Thanks for all the contributions so far.
I have to specific points which may help to concentrate the discussion.
When you replace a screw-down reflex clamp with a record weight, you are giving up a clamping system that specifically seeks to take advantage of the two obvious evacuation routes for vinyl resonances, through the platter surface and through the spindle/main bearing.
Record weights do little to bond the record to the platter, so they presumably are not in the business of optimising resonance-damping through this interface. On the other hand, the platter is still there and the record is still in contact with it to some degree. So it is in contact with whatever mat you have on the platter or whatever surface the manufacturer chose to give it - Isodamp in the case of an SME platter. Does the nature of this material make any difference to the functioning of a record weight like the Kuzma Ebony? I dont know what material is on the top of the Kuzma XL platter, but presumably this must be compatible.
What about the spindle/main bearing evacuation route? All clamps and weights have some contact with the spindle, and thus potentially could make use of this to evacuate resonances. Is the Kuzma Ebony - or any other record weight, exotic wood or otherwise - designed to optimise this channel or is it instead designed to minimise contact there, so as to favour absorption of resonances by the weight itself?
Grateful for any reflections on these points.
Thanks,
Peter
I have to specific points which may help to concentrate the discussion.
When you replace a screw-down reflex clamp with a record weight, you are giving up a clamping system that specifically seeks to take advantage of the two obvious evacuation routes for vinyl resonances, through the platter surface and through the spindle/main bearing.
Record weights do little to bond the record to the platter, so they presumably are not in the business of optimising resonance-damping through this interface. On the other hand, the platter is still there and the record is still in contact with it to some degree. So it is in contact with whatever mat you have on the platter or whatever surface the manufacturer chose to give it - Isodamp in the case of an SME platter. Does the nature of this material make any difference to the functioning of a record weight like the Kuzma Ebony? I dont know what material is on the top of the Kuzma XL platter, but presumably this must be compatible.
What about the spindle/main bearing evacuation route? All clamps and weights have some contact with the spindle, and thus potentially could make use of this to evacuate resonances. Is the Kuzma Ebony - or any other record weight, exotic wood or otherwise - designed to optimise this channel or is it instead designed to minimise contact there, so as to favour absorption of resonances by the weight itself?
Grateful for any reflections on these points.
Thanks,
Peter