A $300-$400 turntable tweak

I was just over at someones place for a listen who uses a ring, places the plastic template to assist to align etc.

Also uses a centre clamp and has a mat.

While listening, in converstion I asked if I could hear his set-up with out the ring, mat and record clamp, I first got a quick look. The look was like are you ... but he was willing.

Was not willing to remove the mat in question though because he said he would then have to make adjustments to the arm height for the allowance difference which I understood.

So now that pce of music is done and I was asked what would I like to listen to, I said the same cut.

He said NO NO that he would not do that, I then listened to his reasoning for this.

I really wanted to hear the same record cut again during this process but he just would not do it.

I'm a bit confused, can someone shed some light here or is this going to be another debate?

He waits 24hours before playing because of .... I guess who ever agrees with this knows his reasoning.

Isn't this whole topic just a mith? I play mine over again otherwise how and the heck am I going to really identify the differences in what I'm hearing or am I incorrect and actually hearing the record it's self sonically changing.

We actually got into a bit of a debate because of this. I said if you don't listen to the same cut again and wait to listen say 24 hrs down the road how do you really know what's going on, to really identify the over all sonic diffferences how does one then have a acurate refference point.

I said too many other factors come into play.

I'm curious how do you do your comparisons.

If you play a record and play the same cut over do you notice sonic differences, if so what.

I have played the same record side several times in a row when adjusting and listening for changes, how else could you determine a change?. A lot of times it is hard enough to hear any difference from the set up changes I just made and I am sure I can't hear the record changing sound from repeated play.

Just came across this thread. For once, Halcro and I are in agreement. I have never liked the effect of heavy record weights in the first place. Then I got hold of an original optional outer ring weight made by Kenwood 30 years ago for use with the L07D. (The Kenwood engineers were quite innovative and ahead of the times in their design for the L07D.) This ring can be used either over the lip of the LP, as Halcro et al describes, or under the outer lip of the LP, where it just adds peripheral mass of the platter. There is no question that it sounds best under the LP rather than over the lip of the LP. The Kenwood center record weight was an immediate bust, too, to my ears. I have a SOTA clamp, which is relatively low mass but pushes down on the center of the LP. That is less harmful to sound, for some reason.

It all comes down to the brand/model of the tables... whether a ring is beneficial or not. Lighter tables, platters with matte's are probably not good candidates. Heavy weight tables with big heavy solid platter's that use no matte are another kettle of fish. I have gone back and forth with the ring on my table... Clearaudio Innovation Wood compact with a 15 lb. Hard Duralin type platter material. So far the outer ring is winning !

Oh come on Lew.......we have agreed on other occasions methinks :^)