A $300-$400 turntable tweak

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 :^)

Rockitman and I are in agreement :)

I most frequently use a Marantz TT-1000 direct-drive turntable with a bonded-on graphite mat and a Graham Phantom II tonearm.

In the past I tried a variety of clamps of varying construction, material and weight on this turntable, and have found that heavier isn't always better. In fact, usually it wasn't.

Today I am using a clamp that has adjustable clamping force. The clamp itself is fairly light and simply drops onto the record label (like a gravity clamp). Internally, however, there is a neodymium magnet which is positioned above the turntable spindle (which is normally steel). The magnet is mounted on a fine-pitch screw mechanism which allows the distance between the magnet and the turntable spindle to be adjusted in very fine increments. If the distance between magnet and spindle increases, the clamping force decreases, and if the distance decreases, the clamping force increases.

Since the screw mechanism that adjusts the magnet has nothing that binds directly to the turntable spindle, the clamping force doesn't need to be reset every time the clamp is removed from the record (unlike a normal threaded clamp).

With this clamp I have been able to experiment with clamping force and sound quality. I find that I prefer the sound when the total clamping force isn't so high. I'd guess that the clamp weighs about 200~250 grams, and I usually have the magnet set so that it adds another 250 grams or so (estimated). The clamp can be set for much higher clamping force that what I typically have it at, but I find that the sound quality starts becoming compressed both in dynamics and timbre when the clamping force is too high. Maybe someone who can't stomach any trace of edginess at all in their sound would like this. Me, I find it the sound less emotionally involving, less intellectually interesting, and far too polite.

Sonically, the difference can be pretty big. Enough to make you come to different conclusions about the same piece of equipment (or LP pressing).

I also find that some LPs benefit from less clamping force than others - it seems to vary according to label and production era.

OTOH, I have not found that leaving the clamp off completely is better - a certain amount of clamping force, but in moderation, is what I find to work best (in my audio system).

If any of you have a clamp which allows fine adjustments to the clamping force, I encourage you to experiment and experience for yourself how the sound changes.

cheers, jonathan carr