Ring Clamps. What do you think?

If you like what a record clamp does, the perimeter ring clamp will provide more of the same. It is used to more effectively couple the record to the mat/platter in order to dampen vibrational energy imparted in the record itself by the motion of the stylus tracking the groove. Whether such dampening is desirable or not, depends on system tuning and taste. Some people might prefer less dampening and would find that ring clamps and/or center clamps make the sound too "dead" sounding.

I am not a fan of perimeter clamps because of various ergonomic considerations. It seems to be a big nuisance putting one on and taking it off, particularly because of the extreme caution required to preven accidentally bumping into the stylus on the cartridge. I would also think there might be concern with accidentally setting the stylus down in a place where it can be snagged by the clamp.

I use a table with a vacuum clamp (Basis Debut) so I don't need a ring clamp. But, someone I know said that a good ring clamp subtly improves sound even when vacuum clamping is employed. I have not tried it myself, but, if it really does work to improve on vacuum clamping, I would expect it to have a much bigger impact on the sound where something less effective than vacuum clamping is employed.

I recently heard a dealer demonstration using a Clearaudio turntable that utilizes both a center weight and peripheral clamp and an acrylic platter. What is very dramatically evident is how well this table performs at suppressing ticks and pops. I notice the same kind of minimization of noise with my own table, which uses vacuum clamping and an acrylic platter.

I believe it was Robert Harley of The Absolute Sound who mentioned how such tight clamping suppresses energy imparted in the disc, such as the sharp impulse of ticks and pops; he mentioned using a pen to tap of the record surface near the stylus and how loud the impulse is with most tables, but barely noticeable with the Basis table with a vacuum clamp.

While noise suppression is a big plus of tight coupling of the record to the platter, I can see how some will NOT like the results. My Basis table, and the Clearaudio table I recently heard can be characterized as "dark" or "dead" sounding compared to other tables. If that characteristic does not fit a particular system or taste, then whether it is more "accurate" or not is just an academic concern. I once heard the same Transfiguration cartridge in a Basis/Phantom setup and in a Linn/Naim ARO setup sie-by-side. The sound was dramatically different (Linn/ARO much more lively sounding). I could see how someone might prefer the greater liveliness of that setup in this particular system (I liked the liveliness, but, I was concerned with that liveliness becoming jangly "noise" after a longer audition). I like clamping, in my system, but, I can see why others prefer no clamping.