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Mats and Clamps

Citizen Gain

Citizen Gain

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Short Version: I need a new turntable mat to use with a clamp or weight, because the stock mat has ridges. What should I use?

Long Version:
I finally made repairs on my my Thorens TD 145, and after many months, I'm back to spinning vinyl. To commemorate (I assume) this happy event, my Dad gave me his complete Beethoven symphonies and concertos on vinyl. It's a fantastic recording, from Deutsche Grammophon, with Herbet Von Karajan conducting the Berlin(er) Philharmonic(er).

But the records had been laying flat for a dozen years or so, and are now slightly... uh... bowl-shaped. It's not a major deformation, but it does appear to be causing some mistracking, and could possibly effect the skate settings I suppose.

I have been instructed that a record clamp or weight will press the record flat, and would be useful in this situation, as well as in general.

So I want to get one. I've seen all kinds of weights and clamps and so forth. Clamps seem nice because they don't effect the suspension on Thorens' platters. I have a brass turntable weight, but I've never used it because it weighs about three pounds, and that seems like it would throw off the suspension quite a bit. Although the suspension could be adjusted to compensate for the weight...

Ultimately, my question is this:
The stock Thorens mat has ridges, to raise and decouple the record from the platter. It can't be used with a clamp or weight. So I need a new mat. What kind of mat should I get or make, to use with a clamp? Seems like it should just be something simple and flat, like a felt pad or something. But I'm not sure. Mats, mats, mats...

Also, anyone have any recommendations on clamps? Is my three-pound weight too heavy to use with a suspended turntable? I could possibly manufacture something like this: http://www.vinylengine.com/diy-record-clamp.shtml

Thanks!
 
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Not sure about clamps, but for my Thorens I made a cork mat, it sounds quite a bit better than the stock mat.
 
Thats about it, it is the stuff you buy at art stores in a roll, about 1/8 inch thick, I set the thorens mat on it and cut around it.
 
I have made many cork mats, 6-7 now that a friend wanted some.

my method is outlined here in this thread.

as for a clamp, I have a Mitchell clamp I bought on epray that I find works very well on most of my TTs.

the only issue I see using this kind of record clamp with a thorens is the 45 adaptor which is usually a piece of aluminum, with a slot it fits into the sub platter.
 
treserious said:
I have made many cork mats, 6-7 now that a friend wanted some.

my method is outlined here in this thread.

as for a clamp, I have a Mitchell clamp I bought on epray that I find works very well on most of my TTs.

the only issue I see using this kind of record clamp with a thorens is the 45 adaptor which is usually a piece of aluminum, with a slot it fits into the sub platter.
Click to expand...

Nice work! looks good. :thmbsp:
 
Divotdog said:
How do you like the 145 so far? have you done any modding yet?
Click to expand...

I love the 145! No modding yet, but a new mahogany plinth is in the works, as well as some chassis dampening. I just got a new cartridge (Grado Black) which is nice. Also could use a new belt.
 
Divotdog said:
Nice tables, I have been going nuts on mine including a new plinth! it can be seen here.
Click to expand...

Holy Crap! That is some fine work! I had not considered weighting my plinth. I was simply going to make it large, and from a dense wood, with a base of a resin-impregnated wood-like material that is very heavy. I'm also loosing the rat-tail power and RCA, replacing them with an IEC and RCA jacks, to use whichever cables I choose.
 
Citizen Gain said:
Holy Crap! That is some fine work! I had not considered weighting my plinth. I was simply going to make it large, and from a dense wood, with a base of a resin-impregnated wood-like material that is very heavy. I'm also loosing the rat-tail power and RCA, replacing them with an IEC and RCA jacks, to use whichever cables I choose.
Click to expand...

I am not sure if it was the weight, or the dampening characteristics of the sand, but the difference in sound was absolutely amazing!
 
Toss the Thorens mat I made one of cork, and one of the foam perforated shelving material for my Thorens TD125 MKII, but after comparing the cork one with the DIY shelf liner mat, I went back to the non cork mat. It just sounded better, more open and much tighter bass. Both were the same thickness so VTA was not an issue. I got the material at Walmart for $2.99 - enough to make 10 mats or so, and is the same material that the guy on eBay sells as the Audio Bliss mat. I did rinse and dry the mat once cut to make sure there were no chemicals left on it.
Regards,
Jim
 
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