Looking for input on record clamps.

Steve,

I have not had the pleasure of hearing the Shun Mook or Harmonix in my system. I would love to but last I looked you could buy a nice used turntable for what those clamps sell for :^).

With my Walker table and my current Technics I usually pressed down pretty good on the Walker clamp before tightening. That effectively applies several pounds of force to the LP but does not load the bearing more than static weight of the clamp itself.

With the Walker the lead washer that Lloyd suggests is a MUST. With the Technics and other tables it depends on the mat. With the Funk Firm mat the lead washer works. With Micro Seiki CU-180 or TT Weights copper mat the lead washer is a no go (at least on my system).

Hi Siddh, Albert is right on the money. I find many clamps suck and damp the life out of the LP. SOmetimes playing without a clamp sounds better. Try lightly tightening the clamp instead on screwing ot right down and the sound changes. Do not over tighten your clamp. It's just there to break up the resonance.

I have used the clamps you are interested in. Firstly, I consider these among the top performing clamps out there money aside. The Harmonix TU-812 mk2, the Shun Mook and the HRS analog disc. I had all three. Sold the Harmonix and kept the other 2.

All three sound different. The shun mook clamp does something to the music I like. Makes the music have more life in it's presentation. It also brings out the harmonics and decay often missing from the recordings. The Harmonix TU-812 has a heavier overall sound. Sometimes muddy and can be closed in. The HRS is the best value for the $. Nice and open soundstage and the highs are very extended. IMO, it easilly beats out the Harmonix for a fraction of the price.

There are a couple more clamps that I have not tried and are supposed to be good. They are the Callas ebony clamp and the Basis clamp.

Well, I don't have a Walker but do have the clamps. Hope the info helps.

Hi Siddh

I definitely will go for Shun Mook, I borrowed one from my friend, and immediately contacted Shun Mook and ordered one for myself after 10 mins of music. I also had couple hours of experience with the Harmonix clamp, not my cup of tea, too bright and CD soundalike. If you can afford a Walker TT, Shun Mook clamp is only a small investment.

I read a record clamp/damper roundup in Michael Fremer's column a year or two back. As much as he hated to admit it, the $550 Hun Mook ebony vibration damper sounded head and shoulders above the rest he tried.

Doesn't surprise me. Clamps can function different ways. The firm clamps and heavy weights try to flatten the platter while also damping resonances. The Shun Mook isn't a clamp or a weight. it simply sits over the center hole and damps vibrations, evidently to an ideal amount, without overdamping like some weights and tight clamps might.

Hi, the Shun Mook clamp has since gone up in price. It lists for approx $2800 IIRC and there is a waiting period to get these. He only makes a certain number of pieces per year.

Is it worth the money? It's up to you. Turntables can cost $100,000 and high end cables can cost upwards of $20,000/pr so why not this clamp... If you're looking to tweak till the nth degree, this is your ticket.