Pros and Cons of Platter Mass

I agree with the above comments, but would add that as with most things, there are no absolutes. The correct amount of mass within the context of the other design characteristics of the turntable, and ultimately the entire analog playback system is most important. In my experience, and based on my tastes and priorities, the turntables that let me get closer to the music, as they say, have been of the high mass platter type. But that is because to me, the weightier, denser, and more harmonically natural sound that heavier mass tables, as a class, seem to have is more important than the little extra bit of liveliness that the lighter mass platter turntables seem to have, as a class; sometimes at the apparent sacrifice of a little tonal richness. There really is something to the "the Linn gets your toe tapping" stuff. To my ears, there are times when recorded music needs to move very very quickly to really get close to achieving the "aliveness" of the real thing; and some tables, particularly the Linn types, allow that better than others. Some say that it is the resonances or ringing(distortion) that a table like the Linn has that gives that illusion, maybe, but I do know that many big mass tables that I have heard can sound a little like the music is a bit too under control; not expressive enough. I often miss the excitement that I hear in a table like the Linn. In fact, a Linn is probably my next major audio purchase. The idea of owning and keeping two turtables in the year 2002 makes me chuckle. I have experience with AR, Technics, Ariston, Rega, Linn, Well Tempered, Forsell, and VPI (which I own), and have heard Goldmund, Basis, Kuzma, Roksan, Meitner and others; I suspect that there are tables that I have not heard that strike a balance between these two major considerations.

By the way, I heard the Meitner at the first Stereophile show in NY, and unfortunately was not impressed. I still remember that it was one of my least favorite demos. With Acoustats and Meitner electronics there was very obvious wow; I remember being very surprised that the hosts would find that acceptable. The absence of a platter for the record to push against and thus flatten itself out, at least in part, made the playback of anything but perfectly flat records unacceptable IMO; the pitch fluctuations in the music were ridiculous. Imagine negating the benefits of clamping; it just did not work IMO.

Still nothing like vinyl.

Best

Looks like my physics class paid off. I thought there might be more implications of platter mass than I initially theorized with before starting this thread, although Frogman's (great moniker) comment on aliveness and resonance was new to me. And due to the number of low mass turntables, I also thought the responses would have been a little less one-sided. I am immaturely happy with the responses as my TT is a high mass design (and less expensive than many low mass ones). Thank you everyone.

with heavy platter (or added weight stabilzer) does it really stress the motor or just negligible..
i have slj2 and normally add weight, i think it improve sound, but maybe stressfull to motor.  thanks.

From my investigations undertaken of how a increased Platter Weight can impact on a TT that is not supplied with a Heavy Platter.                      I have learnt that the Thrust Pad can show signs of increased wear after a lesser period than anticipated, where inspection of the part has shown noticeable indentation occurring from the Point Loading.
There are harder Thrust Pad Materials that will alleviate this condition and offer improved performance and longevity of use.
There is also the condition that can be impacted on where a Spindle can have a eccentric rotation and the addition of Platter weight can cause an increase to the force from the Spindle when coming into contact with the Bearing Bush.
A Hydrodynamic condition for the lubrication may prevent the Spindle/Bush coming into contact. From my investigations of certain vintage TT's there is not much evidence to show the Bearing / Bush interface had successfully maintained a Hydrodynamic Interface, there was possibly not a design from the outset to produce the interface.

The reports of increasing the Mass/weight of the Platter are usually seen with a positive appraisal where there are perceptions that a improvement is present in relation to noise reduction.

I have not seen measurements that will show changes that are able to to support such modifications, the usual, is that there is a trend and the individuals carrying out the mod's are collective in their positive appraisal.   

In my opinion, the platter, spindle, and bearing with or without thrust pad form a closed system in the sense that they are carefully engineered to work well together in a well designed turntable. Therefore I would be loathe to do anything to dramatically alter platter mass or the materials used at the bearing/thrust pad interface, or even the lubricant, without considering the effects on the other constituents of the closed system.