TT Clamp
audiobliss
Posts: 12,518
I've been exchanging emails with hearingimpared ever since I received my TT about setup, cleaning, equipment and such; thanks so much for the info and invaluable advice, Joe! They're much appreciated!!
Joe has gone above and beyond the call of duty by sending me email upon email upon email just overflowing with valuable info, links to good deals, and so much more. However, that's not all. He also sent me one of his stylus brushes and a clamp! Yep, that's right...a stylus brush and a clamp. And you could probably get away with saying I'm happy.
I've had a hard time distinguishing exactly between music with the clamp and without the clamp, as the differences to seem to be subtle to me. (I might should mention at this point that the majority of my more 'critical' listening has been conducted with my Sennheiser HD-590's run off just my preamp.) There are a few things that do seem to be different, though.
For one, the detail seems be a little better with the clamp. So far with the limited listening I've done with the limited genres I've played (probably would be more evident with a lot of instrumental or classical music), the detail seems to be slightly better, moreso in the high-end than in the low end.
Background noise does seem to have been minimized, as well. I have to admit right here that I've been surprised at the lack of background noise ever since I got the TT, with or without the clamp. I suppose a clean record and a clean stylus can really go a long ways in that regard (and here I'll interject that thus far I've only gone over my records with a carbon fiber brush before playing...I've yet to get motivated enough to thoroughly wash them with distilled water). With the clamp, the background noise seems to be lowered even still, though the difference is still pretty subtle, as far as I can tell.
Warp. A few of my records (hehe...well, maybe more than a few...) are warped. I would say not severely, but I'm not really sure how warped is severely warped. At any rate, the clamp does help to flatten out the record and keep the warp under control while playing. I must also say here that a different mat would probably help the clamp keep the record on the platter and thus minimize warp better, as I'm currently not even using a mat. With the rubber mat that came with my TT, the spindle was too short for the clamp to grab it. So, I just removed it and am careful not to spin the record against the platter. Hence, perhaps a certain shaped mat would help to even further reduce the warp.
The BIGGEST improvement the clamp has to offer? Bar none, it's the looks, the awe, the image, the coolness factor! It just looks awesome to have this TT setup, spinning your favorite record, with this clamp sitting atop, keeping everything in check.
Thanks many many many many many many many many many many many times over for all the info, the links, the advice, the brush, and the clamp, Joe!!!! You're a great guy, and I'm certainly glad you've found CP and have stuck around to contribute your great wealth of all things analog!
I suppose I'll go ahead and make a few comments about my experience so far with the TT in general...I think this might be the 11th day....:eek:...:p...so I suppose it's time.
As I said earlier, probably the one thing I was most surprised about concerning the TT and playback of the medium was the lack of background noise, snaps, crackles and pops, etc. with a 'clean' record. Being a product of the younger generation (almost can't say that anymore, I guess...well, approaching that point...:eek:), I had always considered those snaps crackles and pops and white noise as the inherent trademarks of a turntable. However, I'm very relieved to have discovered those are only the trademarks of a poorly looked after record/stylus. I'm sure with a properly cleaned record and looked after stylus the noise floor of vinyl can approach that of digital...maybe even match it, depending on one's diligence in the cleaning department.
Bass. I have also been shocked with the bass reproduction. Perhaps it has more to do with the particular recordings I've listened to, but the bass just sounds more 'real' and 'natural' through the TT. In fact, that pretty well describes my whole experience with the TT. Maybe some of it is just psychological and is encouraged through the process of setting up the TT, cleaning the record, cleaning the stylus, installing the clamp, and gently lowering the needle to the vinyl, but the music/experience just seems much more intimate and involving than taking a CD out of a jewel case, dropping it in a CDP, and hitting play. Not trying to knock CD's any, here, as I'll definitely continue listening to them, but this is something that seems to at least be more prevalent with records.
Moving away from the actual reproduction process and resulting sounds, the one thing that has excited me the most about vinyl is the huge supply of records! Very much like cassettes, if you look in the right places you can find book oodles of LP's, and for not much money. This greatly facilitates in one's journey through the enormous realm of music, chock full of great artists, song writers, bands of all genres, so much so, that I'm sure even after living a long life being a music enthusiast, there will be a plethora of groups even in my favorite genres I've never heard about when I pass on. So that's the single greatest thing about vinyl in my mind, the ease of introducing yourself to so many new-to-you genres, artists, etc.
I'm very excited about being able to go to the local stores and buying used records and then playing them at home and discovering some of the greats that I'd previously never heard of.
For this, I owe ESAVINON. Thanks so much for offering up that amazingly tremendously fantastic karma! And thanks for pulling my name out of the hat!
Joe has gone above and beyond the call of duty by sending me email upon email upon email just overflowing with valuable info, links to good deals, and so much more. However, that's not all. He also sent me one of his stylus brushes and a clamp! Yep, that's right...a stylus brush and a clamp. And you could probably get away with saying I'm happy.
I've had a hard time distinguishing exactly between music with the clamp and without the clamp, as the differences to seem to be subtle to me. (I might should mention at this point that the majority of my more 'critical' listening has been conducted with my Sennheiser HD-590's run off just my preamp.) There are a few things that do seem to be different, though.
For one, the detail seems be a little better with the clamp. So far with the limited listening I've done with the limited genres I've played (probably would be more evident with a lot of instrumental or classical music), the detail seems to be slightly better, moreso in the high-end than in the low end.
Background noise does seem to have been minimized, as well. I have to admit right here that I've been surprised at the lack of background noise ever since I got the TT, with or without the clamp. I suppose a clean record and a clean stylus can really go a long ways in that regard (and here I'll interject that thus far I've only gone over my records with a carbon fiber brush before playing...I've yet to get motivated enough to thoroughly wash them with distilled water). With the clamp, the background noise seems to be lowered even still, though the difference is still pretty subtle, as far as I can tell.
Warp. A few of my records (hehe...well, maybe more than a few...) are warped. I would say not severely, but I'm not really sure how warped is severely warped. At any rate, the clamp does help to flatten out the record and keep the warp under control while playing. I must also say here that a different mat would probably help the clamp keep the record on the platter and thus minimize warp better, as I'm currently not even using a mat. With the rubber mat that came with my TT, the spindle was too short for the clamp to grab it. So, I just removed it and am careful not to spin the record against the platter. Hence, perhaps a certain shaped mat would help to even further reduce the warp.
The BIGGEST improvement the clamp has to offer? Bar none, it's the looks, the awe, the image, the coolness factor!
It just looks awesome to have this TT setup, spinning your favorite record, with this clamp sitting atop, keeping everything in check.Thanks many many many many many many many many many many many times over for all the info, the links, the advice, the brush, and the clamp, Joe!!!! You're a great guy, and I'm certainly glad you've found CP and have stuck around to contribute your great wealth of all things analog!
I suppose I'll go ahead and make a few comments about my experience so far with the TT in general...I think this might be the 11th day....:eek:...:p...so I suppose it's time.
As I said earlier, probably the one thing I was most surprised about concerning the TT and playback of the medium was the lack of background noise, snaps, crackles and pops, etc. with a 'clean' record. Being a product of the younger generation (almost can't say that anymore, I guess...well, approaching that point...:eek:), I had always considered those snaps crackles and pops and white noise as the inherent trademarks of a turntable. However, I'm very relieved to have discovered those are only the trademarks of a poorly looked after record/stylus. I'm sure with a properly cleaned record and looked after stylus the noise floor of vinyl can approach that of digital...maybe even match it, depending on one's diligence in the cleaning department.
Bass. I have also been shocked with the bass reproduction. Perhaps it has more to do with the particular recordings I've listened to, but the bass just sounds more 'real' and 'natural' through the TT. In fact, that pretty well describes my whole experience with the TT. Maybe some of it is just psychological and is encouraged through the process of setting up the TT, cleaning the record, cleaning the stylus, installing the clamp, and gently lowering the needle to the vinyl, but the music/experience just seems much more intimate and involving than taking a CD out of a jewel case, dropping it in a CDP, and hitting play. Not trying to knock CD's any, here, as I'll definitely continue listening to them, but this is something that seems to at least be more prevalent with records.
Moving away from the actual reproduction process and resulting sounds, the one thing that has excited me the most about vinyl is the huge supply of records! Very much like cassettes, if you look in the right places you can find book oodles of LP's, and for not much money. This greatly facilitates in one's journey through the enormous realm of music, chock full of great artists, song writers, bands of all genres, so much so, that I'm sure even after living a long life being a music enthusiast, there will be a plethora of groups even in my favorite genres I've never heard about when I pass on. So that's the single greatest thing about vinyl in my mind, the ease of introducing yourself to so many new-to-you genres, artists, etc.
I'm very excited about being able to go to the local stores and buying used records and then playing them at home and discovering some of the greats that I'd previously never heard of.
For this, I owe ESAVINON. Thanks so much for offering up that amazingly tremendously fantastic karma! And thanks for pulling my name out of the hat!
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Post edited by audiobliss on
Comments
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Nice writeup Michael! Vinyl is a world unto itself! Many of us who were raised on it, were glad to see it go. Me included. Over time, many of the newer recordings lack the attention to detail that was done in studios years ago. Hence, vinyl sounds better. I have a vintage vinyl setup that I enjoy, but my main source will always be digital. A good digital recording on a good digital player with the right electronics rivals the best that vinyl has to offer. It will sound different. "Analog" is a term that I don't particularly like to use. I have some vinyl that sounds like rubbish on the best vinyl system.
You might want to hear a good reel to reel sometime. Some of the prerecorded music on R2R sounded closer to the actual studio sound than vinyl. After all, it started on tape to begin with.
Enjoy your Denon TT. That's not Joe's clamp on there!:eek:Carl -
schwarcw wrote:That's not Joe's clamp on there!:eek:
he, he, he, it's a SOTA clamp. I figured the kid was getting a good start with a turntable I may as well chime in with something that would make it more enjoyable for him.
Your welcome Mike, if you need anything else, if I can provide, I shall be delighted.:)
PS: CLEAN THOSE RECORDS PROPERLY!!! -
Great writeup. Joe is a standup guy. That was great of him to send you the clamp and the brush. I never thought I would enjoy vinyl as much as I would, it all proves what good equipment can do. Enjoy it man I know I am.
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Just wait until you upgrade to a better turntable. You'll be amazed.SRT For Life; SDA Forever!
The SRT SEISMIC System:
Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
