight. It's twice the price of some less expensive clamps but I think you'd be getting more than twice the quality and function with the Michell clamp.

If you don't care so much about aesthetics and don't want to spend that much money, I used a paper clamp as a record clamp with my old Dual 502 and my mmf-2.1. It's the boxy black paper clamp with chrome "wings" to open the clamp. I just put pressure on the record label and then attached the paper clamp onto the spindle. The large size paper clamp has plenty of gripping power and weighs next to nothing.

Tom

PS: The regular Michell Reflex clamp worked with the mmf-2.1 using a Herbie's mat and a heavyweight LP. I even tried it with the Herbie's mat plus the felt mat so you shouldn't have any problems.