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To weight or not

Salamander

Salamander

pfm Member
I have recently purchased a Technics SL150 mk2, partnering with a RB600 and Lyra Helikon. Just purchased a FF Achromat (thanks Darren) now looking at a TT weight. They seem to range from approx 300 - 800gm and have looked at one at 760gm, my thinking if you're going to do it you might as well go for it. :) My question of course is do they make an improvement and what weight should I be looking at?
Thanks
Dave
 
All that extra weight means a lot of PSI on a single point bearing. I would expect a fair bit of bearing wear over time.
 
Very nice table!
Weights make no real difference and put a lot of strain on the bearing. Buy a Michell instead.

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cubastreet said:
All that extra weight means a lot of PSI on a single point bearing. I would expect a fair bit of bearing wear over time.
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Only if you left it running for a decade or two. Especially if you didn't keep the oil topped up, but that's another thing.
 
Oil will make very little difference to tip wear, or noise, in an unpressurised point contact bearing as (most) turntables use.

The problem with weights is that they increase load on the bearing, if wear isn’t an issue then noise (from the bearing) will be increased. The problem with clamps (like the Michell shown) is that they don’t actually provide a lot of downward clamping force but they do do a very good job of connecting the record to any bearing noise.
 
YNWOAN said:
Oil will make very little difference to tip wear, or noise, in an unpressurised point contact bearing as (most) turntables use.

The problem with weights is that they increase load on the bearing, if wear isn’t an issue then noise (from the bearing) will be increased. The problem with clamps (like the Michell shown) is that they don’t actually provide a lot of downward clamping force but they do do a very good job of connecting the record to any bearing noise.
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I assume your last sentence means it is not a good thing. I have just watched a couple of You Tube vids on the Michell and it does appear to flatten the record, like one of the reviewers stated "90%". Would having less warp to deal with counter act your comment on bearing noise?
 
I had a Michell back in the eighties and it did the job very well. Then it broke (not my fault), so I sent it back. I've not heard a word from them since.

That means that I no longer like them.
 
My Revolver "The Pig" is still in perfect nick after donkey´s years of use. Never did anything for the sound but it forms part of my preparation for a vinyl-playing session. There is something pleasing about the feel of rubber around a nipple like spindle ...... oops sorry, wrong forum
 
Personally I have no experience of record weights, I have owned a couple of Michell Gyro's, I preferred not to use the supplied clamp. Though they're definitely not heavy.
Perhaps a heavy weight wouldn't be great on a light weight either sprung or rigid design, I can't see even the heaviest record weight available effecting the bearing on a Dais, considering the platter is 20 Kg. I'm not familiar with your Technics, but I suppose consider the design and perhaps use a weight or clamp that 'fits' with the design.
(Your welcome, Hope the Achromat does your job.)
 
Salamander said:
I assume your last sentence means it is not a good thing. I have just watched a couple of You Tube vids on the Michell and it does appear to flatten the record, like one of the reviewers stated "90%". Would having less warp to deal with counter act your comment on bearing noise?
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How well the Michell (and similar clamps) flattens warps depends entirely on how hard you press down on it when fitting. The only type of clamp that can really flatten a record is the type that screw on to a threaded centre spindle and tension the record over a raised washer. Even then, the amount of pressure such clamps exert is really significant and can bring issues of their own (small cracks around the centre hole of the record for example).

Added noise is never a good thing and any decent arm should be able to cope with a warped record.
 
As a fan of the Roksan philosophy that includes a removable spindle to decouple the record I wouldn't (and couldn't) weight or clamp. IMHO I can't imagine all that weight would be good for the bearing's longevity and would also create bearing noise.
 
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Agree heavy weights will wear bearing faster...

Seems a much better option is a screw-down clamp - which surely does the same thing if not more as the record will see it...
 
Though you still have the problem that bearing noise is also very effectively coupled to the record.
 
I've got a few decks, an SL-150 among them. Both my Lenco (modified bearing) and Spacedeck have weights. I use a Michell clamp on the Technics though, as the bearing really isn't in the same league as the other decks.
 
I would think that chucking 'weight' at a Technics DD type would be ill judged. My thinking is that the drive system is likely optimised for the mass that Technics designed.

The large mass belt drive types would be safe enough for weight. Personally I use a Michell clamp on my Thorens TD145 MK2. To be honest I am not sure it makes much difference - warping is pretty rare amongst my records.
 
The Technics is designed to work, primarily, with regard to the rotational inertia of the platter; and adding mass to the centre will have very little effect on this. However, I’m not saying that doing so is necessarily a good idea ( not at all). The bottom line is that there are pros and cons to all the stated solutions. What I would say though is that flattening minor record warps is unnecessary and the mechanics to achieve it actually do more harm than good.
 
The sme setup with screw spindle , clamp and slight concave works well.

If only there was a low mass, high clamping force option that worked on any deck ;-)
 
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