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Ringmat shims for VTA?

Has anyone who normally plays on a bare platter ever tried the Ringmat record shims for VTA/SRA adjustment? I'm not talking about the cork/paper Ringmat itself, which would be silly on a hard platter/record clamp setup. I'm talking about Ringmat's set of variable thickness shims. The idea is to set your VTA/SRA once using your thickest record, then place one or more shims beneath thinner records.

This would be quick, repeatable and much easier for us Rega/OL users. Would there be any sonic negatives? Would a heavy duty clamp still provide ample coupling of record to platter through the shims? If it matters, my TT is a Teres 265, but this might be of interest to anyone with a hard platter/clamp setup and an arm with difficult or no VTA adjustment.
dougdeacon
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dougdeacon OP
3,338 posts
 
We certainly hear things like sorbothane feet (great if you prefer muzak to music). I suppose we'd probably hear these shims too, though they probably wouldn't be as disastrous as something like a Sorbo-mat.

Harrumph! You're trying to save me $100. What kind of audiophile are you anyway? :)
twl
3,251 posts
 
It's going to change the impedance coupling of the record to the platter. Some may never notice it, some will.

For your situation, Doug, I think that it is pretty easy to get to the lock nut under the armboard, to make the adjustment. This nut should only be finger-tight anyway, no tighter. With a little practice, you should be able to remember how much of a turn needs to be done on the VTA collar, to change from a 180 gram record to a 125 gram, without much difficulty.
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