Record weights what type would be good for a Luxman PD171-A

Well first off like everything else you are well advised to listen and decide for yourself. Weights don't affect the motor hardly at all because the mass is all so close to the center it hardly makes a difference. The same mass in a ring around the outside of the platter would put a lot more startup strain on a motor. Physics 101.

Weights in general are the simple, cheap, and not very effective way of clamping a record. Also because of the way they work they have to be heavy. A reflex clamp by contrast grips and pulls against the spindle and so can clamp much more tightly without the need for mass.

Also record weights don't really do much to flatten a record. 

Either way, the one key element missing from most designs is a washer or shim that fits over the spindle and is just thick enough to sit slightly higher than the platter surface. The center of the platter is recessed to allow space for the center label area of the record which is thicker. So with many designs the more the record is clamped down the deeper it goes into this recess and the more it forces the outside of the record to cup up. Hard to believe, exact opposite of what you want, but a lot of them do this. Try a few and see.

A properly designed reflex clamp with washer on the other hand will press the record down onto the platter across the whole surface clear out to the edge. Even somewhat warped records are pressed flat. Record weights don't even come close.

I checked out some record clamp's and the J.A Michele seems pretty impressive. Also comes w/a washer. $59.99. Any good??

The LPS by Stillpoints might be the answer for you, although expensive at $549.00 they really do a nice job, has a bit of weight to it and is used without any type of washer under it. Music Direct will refund your money if not satisfied so really nothing to lose. Happy listening.

I checked out some record clamp's and the J.A Michele seems pretty impressive. Also comes w/a washer. $59.99. Any good??

Nobody knows. Seriously. Only you will know, and only then after trying.

Look, I took mine to CES one year. Compared it side by side with some others. The only ones that were even close, Teres and BDR, aren't made any more and haven't been for years. But you compare enough like that, after a while you can just look at the darn things and have a pretty good idea what you're gonna get. Nothing on the market today gonna come even halfways close to BDR. Maybe a few at the level of mine or Teres.

The Stillpoints looks unlikely to me. But you never know. Shape counts for a lot. Shape can be so important there are profound differences between otherwise seemingly identical things that come from only a slight difference in shape. So I find it unlikely, but who knows.

Only thing I can tell you for sure is that when you try it then you will know. So I would buy one you like from some place like Music Direct where you can 100% return it for any reason. In fact if you are really serious then order two or three you like and keep only the best. Because when I was at CES, as clear as it seemed to me which was best each time, there was always someone in the room with a different take on it. I really don't care about their eval, and neither should you care about mine, or anyone else's. Which is why you just have to try em yourself. 

The Black Diamond Record clamps mentioned earlier are some of the best, I have two, the single piece and a two piece that both screw on to the spindle and I love both but the Stillpoint does something that they don't and I find myself going between the LPS and the one piece BDR depending on the album played as somewhat of a tone control. You owe it to yourself to at least audition the Stillpoints if you are looking for a record weight/clamp and judge for yourself.

I’ll take the Shun Mook Mpingo record weight. You guys and gals can fight over the rest of them. 🥊

@geoffkait , yes but you got them deep pockets. What's he building in there?

Uh, oh, I’m getting a bad feeling.

You can’t go wrong with Micro Seiki ST-10 disc stabilizer.
Two versions made: about 900g and about 1kg
Made in Japan in the 70’s and 80’s.
Beautiful!   

P.S. Normally from $150-250 for used (depends on condition) and up to $400-500 for NOS with documents. 

@geoffkait your Shun Mook mano a mano against my Durand - that’s a fight I’d pay to see 🥊 💥 

So would a clamp give me more of improvement over a weigh being it can flatten the record. Does the Stillpoint do this??

@luxmancl38,

You did not mention why you are interested in a weight? In my years of trying clamps and weights, I've had a few interesting happenings. I started off using clamps because at that time I assumed getting the lp to contact the platter was THE most important thing. After years of this, I did find some clamps sounded better than others but never felt I was going anywhere significant. Then it hit me to try several mats, first by themselves, then with weights. I have a (found) material I made into a mat that I love and I have a Funk Firm 5mm mat. I've found that either one on any of my tts sounds better without a weight than they did with just a clamp. Both mats together sound even better (a total of 6mm). 

Whenever I try a clamp now, the sound becomes hard or brittle. I feel the main reason is because I'm connecting the lp to the bearing. With a mat and or mat & weight, I'm decoupling from the bearing as well as giving the lp some damping for the cartridge to take advantage of. I currently use the Stillpoints LP-1.

I don't know if you're able to adjust VTA? With the free trials available, I'd try a Funk Firm 3mm mat alone to start with, then maybe the MoFi weight. It was designed in conjunction with HRS, a respected manufacturer.

Another vote for Stillpoints LP1. It  has weight to it but it is also designed to stop the vinyl from vibrating from stylus friction. The result is clearer sound with less distortion in the highs. It replaced the VPI record weight that came with the HRX.

Went to my dealer and he lent me a Clearaudio Quadro Clamp (low version) for my Luxman TT. Don’t know why it’s called a clamp as it just drops on the spindle, no tightening. However it worked out great. Better bass and the overall performance was dynamic and lively. It’s a keeper. Anyone else have a Clearaudio clamp?? Checked the strobe on my TT and the Quadro clamp didn't affect the speed at all.

Late to the party as it seems you have already decided.

But I have been using the J.A.Mitchell clamp for years with great success.
You get a couple of different thickness felt washers to go under the record and the clamping takes 3 seconds,hard to get it wrong or to be considered a chore.

It does also help with warped records a little.

Never contemplated anything else since, $50 from eBay I think.

However Slaws post here is definitely food for thought and maybe worth some trials as I use the clamp in conjunction with a 3mm Achromat.
Might have to try combos of mats and weights.( have a number of both from various tt project over the years).