Record clamps: do they really make a difference.

Dear Lewm: +++++ " Life is short. " +++++

so why try to improve nothing that always is time consuming?

Makes sense that to you?

+++ " fretting over what is "wrong" with my system. " ++++

yes, who cares !!!!!!????????

Well, always exist audiophiles whom cares.

Life is short and that's why we have to enjoy it in the BEST way. I don't like the idea to live in the " error " just because " life is short "!!!!!!

Like yours only an opinion,

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Mosin: As there are no flat LPs or perfect centered LP holes there are not ( at least I don't know it yet ) a perfect TT that can damp perfectly the resonances/vibrations/noises caused by the cartridge stylus and the LP surface grooves and at the same time impede feedback about.

A TT mat is critical down there when the TT platter ( whole TT. ) is not " enough " to that job and even that a clamp is always a good " thing " but depend of which kind of clamp we are using.

In the past I used the Sota Reflex ( that's very good ), Basis, Shumonk, Harmonix and several other till I find out the " right " TT mat where all those clamps made more harm than help.
I was listening ( for some months ) with out any clamp till one day I found out in my closet a light weight wood clamp that an internet friend send me as a gift ( he build it and its shape is the same as the Shumonk one. ) years ago and I mounted and like it what I heard so I made a modification to that clamp and till today I don't find out something better.

What this clamp does is not to help for a better contact between the LP surface and the TT platter or mat but to " damp "/change the resonance/vibrations frequencies generated at stylus/grooves where makes lower or less harm to the cartridge signal, at least is what I hear and I'm not aware yet of any negative side on it.

I thinmk there are no rules on the whole subject and as always in analog audio we are full of imperfections where we have to be really " wise " to choose the right trade-offs.

Those choosed trade-offs are the ones that makes the differences for the better or the worst.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Elegal: +++++ " Record clamps: do they really make a difference. " +++++

Always.

++++ " I cannot tell a difference. " +++++

but differences exist even that you can't detected yet.

There could be several reasons why you can't be aware of: maybe you can't do it because your system/room has no resolution for it, because a not so good analog rig overall set up, because even that your ears have the resolution you don't know what to look for, because you have no precise reference to compare it, etc, etc, etc.

In the other side, it's not matters if the LP is warped or not, you can hear a clamp for the better or worst.

Could be some reason why we can't detect a clamp " job "?, could be but I don't have the precise answer about.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Dover: ++++++ " If a record is not flat, do you think it sounds better with half the record not supported, floating in mid air ? " +++++++

what do you think?, I infere that you are against it.

Other than W.Benesh there were at least two other TT proponents precisely to leave wide part of the LP in the air supported by small tiptoes like or something else.

I can't remember the precise opinions about but several years ago I did that kind of excercise and not so bad at all and maybe is time to do it again and see what happen. Sometimes in audio is benefitial to think and try " ideas " out of the box.

Why not?, we have to lose nothing but to have " fun time " testing it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Tonywinsc: +++++ " that too much damping as in using a periphial ring sucked the life out of the music....... I don't see how it could suck the life out of the record since the record is the source of the vibrations- not reflecting them. " +++++

IMHO we can't overdamp the LP grooves/stylus, as a fact what we want is precisely that: overdamp it for the stylus/cantilever can take only the grooves modulations with out any other kind of " movement " that could alter that situation. This means that as better we damp ( no feedback either. ) down there as better lower cartridge signal degradation.

Your post is precise, real and lot better that what I can explain about:

+++++ " The analog system starts by creating vibrations- actually recreating the vibrations frozen into the vinyl disc. Any variance from those vibrations in the disc is distortion. " ++++++

we have to understand that and understand its consequences.

The other side of that subject is that almost all of us are accustom and with ears/brain perffectly equalized to several kind of distortions generated down there that when we " overdamped " those several kind of distortions almost disappear and disappear too almost all the colorations/false information we are accustomed with.

When this happen ( the new " overdamped " sounds ) this IMHO is a very good news and what now we have to do is to make a reset on the overall set up audio system chain: link by link and if is necessary even change the links that now do not perform well with the today system needs.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear Dover: Tone control?. Well, one way or the other and due that exist no perfect clamp/TT/Mat what we are using has a side effect as " tone control ": want it or not.

As you tehre are many advocates that coupled the LP to a metal Mat or TT ( direct. ) metal platter surface and this makes more harm that help due that the metal is more resonant and with better characterists that does not helps to impede feedback that other non-metal materials.

IMHO the best way to take out the LP grooves informstion by the stylus/cantilever is to " overdamp " down there: we don't want any single resonance/vibration, noise/feedback, etc, etc that be added to the grooves/stylus/cantilever own and unique modulations.

Please read again the Tonywinsc post about and remember that we are not talking what we like or not but what we need that the stylus/cantilever can take out of the LP grooves with no additional " information/distortions ". IMHO in this " equation " probably the worst enemy is metal material.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.