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Orosonic/Monster Cable Reflex Record Clamp

So when I bought my Brinkmann Bardo it came with an HRS record weight. I used it, seemed to be decent enough. Now I have never been a fan of record weights, I don't see the process they work through as being very efficient. 

On my other tables I use a Sota Reflex clamp, and the other one the Sota 1-Clamp. I like both well enough, and the reflex clamp to me is an excellent product. 

Now in my box of stuff, I did get a Monster Cable Reflex style clamp, branded as a Monster Cable one, which is the same as the Orosonic. It does a nice job pulling down onto the spindle when the center cylinder is released. 

Anyone ever heard much about these clamps and have an opinion? From what I hear there are not significant differences. To be honest, I am not even sure if they are necessary, but I feel better with on there as the Reflex clamp does a good job coupling the record and platter. Not as good as the Reflex clamp and vacuum platter of my Cosmos, but pretty good for a single device. 

Anyone use any of these series Orosonic or rebranded Monster Cable clamps? I think they may have been sold under other brand names also. 
neonknight

Showing 1 response by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
I have always found the issue with record clamps to be is that they cannot apply pressure across the record evenly. They clamp the inside of the record just fine, but do very little for coupling the edges.


Right. I tried a bunch of clamps and they all had that same problem. One that worked the best was (I think) Basis and it used an o-ring around the spindle and another around the perimeter of the clamp. So after some trial and error I came up with this:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367  Look close, its hard to tell but the washer around the spindle is carbon fiber. There's a bit of Blue-Tack between it and the bearing. And now a more recent mod not in the photo, there's fo.Q tape with a thin film of TC on top of the washer, and a ring of fo.Q tape around the perimeter of the clamp.  

The washer is just thick enough to hold the record up slightly above the platter. The carbon fiber clamp is dished out underneath. When clamped down it presses the record flat onto the platter from the outside edges in. Its enough to hold most records perfectly flat. 

I know the records are held perfectly flat all the way across because when the clamp is released after play it takes a second, sometimes a couple seconds, and then the record pops up. So it was effectively vacuum clamped even after the clamp was removed. 


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