FIX Dish Warped Records! Michell Record Clamp Review 

Do you feel this one is better than the pro-ject?

Never had a problem with weighted record clamps for use on flat records (they sit on the record, no threaded down force). Improves the spin mass and accuracy on light acrylic platters and diminishes micro vibrations. Usually expensive, found a good deal from an outfit in Canada for a stainless steel. Another turntable hack, the tone arm counterweight. I replaced mine with a dual weight low lying counter weight. Improves bass response and overall tonality probably by better stabilization (out of necessity, I invested in a second cartridge that weighed more than the original tonearm counter weight could offset)

Good to know. Wish I had one of these tables!

The only thing it does for a flat Lp is hold it tight to the platter. If you can hear a difference I'd be very surprised, doesn't really matter what they claim.

good to know it works without the washer

I think those books get a bad rep. I love them - but I do wish they would just ship them outside jacket - I have actually gotten a bunch of warps from records without the books - like the exclusives.

What is you're using a belt drive turntable?

Hello in Australia!

Awesome! Thanks for the kind words and the SUB! Just an FYI - the newest video (Philly Soul 45) is shot with the A7C II and most of the B-Roll of the records is done with the Samyang 45 1.8 - with the beta firmware - which seems to be working very well in both video and photos.

@@PiecesofVinyl awesome, I'm checking that out now...

Good luck!

Right …the foam ring is unique to this form what I have seen. And @vinylfury has had this for years!

It’s on the directions of the clamp when you get it. The felt pad gives you a raised center to allow it to do its thing.

And lemme know if you have any interest in a chat for the pod. Would be fun to hear about your YT + record journey to date 🤔

Yes! Definitely. Hit me up through my website email in the description and we can set something up.

This will not disappoint!

Nice! I feel like I have to with mine for the vinyl to touch. And thank you for your recommendation! Glad you’re posting more!

Super risky. But if it worked then I guess right on!

Nice! Hey thanks for recommend on all-town as well …when the next cash flow comes I’m start picking them up. I love getting into labels early!

I think they're made of delrin

Mine is metal too !

That is convenient.

I have not heard of that one.

@@PiecesofVinyl it's kinda got 3 outrigger arm that press down on the label section when the middle red button is pressed. Probably a long extinct dedign!

I found those and was very mystified. You say they work well?

oh- that would be bad!

FINALLY! Someone calling me out in the comments for a future video reference - I have started and stopped that video like 10 times - I will now make it a point to finish! Thanks!

I have a 700gram weight from Fluance and I actually started to think it was affecting the rotation - they claim that it 100% doesn't - so maybe I was hearing something different.

I always thought it happened before getting to the record store/dealer - coming off the assembly line - the record is still warm and then placed into the jacket while the PVC is still kinda moldable - I bet its a combination of all of these and each one might be different.

The pushing down only happens once to get the clamp on. I don’t think there is any excessive weight happening to the motor. This thing is very light. Also it’s made for a turntable(s) that cost way more than the fluance so it I think it’s fine.

it flattens them while they are playing - its not heating the vinyl to re mold it - buy while they are playing they are great!

@@PiecesofVinyl might need to check this out

They list the standard as useable for 6.5mm spindles. They list the R version for rega tables at 5mm so you could measure your spindle and see which works. I think the standard is good for most people.

@@PiecesofVinyl The taper at the end of my spindle is the tricky part, it might measure a certain length but the top few mm aren't tapered

How would it throw off the balance? I hadn’t heard that.

@@PiecesofVinyl All I can think of is that it would throw extra weight on to one of the rubber support feet and that would cause the platter to list towards that microscopically compressed foot. I'll check that with my Rega and Pro-ject puck. If it's a well made puck or clamp, it shouldn't affect the center of balance for the record platter at all.

I know people have used this on older TT's so you should be good - I would measure the spindle length and choose between the two sizes they offer. thanks for watching!

I want to try the record pi - I tried the vinyl flat and it didnt work well - in either case - you gotta be careful!

Not sure. It probably would there seems to be a good bit of clearance on the spindle for the fluance.

@@PiecesofVinyl Thanks, i think i will purchase one

I have never had a Technics but I hear they are like tanks. I can’t imagine this little thing doing them wrong.

I would LOVE to try one of their Turntables.

Thanks for subscribing! I think the main difference from this to cheaper ones - might be the material used - on the Michell its listed as Delrin - and from my own - its a softer rubber and can mold to the vinyl more - in combo with the felt pad - it pops out the dish warp - the others listed didnt have a felt (not that you couldn't easily add one) but - they look like hard plastic, and wouldn't conform to the Dish warp - at least that is my guess - maybe I will get one of these cheaper ones and check it out - this thing is a god send - but if its $70 cheaper - that is a HUGE win.

Would love to have one of those tables! I’m not sure if the new ones being rubber has anything to do with it but you should def check it out.

@@PiecesofVinyl I thought the clamp just helped keep your record - lp - more steady on the platter, I did not realize it helped flatten your record on the platter. My record player is currently in storage. I purchased it from a well known audio store in New York City, that sells high end used equipment. This was in 1990. It was expensive at the time, but I think they just took the price of the turntable, tonearm, cartridge and sold it for 30 % of that price, original msrp price. I never had a problem with the turntable, although I did not use it that much. When I purchased it (Gyro dek) it did not come with a ac/dc power supply. They said it was in the shop somewhere. I had to wait a long time for it. I think they ordered me a new one, and I think that helped the sales person loose his job. When I went back to the store to inquire about my power supply I asked for the sales person and was informed he no longer worked there. Which I thought was very strange. Although this is all just speculation on my part. I didn't appreciate having a turntable that was not working, since when I bought it, it was missing the ac power block. Eventually they had one for me and I was able to enjoy my turntable. I currently purchased 3 turntables, that I will have refurbished for relatives and my self - a Preston/Bogan @1960 one speed turntable, a rek-o-kut 12gbh, and a gray research one speed turntable. I also purchased a turntable with no plinth - a rek-o-kut varible speed turntable. These are my projects to get restored and up and running in the next year. The rek-o-kuts and gray platters are very heavy and I hope should play nicely, as they all have what appear to be very strong electrical motors on them. I have both old and new tonearms to go with them. I also have, I'm not sure of the brand, a 1930's 33 1/3 and 78 rpm transcription record player, that I have to take the top off to see what is under the platter, and a 1950's transcription rca portable turntable. I'm not sure how portable it is, you can carry it, but it is very heavy and large. This is a I think mono turntable, but should not be hard to convert over to stereo. I have perhaps 185 transcription lps - these are the 16 inch vinyl lps. I'm sure the new Michell clamp would work wonders on all of these turntables.

Good info. I have been testing out the vinyl flat very cautiously for a few months now and I have had very mixed results and have been reluctant to share them. Mine doesn’t seem to get up to a high enough temp on low. Or even high. I had mine set to high and used the provided thermometer and it was still well below 130 degrees and it seems to heat very unevenly. I have only had one successful record so far.

I had an audiophile Beach Boys record flattened that was warped. It ruined the record. Even at LOW heat I wouldn't, who knows what it does to the grooves at a microscopic level. If the record is still playable I just live with the warp. You pay 30 to 50 for one record and its warped, totally unacceptable. Its greed, they rush production in the record plants. In the golden era 1960s / 1970s...rarely had this problem and records were 8 bucks.

Yeah, can't be good for the bearing.

The Michell clamp is just that a clamp, it’s not a weight, you turn the knob on top to lock it in place, it doesn’t add any significant weight to the bearing.

Bearings? You mean the motor? This wouldn’t affect the bearings at all.

Actually you’re wrong.

If that is on Amazon check their site directly. That said they have gone and come back in stock since I bought about this about two months ago.

@Pieces of Vinyl thank you. Great video. I just discovered the concept of clamps a few weeks ago.

this was designed in Australia - so it spins the opposite way - but NO! I didn't realize - oh well - there is an easter egg in this video did you find that???

Good to know!

I can’t speak to that. Most of the other clamps I have seen are metal so I’m not sure if that would be an issue.

I have not noticed any damage to the spindle on either a fluance RT85 or the AT-LP7.

@@PiecesofVinyl how come you switched from the fluance to the lp7?

I have tried it numerous times and I have only had one record actually fix - all the others nothing happened.

@@PiecesofVinyl I use my new LG electric oven with an external thermometer and probe, not their heated pouch. I have yet to NOT have success.

you do need to heat to permanently fix warps - but I have found it to be a very hit or miss game - and very dangerous - I lost BS Paranoid going to a service at that for "flattening" - my thing is - if its flat while its playing - why do I care if its not flat anywhere else?

I think the standard should be ok for the technics but measure it. The standard is for 6.5mm and the r is for 5mm

Thank you. I assume standard would be fine but I am using a 5mm mat on my technics, which is why I considered the “R” version.

I have never run across that yet.

@@PiecesofVinyl Well I have quite few times. The pick up swings and causes WOW which is very annoying with classical music. Thankfully I now use a CD player.

It’s still a little warped but much better and actually playable now. That said it’s more of an edge warp which this isn’t the best at handling. I agree with the plague of warps it’s an issue for sure.

I am pretty sure the R version will. It says it’s designed for Rega TT. Link is in the description of the video.

I do not see the R version. Just the one. Can you please provide a link to the R version?

I found it! Ordered it!!

I think it would.

I have been testing out the vinyl flat and want to try the record pi. Def keep checking back for updates on that!

You mean a 12” Lp? Yes it works for full size LPs. I have not tried this with a 45 7inch.

@@PiecesofVinyl Hi I meant to say LP12 Linn Sondek as it has a suspended platter.

I call it vinyl or vinyl records. I dont use the term vinyls. But I do use pieces of vinyl😎

@@PiecesofVinyl They are just simply, records

My luck sucks even more. After getting this I have significantly less warped records!

Try the michell site directly. But it will come back. They have been selling these for years.

It’s kinda like weed. It’s just better now!

*could have

@@PiecesofVinyl The point is that none of this audiophile garbage is needed ...

@@624radicalham I don’t think this is audiophile garbage. Maybe a record weight could be considered that but with this - There is a clear result…the record played wavey and warped and now it’s flat. At the very least it’s def. Saving wear on your stylus.

@@PiecesofVinyl Ok I can appreciate that. Most of your comments are akin to what they call "fence sitting" meaning you don't want to rock the boat or upset anyone, but with this hobby having an edge shows character and having strong opinions like you just wrote are awesome. Great video quality by the way!

wow - thanks for watching - its def. not clickbait - it is a temporary fix - but if it lasts the entire time the record is spinning - what difference does it make? it actually does work on dish warps - edge warps not so much - and if you are getting 6/10 records warped - you gotta get some better vinyl. I bought 12 records in the past 30 days - and four of them were double albums - one was a triple - so way more then 12 actual records and 2 of them were slightly warped - and I returned them and got a better copy. I have used the Vinyl Flat - it costs $300 and I tried it for three months on 6 different records and only one had one slight result - record weights - I cant speak to their effectiveness - they also don't claim to flatten records usually - but this clamp - worked better then the $300 Vinyl Flat solution - for when I am actually spinning the record on the table - which is all I really care about. Every dish warped record I have tried this on - it works - and in the video there is proof of that - so def. not clickbait.

Sometimes you can’t always return them or (in some cases) it’s a true limited edited and only 500 or so pressed.

If the dish warped record plays flat when you go listen to it using this tool - then it works - right? The end goal of fixing a record that is dish warped is to to get it to play flat- right? If you watched this video to fix a dish warped record and bought this device - when you use this device - it would have fixed your problem on the turntable - when listening to your records - Where it matters.