Record Clamps

[Myles B. Astor]

Another clamp worth considering is from Hi-Fi Tuning. Not cheap but every time I compare it to the stock VPI clamp, there's not contest. Better instrumental body, less coldness, better low level resolution and microdynamics, etc. In short, just much closer to what I hear with the commensurate 15 ips R2R tapes. Where the HFT might fall slightly short of the VPI is in lower octave dynamics but here we're splitting hairs. Once one hears how the HFT clamp pops an image out at you, there's no going back. The palpability is second to none I've heard and assume it's due to the HFT's ability to absorb out of phase reflections created at the stylus/groove interface.

[Josquin des Prez]

Unfortunately, I don't have a way or borrowing a clamp to see how it affects my system.

On some records I have feedback issues with my sub, where it starts pumping, forcing me to turn it off. I've wondered if a clamp might tame those low freq. issues, or if it's just in the grooves, or if it's a compliance issue between my phono cartridge and arm.