Record Weights: Are they worth it?
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
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Turntable weights are designed to reduce vinyl warping, and some even staff a noticeable improvement of sound? But do they really work? In this video we'll test an entry level record weight to see how it affects the sound.
Easy one for me. I had been planning on getting a weight but after watching this, I won't be. I couldn't tell a difference in the least and I was wearing my best AKG headphones. I can see if you want the turntable to look cool (it does) but no way I'm spending $30 minimum for no reason at all when it comes to sound quality. It certainly helps for warped records but I don't have any so it wouldn't help me there either. Thanks for the video!
Your brain is on easy... Compressed audio files on yt have nothing to do with sound quality of a real record. Are you an imbecile? People have cartridges worth thousands of dollars and the flatter the trajectory of the stylus the less risk of damage to it and the vinyl itself. I use outer ring clamp and the playback is x 100 better. But playing records worth $1000 is worth the costs. Forget about this $30 garbage
I use a weight, whether it makes any significant difference i,m not sure but i think it looks cool on my turntable 🙂
You're the most honest person on the internet.
People talk as if $30 is a huge scam. When we buy a tv how much does a streaming service cost? Cellphones, how much do we spend on cases? Charging cables? Car charger? Do we need a bluetooth mouse to get work done? Of course not but we don't want to look lame. FOH
I'm with Allan..🤣🤣
The whole point I think
I'm in the snake oil group. It is quite possible the weight or clamp could also make the edges of the record less flat, depending on where the variance in flatness is on the record. Tone arms are designed to float with the record, motors are designed to turn a specific mass...the human ear is only capable of so much. These are my thoughts...like anybody else really cares.
Gravity!
@@BrigadoonZyphoon Affects everything to some degree...
kevin from "the Office"
And maybe slightly depressed. I worry more about stabilizing his mental health after watching this than about record stabilizers.
conpletement bidon c est pour vendre
definitely a shoe-in for the next actor to voice over Garfield
Probably good at trivia.
I can't unheard it now.
My concern would be about the added weight on the main spindle bearing.
Electone_Guy Not to mention how stupid you would feel, after you found out that it didn’t do jack shit except empty your wallet.
If your bearing is not designed to handle the extra weight, then you should not use the extra weight.
For such a turntable, there is likely not much you can do to improve the sound quality, if the bearings lack reasonably good quality. Such bearings themselves are likely to be contributing to subtle vibrations and rotational impreciseness.
The better the turntable, tone-arm, cartridge, and the rest of the stereo, the more likely you are to reap the benefits of a weight.
And keep in mind that 90% of vinyl pressings are of poor to okay quality, 8% are very good, and 1% or 2% are amazing (percentages vary from album to album and from side to side). If you happen to have one of the few amazing pressings, on a very good or great system, that will all contribute to hearing the improvement that the weight contributes.
Lastly, 99.99% of folks that own turntables have not set them up properly -- not dialed them in.
There are lots of settings that, when professionally set, will make a huge sound improvement.
So when you factor in poor sounding vinyl (new or old, most of it is poor), not cleaned, with department store grade turntables, not dialed in, then adding the weight is not going to help.
Note that a clean looking, shinny record means zero in determining how it will sound. The only way to know how it will sound is when the stylus meets the grooves.
I’m looking at the Varia TTW10H weights, they look so good and have a built in 45 adaptor but at one of the heaviest on the market at 808g I’m worried it will harm my 1210s...anyone know if this is true? Or are the 1210s tough enough? Thanks
Unless you have a legit cheap piece of crap table ? That shouldn’t be a issue at all, also added weight only puts a minuscule load on the spindle bearing upon start up ..
That’s it
Perhaps don’t draw so many empty conclusions, based on nothing but own personal experience so it seems.
Most people that own a table, have a pretty good idea on how to level a table use a protractor and understand how much grams their stylus needs.. you pretend it’s rocket science. Well for some it is, I agree for most that are remotely serious about a table?! They do get the basics
You do know turntables have been around for a “while” right ?
Your 99.9 percent is a complete ridiculous figure
Also you talk about bad pressings, it’s not hard to find 180 grams vinyl. And remasters almost always sound a bit cleaner than their original pressing does (despite the fact hardcore experts claims otherwise)
Original pressings sound often veiled and require a significant higher volume input. Resulting in hearing more crap coming from you table ! I rather have a good remaster, and yes I do have tons of original pressings and most of them ?!
Compared to their remaster?! I prefer remaster totally if we are talking pure quality
I have that weight. Great value. It definitely helps on my warped records. I figure it can't hurt so I use it on every record.
I always enjoy your videos because you have a soothing, calm, mellow voice. That's especially good when many others are literally almost screaming at the camera (which is NEVER necessary).
Keep up the good work and keep those videos coming!
Differences like this are often pretty subtle. It helps a lot if the system in use is high resolution vs one that masks subtle difference....the clearer the system, the easier it is to hear differences. Record weights come in a variety weights. In general, more mass in a turntable tends to dampen vibration and noise, so even if additional flattening or clamping isn't necessary, a heavier weight is likely to make more of a difference in dampening than a low mass weight....how much of a difference depends on lots variables that are unique to each system.
If you're a music buff with an average sound system, there's a valid argument for spending the $20 on another album vs a piece of hardware that you can barely detect a difference with, if any. If you're more of an audio buff who enjoys excellent sound and the pursuit of improving it, $20 for a potential sound benefit is pretty cheap compared to other hi-fi components. A good cartridge tends to make way more difference in the sound chain than most things, but there are many small audio tweaks that can be made fairly cheaply. Some really push the threshold of detection....if you pursue none of them because of that, there will be zero improvement to your system. But if you implement several, the summed benefits can become pretty audible. I can't afford to experiment with the expensive snake oil non-sense, but I'll grab for the low hanging fruit every time when it makes sense. $20 for a 15 oz record weight, $14 for a cork/rubber slip mat, $25 for better audio cables, and $8 for isolation pucks under my turntable, and I've optimized my $400 TT expenditure, and gained some audible improvement that I can enjoy for years.
The trick with the weight is to couple more of the surface of the record to the mat. Energy travelling through the vinyl is damped and attenuated faster. The mass acts a both as a weight and lowers the resonant frequency of vibrational modes that have a vertical component. The amount of resonance caused by the mechanics of tracing the springy record surface with a hard diamond in the audible band drops too. The mistake most people make is that the mass is not there to make the disc flat. It is to attenuate resonances and to lower fundamental resonance frequency. The effect is that the mean position of the stylus in the groove has a smaller amplitude of error on each side and the vibrations caused by the stylus do not feed back into the cartridge to the same extent. The record will sound less resonant. There are some mats that exploit the resonance by tuning the record to ring at more specific frequencies e.g. RingMat. So it’s not a story about record flattening at all.
Honestly, it just seems like you strung a bunch of science sounding buzz words together. Record weights are mostly just woo woo.
I said A in the blind test.
Yeah, I picked a (slightly) noticeable difference in sound and thought A was better, too
Yeah I seemed to hear a difference on my phone even. But obviously by only judging the treble and mids
I said A - It was slightly "tighter" - I'd like to see the waveform and FFT comparison.
I, too, got lucky with my 50% chance of picking the right one.
It’s very suttle but the weight sounds more precise, I did pick A as well!
The weight does improve the sound removing the majority of crackles and pops, and the blind test made it easier to appreciate the difference, specially in the definition and clarity of the piano. Although I didn't see a significant flattening of the waves on the record.
As many other reviewers stated, a weight will definitely put stress to the motor, and in case of motors with low torque, ruin them. And even with motors with great torque, the weight can reduce the life of the motor. So it's better to check out the motor specs to avoid damage.
For me, it's more about stopping the record sliding on the turntable
Also. You add weight to increase overall weight of turning platter with a record. Heavier platter means less possible inconsistencies in revelations of it.
That’s why high end turntables are heavy as hell.
Weigh will also push record against your platter matt which will remove static charges from record better. Reducing vibrations of the record is a sound improvement too.
Great video. There is a slight improvement in the bass frequencies when you use a weight. You’ll notice it more when playing sections with bass guitar and other low frequency instruments.
The weight will slightly clean up the low end a bit. It’s a minor difference, but you really need to use samples with more bass to notice it.
Like with anything in Audiophile vinyl land, it’s lots of slight improvements to make a bigger improvement. The issue is the cost involved to achieve that.
I absolutely heard a difference . I paid $30 for my record weight . Works great .
I didn't hear a difference in the first song but I was able to hear the slightest little difference in the second. I was able to hear his breath before singing and it was muffled in the other one. I was also able to identify which one was the record with the weight in the bling test. It's such a small difference that I probably wouldn't notice if I wasn't hearing it back to back and specifically listening for it.
I had exactly the same experience. The effect sounded to me similar to the effect of room treatment on first reflections, less muffled and a little bit crisper and tighter, but subtle. The first disc wasn't resolved enough to have information to to distinguish, but the second one did. I noticed it in tighter and cleaner bass and better transients. Very subtle, though.
I use the weight to push the album down more on the platter. I have read that, in general, it helps to give a better overall frequency response and enhances bass. There are other ways to fix a warped piece of vinyl prior to playing it.
I've always been a sceptic when it comes to record weights, particularly for records with no major warping, and figured they are just a gimmick, but in the blind test A had a very clear improvement in attack, this video has made me strongly consider getting one now.
I agree. I couldn’t discern a difference in the music comparisons, but the blind test A did have some improvement.
Thanks for posting this! And THANK YOU for the blind test! It made sure that my decision was not bias. I’m an audio engineer. What I heard, especially in the blind test, was not so much a shift in frequency, but a difference in detail and separation in the low-mids. My educated guess is that the weight helps dampen any unwanted micro vibrations in the vinyl, which can cause low-mid frequency smearing. 👍👍
I appreciate the very clear side by side visual and audio comparison, it was easy to see the difference it made. I also thought A sounded a little fuller and had slightly better definition. One advantage to the weight over a clamp, my Rega owner's manual said not to turn the table on and off during a record playing session to avoid unnecessary wear on the motor. A clamp forces you to turn it on and off for every record, the weight does not.
I would have liked to hear something with a lot of bass, but this basically confirmed what I already thought. It might reduce some warpage, but that's it. I'm using high quality headphones, BTW.
Oh, and it looks really cool. that's probably the main reason for getting on. I think we'll start to see them with LED lights, hologram patterns, etc. that look really cool as it spins. As for me, I'm good. My records are really not warped enough to need anything like this.
Yes I was just able to detect a small, but helpful, improvement in sound with the weight and got the blind test right too -
Great video! It is funny that different brands give different wording between weights and clamps. IE, my gold Rek-o-Kut clamp does not have any threads on the inside to screw it down, it simply slides down and levels out my warped records more. Yet, I have the box right in front of me and it says 'clamp' on it. Different wording from different brands. I too was skeptical if it would have any impact on LP's being as small as it is, but it really does help!
Some, after it slides on you tighten it and it pulls a little center piece up into a taper thus clamping onto the spindle.
Yep, I definitely know how it works. :) That's why I said _different brands_
The weight may not be good for the spindle bearing especially on direct drive turntables. In my case a clamp noticeably improved the sound but with that said it has to be taken in consideration with the type of mat you are using. In any case you need a certaing level of system before you can hear these minor differences.
I started using a weight about 30 years ago together with a slightly concave lead-rubber mat and haven't looked back. It's less about the wobbles, but more about dampening resonances and improving the perspective. All instruments and voices get pinpointed at their place in the room. This is one of the cheapest improvements you can get for your HiFi.
If you have a floating lightweight platter, use a clamp, if you've got a turntable built like a tank, use a weight
I heard the difference in mine.
I also added brass weights on the plinth near the tone arm and this too improved the sounds on my system using
Fluance RT-85 with 2M Blue
Explain exactly where / how / what kind - these brass weights you added? Thx
It seems to put more air into the treble, very subtle. Thank you for this
There was a difference in sound with the weight on for sure. The weight is used to dampen vibration and platter rumble. I only run a weight for critical listening sessions. Otherwise I keep the weight off. As for added weight to the platter and bearing? That depends on the TT. If you have a good TT it really shouldn't hurt it....it really doesn't weigh that much.
best way to remove warps .. get two sheets of plate glass 13 inch square , clean them thoroughly. Place a record between them , place them in and oven and heat very slowly to 60 degrees C.. leave for 10 mins and remove from oven , allow to cool between the glass and remove the vinyl LP when cool .. job done .. flat LP :-)
Get a Michell clamp to deal with warps. With the washer, it'll raise your records slightly and then press it down. Makes a huge improvement on outer warps.
very good comparison -- I somehow knew which was weighted in the blind test, only after hearing the labeled samples. Weighted muffles or soften mids which may be good for some records
Weights and clamps help to bond the record to the mat/platter creating an interphase of damping and overall resonance reduction. This bonding means that stored energy (resonances) in the vinyl is transferred to the object of higher mass... (the mat & platter). This reduces unwanted spurious resonances that move through the record (and are picked up by the cartridge). You also need a rigid, dead, non-resonant platter for this damping to be effective. Theoretically clamps an weights help to achieve this. But you need to be careful that in the case of a record weight it isn't so heavy that it puts too much strain on the main bearing increasing bearing noise and wear. Another method is vacuum hold down which a few expensive turntables have employed.
One needs to know what to listen for. It's not a night and day but, without the weight I picked up that A was "with the weight" right away as B sounded a little less focused and woolly... but it's subtle and unless you're listening to equipment rather than music I doubt anyone would pick it up.
In my opinion, the record weight seemed to make the vocals seem a little more wholesome. I myself use the same record weight that your using and in my listening room I have experienced the same thing. Not a whole lot of difference but there is a little, so I personally use it all the time. thanks for the video.
I like using a plexi pad with a weight. The pad increases the punch/attack of the lower frequencies and improves clarity while the weight helps the record from slippage under drag. I am a working certified audio engineer and have archived over 1000 LP's on Sony and AT tables. There's my two cents.. you may keep the change :)
I use a record weight by some old records they are sometimes even slightly wavy but without any other damage. The record weight helps to keep such records on my turntable exactly, then the stylus does not skip and the record is played accurately.
Yes the diff is noticeable. With the weight, there's less sibilance. The weight also brings forth more bottom end. The weight is alleviating stylus suspension movement, also mitigating resonance / vibration. However a proper clamp must be min. 500 grams and 3.5" diameter for a proper improvement. The weight is particularly good for high volumes when using tower speakers, like my husbands 5+ ft high Polk SDA SRS spkrs. If you're using small chincy spkrs, difference noticeable but negligible. Remember Size Really Does Matter !
I have to agree that the sound improvement with the weight is negligible, if any at all.
In my case i experimented with a 460 grams weight and also a plastic clamp, and in both cases i can't hear a significant difference. Maybe i can hear a more focused bass with the weight/clamp on the record, but it's so negligible that i could also atribute that to my imagination, LOL.
I use the lightweight clamp on warped records, but i never use the weight, too heavy for the bearing in my opinion.
With earphones in i could hear a difference on all 3 and guessed straight away on blind test which was which, more clear in the highs was the main difference for me.
I use a very similar record weight that did cost me around € 25 as well and I hear a very subtle difference in the low end. Listening on the speakers of my MacBook Pro 11.1 as well on Pioneer DJ HDJ-C70 headphones I guessed right that A was the one with the weight.
Thank you for yet another great video!
It may sound hound to believe but a lot of accessories you have to live with to notice the difference. If you use the weight consistently for a while then you forget to put it on you’ll scratch your head while listening. You’ll wonder what is wrong? What’s missing? Why is there a subtle, but bothersome decrease in sound quality? Then you’ll look up, and realize that record weight wasn’t such a bad investment.
I spotted the weight on blind test just because I heard less floor noise... So even if the sound and frequencies and image ecc. Do not changes, it change the noise floor... So it is an improvement
It also adds dampening ... My weight is larger and heavier. It also has a felt base. Works beautifully and IMPROVES the sound.
You need a live i.e. speakers creating airborne vibration to hear the real benefits.
The thought process behind the weight is that it mates the record to the platter. I would assume that it works better with a solid platter (like those made from acrylic or glass) rather than a hallow metal one, but I still heard a difference. I heard a difference in an increase of bass heft of the first song (most heard on the last four banging piano chords). In the second song, you can hear vocals become a little more smooth. Considering you can get one for $25 off Amazon, I think it's worth trying.
No, I couldn't hear any difference what so ever
Great video. Also liked the Muse record you showed lol
On the blind test I did notice that a sounded more crisp and cleaner but just barely slightly if you really really really pay attention
Weights exist not so much because they work as because they are cheap. Record clamps really do work, and the better ones really do make a big improvement. Because of threads and moving parts though even a cheap record clamp is more expensive than most weights. Enough people are willing to throw away money on an experiment to keep the weights around. But they are a poor choice.
Even with clamps, very few are properly designed to truly hold the LP flat on the platter. To do that requires not only clamping but a washer or o-ring around the spindle thick enough to hold the center of the record slightly above the platter. This way tightening the clamp forces the outside edge of the record down onto the platter first. The result is even warped records are held very flat. The whole surface of the LP is mated to the platter. The platter acts as a damping mass to reduce vibrations in the vinyl.
One caveat, clamps work best with quality turntables properly designed to minimize and control the vibrations generated by playback. Many manufacturers, especially at the mid to low end of the market, rather than eliminating which is very expensive prefer to tune their tables to make the most of it. Clearly its better to eliminate noise. But if its cheaper to tailor the noise and you can do it in a way some people prefer, then you can sell to those people and make money. Especially if you're the first one to do this, like Linn.
Yes, go for it and keep using it. I could hear difference, I would use it!
Yes!.. in the blind test the opening bars of the piano DO sound a bit more vibrant. Only slightly but the difference is there.
It seems only certain frequencies are affected!
Besides, it does look kind of 'cool' with the weight in place.
Thanks for the interesting test and a very happy new year to you with many enjoyable musical moments.
Thanks for the test. But I heard a difference and got the blind test right. Maybe matter of luck but I heard there is slightly less resonance with weight on. Focus on the louder part of the vocal.
Jerry Zhao put the pipe down dude!
Placebo....
Record clamps can help smooth out warped records if they actually lock them down onto the platter spindle. I am not sure they improve the isolation at all but i have noticed no practical difference in sound on a belt drive turntable other than its made an unplayable record playable. You can get the best result with a rubber turntable mat that has a raised ridge on the outer periphery. This allows the warped record to dish down slightly under the clamp tension and therefore lie much flatter!
Weights are a waste of time for most people. The only exception I find is when you are stuck with a turntable that's close to the speakers. The weight helps reduce the microphonic effect. Mass loading a record helps dampen it. That said so would a heavier platter, a better mat or better yet moving the turntable.
I think the last comment is important: to use the weight only with warped records makes sense and so far I have detected sensible differences in sound too. But only if the record is warped or lightweight. I have noticed I don't need it on Acoustic Sounds, Blue Note Tone Poets and similar vinyl.
I'll be buying one for my turntable soon.
Just came across this since I’ve been researching and testing weights recently. I’m also doing blind tests and can’t tell the difference between weight/no weight, let alone differences between weights. I also haven’t seen any sonic improvement with warped records. The reviewers that say the difference “is not subtle” are being tricked by visual cues, leading to confirmation bias.
in the blind test i selected A as the weighted side. it could just be me (my system) or youtubes playback quality but i swear Blind B had slightly more waver in some of the notes. But who knows music is very subjective to so many factors lol.
I've got A subject for the blind test, the most harder piano parts got more cleanness I think there is a slight difference about how much clean sounds. Reduce a little bit of the saturation and adds more cleanness to the voice when it get the highs. The second record, definitely has more cleanness when it says "Im the only one" in the word "I". In the first record I can't tell any noticeable difference, maybe in the highs are more intelligible. But how as I said before, is a slight difference. Noticeable in a very high end audiophile gear maybe.
A clamp should have a small rubber disc that sits under the record so the camp then presses the record down over this disc and the record is then forced to lie flat at the edges. I use a record clamp all the time for warped valuable records. Could not play them without it.
I have a thorens so I only care about the dampening. Thorens TTs vibrate alot but damn they sound good
I do too.thorens TD 147..from early 80's
Take a look at the Mitchell record clamp. A felt washer goes over the spindle first, then the record. Then the clamp can pretty much flatten out most records to the edge without adding more weight.
I half way deff and i did find the one that had the weight correct in the end.
The weight sound more centered and deep where the one without sounds like it has effect and thin and bright rather Than warm.
Speaking for me, I use a spindle weight (Audio Technica AT618) weighing in at
Pretty much what I expected. Helps with warps but not much at all with sound. The extra stress it puts on weaker bearrings is not worth it, only if the record really needs it, but then again, clamps are better for that end without the extra weight.
I usually don't find myself of the "smoke and mirrors" crowd, but... A actually did sound slightly better to me, more lively and the sound a bit more sharply focused. Be sounded "flatter" and the instruments didn't seem as clearly defined.
I can't believe I'm saying this! It's what I heard, though. Night and day? No, but enough to make it worth my while to purchase. Thanks for helping me decide!
A record weight is practically mandatory for flexi discs. I just started collecting them and the weight makes quite a noticeable difference both in wow and flutter (and as a result overall sound) as well as flattening out any inconsistencies in the disc itself. I'm amazed at how good they can actually sound.
If you own flexis definitely pick up a weight.
This has been done before. Totaly flat records play the same as a warped one. They sound the same. Neither do any harm to your cart, needle or arm. I have one because i love the look. I also enjoy buying hifi bits and pieces
I'm concerned that it might cause stress on the motor on my vintage turntable. From what I understand that with a warped, or if the record is not completely flat, both sides of the grooves are not going to track correctly which can cause distortion and poor balance and reduced soundstage.
A clamp can also help in other ways. Mass helps couple the record better to the platter matt. I assume many people can get a cartrige aligned and dialed in 80%. More than that if it is a dealer or experienced tech. The real question is, if there is so much bad vinyl, why have a turntable? I happen to disagree with the "bad vinyl" percentage being so low; as stated in the comments. Unfortunately, many of ny favorite bands from 40 years ago didn't record well to begin with. The microphones, electronics and setups were bad from the start, for alot of the rock bands and mainstream music.
In the blind test there was a worble that wasn't on A and that was easily noticeable to me on the sustained notes of the piano.
I would think the main benefit of a record weight would be to help stabilize flutter, and to a lesser extent, wow, simply by adding mass, and therefore inertia, to the platter
I heard a minimal difference, but both sounded fine to me, so I couldn't figure it out. On the yellow record I heard no difference, on the first record a heard a bit more of a difference than the blind test, but there again, I couldn't decide if it was an improvement or not, it was just...different. I only listened on a crappy 2.1 Logitech speaker though.
This is the 3rd video that I've watched concerning stabilizer weights, and no one has talked about how much weight is the sweet spot. 😶
LOL, no one ever says which species of snake yields the best oil!
You need the $300 weight not the $30 one.
Just kidding. I was able to hear a difference though. The camp has more tamed sibilance and fuller low end and mids. I was able to tell which one was which on the blind test too. And that’s through my iPhone speaker.
I'm with you. I've also listened this on a mobile (intentionally) and voted for A. I'm just worrying about what others said about the extra load on the bearing.
@ record clamp vs no clamp would be a good comparison, and doesnt add load to the bearing
Agree there was a difference. As for added weight to the platter and bearing? I only run the weight for critical listening sessions. Otherwise I keep the weight off. If you have a good TT it really shouldn't hurt it....it really doesnt weigh that much.
@@daviewavie112k
My hearing is crappy and I picked “A” right away in the blind test, for what it’s worth.
I want to get one but for a different reason. I use two mats made out of different materials and they are sliding when I brush them with the carbon fiber brush. I think a weight would fix that.
And yes, I hear a bit of difference. I´m using a Hi-Res certified gaming headset with an external dac.
Solid gold weights sound the best.
I read because of the density gold has in relation to the vinyl.
Love hifi🤓
Peter Rabbit can't you just use a lead clamp of the equivalent weight painted in gold and send me the actual gold? I am pretty sure the record won't notice and i won't tell if you don't! 😂😂😂
Hi. Great test. I find little improvement over sound. I did guess which was "weighed" in the blind test. From what I heard, ring clamps are far superior for warp management (obviously) and sound improvement, but as you said the price is also far superior...Thanx. Peace -Patrick
I can't tell a difference in what a weight does for me, but I don't have any warped records, really. But it looks sweet! LOL
Well surprisingly I found weighted record sounding bit fuller and rounder. Maybe its a self suggestion but I guessed blind test.
Decades ago i also tried a weight. It was the one from Ortofon. However,i found the usability very limited.
Also,at that time i used a Dual 721who`s tonearm applies VTF with a spring,so the stylus is "magicaly" glued
to the groove on way stronger warped records than shown here.
On the other hand a mate had a Luxman turntable with a vacuum pump. That flatened all warped records pretty nicely.
Yes, A was certainly an improvement. For 30 bucks, I would say that it is worth the effort.
I heard the difference even on my iMac build-in speakers and was right at the blind Test. But still not sure of buying it.
In my experience weights help with thinner pressings, for 80 gram "audiophile" pressings you'll need the clamps or rings if it's warped cuz it's too thick for the weight to really do anything. It helps a bit but you're better off upgrading stylus, phono or speakers for a meaningful sound upgrade
With the weight the notes had way more attack. I thought it was some audio foolery but in the blind test I could tell pretty quickly. Now to see if it makes a difference on my Dad’s old Harmon Kardon table 😅. $30 is not too bad of a gamble in the realm of audio gear.
Definte improvement in sound quality in blind test A (I got it right), and in the earlier comparisons where the weight was used. I don't have especially acute hearing but I could certainly hear it. I suspect it's to do with the weight dampening the internal resonant vibration of the whole disc.
Phil Weight....what's in a name :-))
I have a warped record that definitely needs a record weight to keep it from slipping beneath an acrylic mat.
I wanted that yellow masked intruder LP. Then I looked at what it's going for on discogs. I was surprised to even hear them in this video.
Was able to hear them boss, thanks for sharing this with me
Surprised there was a difference listening through my silly pc speakers! Both the vocal and piano transients broke up more without the weight and sounded cleaner with the weight. It was much less pronounced with the piano. There's so many variables in a turntable setup though. The weight sounds a bit nicer in your system but could be totally useless in another system. I'll definitely borrow one now if I get a chance :)
I use my own technique but I am very picky. For every album I like, I buy 2. Heres why: my grandad used to own a wearhouse and when it closed, he had aboutb14000 pro-ject brand turntable platters. Figuring these clear platters are useless without an actual turntable, i decided to glue every record I have to them to have the flattest records and to have pure coupling to the platters. The 2nd records were so I could have the B sides to play on one platter, A on the other. So all of my vinyl is now permanantly attached to these acrylic platters but the sound...omg....i mean its virtually the same as before but just knowing my records are flat and permanently secured to the platters with glue gives me a feeling that I enjoy very much. Calcium deficiency!
i'm wondering how much room you need to store your records.
Yep, I picked A as better as well. B was "thinner" sounding and not as spacious. Listening with decent speakers BTW.
i ear a difference, i dont know if it makes sense: with weight on, it sounded like it had more atmosphere, more texture, and it tracked better.
After being a sceptic for many years I tried a modest (250gm) weight on my turntable, a rare vintage model with high mass platter. I found it made a small improvement in clarity with a cork mat. However, I've recently switched to an acrylic mat, which I'm really pleased with. The weight now makes a much more noticeable improvement in A/B comparisons as it seems heavy enough to stop micro-slippage between the polished platter, smooth mat and record, improving pace. In short I'd say that the usefulness of this kind of accessory depends on your particular setup.
Totally agree... I also have an acrylic mat along with the 600+gram Audio Technica weight. Paid 'stupid' money for it. I can hear a marked difference. Better midrange presence, detail and tighter bass.... Anyway it looks very cool on my new SL-1210GR so who cares! - Love it as a part of a system that I'm very proud of. :)
I stopped collecting records before they started using cheap warped vinyl about the mid 80’s, when the CD came out. I don’t have any warped vinyl. 👍👍👍
Whatever its effects, it looks so nice.
Sound diff was small but I did call it. Mostly on the attack of the piano, I'm surprised anything sound wise was noticed on utube. Usually blaring differences don't show. My computor is going thru a nice little amp and some nice GNP bookshelf speakers, sounds decent.
not only better sound but you can see less up and down movement of the tone-arm.
What album is the Yellow vinyl ? I like just from the small clip 😃
yes i heard a difference in the lower notes. also with the blind test. your test was a eye opener for me. Thank you very much!!
I was surprised the warp got better with the weight! I noticed no sonic difference at my resolution, though.