Not yet clear if what I have is distributor or MSRP. There will be a new cartridge launched at IASJ Tokyo as well. No info on that or the AF2 yet. I'll snap some shots for you guys when I get there. There's also a platter dust cover if you find the gigantic dust cover a hassle. Those can be had now. They don't cost much.
I think I need glasses! I got it! I had it all along. MSRP is about $700.
I haven't tried an LP1 but my buddy is the Stillpoints distributor here. Maybe he has one I can borrow. I'm not much of a clamp guy myself the last few years.
Does it just slide over the spindle or does it screw down?
Why would the AF1 need a record weight when it is vacuum hold or is this primarily for other tables?
It certainly does not need a screw clamp with vacuum hold down. It's about record resonance control.
It certainly does not need a screw clamp with vacuum hold down. It's about record resonance control.
I was thinking of it for my SME. The clamp screws down to flatten the record. The weights that just drop over the spindle don't work for me.
I would think the clamp was developed for rest of world players. Why would you need it for the AF1?
I was thinking of it for my SME. The clamp screws down to flatten the record. The weights that just drop over the spindle don't work for me.
I would think the clamp was developed for rest of world players. Why would you need it for the AF1?
i'd like to see vacuum hold down compared to record weights too.
my sense is that the Durand record weight would have a superior effect on overall performance compared to vacuum on most (not all) records based on my experience with the Rockport vacuum verses non vacuum tables in my system.....where the performance difference/advantage with vacuum was minimal if any. the Durand record weight has an obviously more consistently clear rise in performance than my sense of vacuum. obviously my experience was purely anecdotal and based on my memory and not scientific since it was impossible to compare the Rockport with vacuum to the Rockport without vacuum. whereas the Tech Das can be configured both ways.
I don't expect that this experiment would ever see the light of day, but if it did I would be curious.
and to be clear my conjecture is only that; a wild ass guess based on my experience. i simply find that the Durand record weight is essential to optimal performance (in my particular system to my ears) now that I've used it for almost a year. I've loaned it to a number of friends who have used it on their different tt's and had the same perception (with possible variance in degrees) as myself.
i'd enjoy trying the new TechDAS weight sometime to compare. obviously with the TechDAS at $700-$800 verses the Durand at $3500 the value equation for users is different.
In my experience a lot of records aren't truly perfectly flat. I would think better coupling to the platter is a benefit; be it vacuum, periphery ring clamp (with center weight), etc. Just conjecture on my part, I have not done testing with hold down systems, all my turntables have only had center clamps.
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