Ring Clamps. What do you think?

Some good reading for anyone interested in the nature of human hearing and what true hi fi actually does and what makes "AIR and SPACE"...location and distance in analogue music...compared to digital

Read both parts.

Also test reports of (spectral analysis) TTW Audio outer ring/mat and copper center weight.

http://www.ttweights.com/web-page_2.html

Thanks
Larry

Stringbean,
Ever notice the interlocking joints on the pavement of a long bridge? The bridge needs to have some play or it will surely collapse. That's engineering, same as with the guitar.
If you believe movement and air have no place in turntable design that is certainly an opinion your welcome to have.
I would think a heavy metal deadening ring would do just that, deadening the sound.
When is enough enough?

Larry- I took a look at the power point you link to on your web site. Unfortunately, it contains a very basic error in its argument that we can perceive energy with wavelengths far above what we typically call sound (>20 kHz). 10 microseconds DOES NOT EQUAL 100 kHz. Hz or kHz is measured in cycles per second. Time is measured in seconds. Time does not equal vibration. Regardless of that, let's go back to the example in the power point. The fact the we can perceive the difference between two sounds arriving 10 microseconds apart says nothing about our ability to sense vibrational energy in the kHz range (which, btw, is typically referred to as radio energy not sound or acoustical energy). I'll use an analogy. The fact that we can perceive which of two sources of light is brighter, tells us nothing about our ability to sense or be influenced by color. I'm not saying that we cannot perceive vibrational energy beyond the range of human hearing. But I can perceive bull$hit when I see it. Of course none of this says anything about the benefits of center clamping or ring clamping to LP reproduction. Conceptually, I think we can agree on a very fundamental level that when you drag a stylus, which converts physical variations in the groove (not the LP) into electrical energy across an LP, the relationship between the stylus and the LP should change only as a result of the information that is stored in the groove. All other variables should remain constant. The speed should remain constant. The LP should remain as stationary as possible, with respect to the stylus. The spindle fixes the LP in the horizontal direction. Center clamping helps maintain speed by helping combat stylus drag to a certain degree. Center and ring clamping both help fix the LP in the vertical direction, so that the stylus moves only due to the variations in the groove where the information is stored and not due to variations in the shape of the LP in the vertical direction. How different kinds of "clamping" interact with platters, mats, bearings, and LPs at a micro-scale is beyond my ability to conceptualize. Doug's comments make sense, but I think this is one of those things that is highly system dependent. Kinda like cables. There are some basic fundamental principles that govern on a macro scale, but after that, if you think it's important, ya gotta listen.

dood, i donno ehemmm, but certainly can do that for a lot
cheaper. lemme know if you need same thing for $50 and
i'll cut it for ya k? i can cut different shapes too. i
guarantee it will do the same effect as ring clamp as
well.
right now have few clamp samples made of pvc that are
superior to michel clamp

Ever notice the interlocking joints on the pavement of a long bridge? The bridge needs to have some play or it will surely collapse.

The interlocking joints on bridges protect the bridge from thermal expansion/contraction due to thermal extremes and water/ice infiltration. Turntables are not exposed to such factors. A less relevant example would be difficult to imagine.

Movement certainly has a place in TT design. Nobody's denied that. Specifically, the platter must rotate at the selected speed, preferably with minimal deviations due to external inputs like stylus drag. Additionally, suspended turntables are designed to move under elastic, spring-loaded controls to reduce the amplitude and frequecy of vibrations. (BTW, this is the exact opposite of the expansion joints in a bridge.) Beyond these two specific types of movement, the less a TT moves, the better its sonic performance.

Air, on the other hand, has little practical relevance to TT design (air bearing designs excepted, obviously). Most vinyl rigs would in fact perform better in a vacuum, as that would eliminate airborne vibrations as a source of sonic mud.

This last fact highlights the absurdity of comparing a TT to a guitar or any other musical instrument, as none of them would perform in a vacuum at all.

I would think a heavy metal deadening ring would do just that, deadening the sound.

You might think that, but as you've apparently never actually used one, you're just speculating. Why post a question to people who've actually done the experiment, then argue with their results? Are you seeking validation of your flawed assumptions, or just trolling?