The Clamp versus Clearaudio Twister

Ian lane

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here. It looks like a really friendly community.

My question, particularly to Joe, and others with experience of the Clearaudio Twister, is the sonic differences between the Clamp and the Twister.

I have been using a friend's Clamp and, like everyone says, it is a superb product. Since I doubt that my friend will part with it for love or money I am looking to the next best thing.

Has anyone directly compared the two?

Apart from the reduced clamping effect due to the flat rim on the Twister it appears to have less Delrin for damping and less torque due to a smaller diameter "handle"

Joe, do you think the Twister could it be modified to improve its performance?

Many thanks,

Ian

hearingimpared

Ian lane wrote: »

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here. It looks like a really friendly community.

My question, particularly to Joe, and others with experience of the Clearaudio Twister, is the sonic differences between the Clamp and the Twister.

I have been using a friend's Clamp and, like everyone says, it is a superb product. Since I doubt that my friend will part with it for love or money I am looking to the next best thing.

Has anyone directly compared the two?

Apart from the reduced clamping effect due to the flat rim on the Twister it appears to have less Delrin for damping and less torque due to a smaller diameter "handle"

Joe, do you think the Twister could it be modified to improve its performance?

Many thanks,

Ian

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your kind words about my clamp.

It wouldn't be prudent to try to modify the twister clamp but I have delrin shims that you can employ to improve the clamping and damping action of the the Twister clamp.

PM me your address and I will send you a set.

Thanks again,

Joe

PS: who is your "friend?"

Ian lane

Thanks guys for your welcome and advice.

Since you asked :-

My friend is John Herron. We live in Melbourne, Australia. He bought his Clamp for his Goldmund back in the Eighties, I think. I had a VPI HW 19 IV with a SME V, like yours, and later until fairly recently a TNT 3/ SME V, still with the original Mark IV platter.


Since you didn't ask:-

John lent me his original Goldmund clamp and a Black Diamond Racing carbon fibre weight to compare with the Clamp, on my current front end - Raven One/ Vector.

I thought you might be interested in a summary of our findings on a reputedly very good sounding turntable for which the received wisdom is that, to paraphrase "it sounds best without a clamp (certainly), without a weight (maybe) and without a mat (maybe)". You know - "clamps kill/deaden/overdamp the sound."

While I respect these opinions coming from the designer and experienced listeners, I have to say that their experience and reactions are completely contrary to mine.

The Raven One platter is a Delrin derivative, a material I would think is very suitable for clamping a record to. However it is dead flat, i.e. not concave - which is supposed to be ideal for reflex clamps.

To be as mercifully brief (as an audiophile can be) -

Each of the add-on options was better than nothing at all in terms of reduced background noise, focus, soundstaging, clarity/ reduced distortion (particularly with complex music).

The much touted Goldmund improved these things the least, although no washer was used with it and it may have missed a concave platter.

John thought the BDR weight was more inviting and involving than the Clamp with certain music - much like the old generalization about tube and sand amps.

I thought The Clamp offered much more detail and extension, spaciousness and dynamics (!) not to mention lower background noise.

I honestly do not understand the arguments of critics of reflex clamps. The design has to be well considered, as that of the Clamp surely is.

I guess that Joe does not need me to stroke his ego but I like to give credit where it is due.

Like others have said before it is a pity not to have The Clamp on the market any more. I am confident it would beat other big players out there. It would be interesting to compare it with the Basis clamp or Harmonix, for example.

Perhaps there would be some return on the intellectual property rights.

hearingimpared

Wow thanks for the write up Ian. My offer still stands on the delrin shims. Just PM me your address.

Ian lane

Joe your kind offer is certainly appreciated but I live in Australia so it may not be worth your while. I might be able to source your suggestions here . Otherwise I would be happy to pay for shipping.

Does the material of the shims make that much of a difference? I imagine there might be optimum diameters and thicknesses for different LP thicknesses and warps. Also the platter recess for the centre label area would also be a factor. Your advice would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

hearingimpared

Ian lane wrote: »

Joe your kind offer is certainly appreciated but I live in Australia so it may not be worth your while. I might be able to source your suggestions here . Otherwise I would be happy to pay for shipping..

It's only a couple of postage stamps Ian, I can afford that.

Ian lane wrote: »

Does the material of the shims make that much of a difference? I imagine there might be optimum diameters and thicknesses for different LP thicknesses and warps. Also the platter recess for the centre label area would also be a factor. Your advice would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

I think the shim material being made of delrin makes all the difference in the world compared to rubber or metal shims.

There are three different size shims which allow a variance of presure to be placed by the reflex clamp.

PM me your address.

Thanks again for your kind words,

Joe

danz1906

Welcome to the Club.

hearingimpared

Ian lane wrote: »

Thanks guys for your welcome and advice.

Since you asked :-

My friend is John Herron. We live in Melbourne, Australia. He bought his Clamp for his Goldmund back in the Eighties, I think. I had a VPI HW 19 IV with a SME V, like yours, and later until fairly recently a TNT 3/ SME V, still with the original Mark IV platter.

Tell John to send me his Clamp and I'll polish the collet and change the lubricant used in the Clamp. Think of it as a refresh of the internal parts of the Clamp.

If he is interested let me know and I'll PM you my address.

Ian lane

Thanks Danz for your welcome.

Thanks yet again Joe.

I will certainly let John know about your kind offer.

Can you PM me? I have not racked up enough posts yet to PM anyone here.

Cheers,

Ian

hearingimpared

Ian, I sent you a PM with my email address in it. Did you get it?

Ian lane

Yes thanks Joe. Just got it. Check your Inbox for my reply.

hearingimpared

BTW Ian welcome to Club Polk.

treitz3

Ian lane wrote: »

I thought The Clamp offered much more detail and extension, spaciousness and dynamics (!) not to mention lower background noise.

Well, wouldn't ya' know it. Ears that are half a world away that have the same evaluations as these ears.

Welcome to Club Polk!

Ian lane

Thanks guys. It is nice to be here.

Also good to have my ears validated.

Cheers