LP Stabilizers, Do they do anything? Options

[mccarthyk]

I have been looking at LP stabilizers online after seeing them in a couple photos on this forum. They claim to "tighten the bass" and make the record sound better. As of now I am a little suspicious that these things do anything at all. Some of them cost $200 on eBay!

First off, what does "tighten the bass" mean, how would a "tight bass" sound different from a normal bass?
Second, do LP stabilizers actually do that, or anything else?
And finally, how does an LP stabilizer help the sound of a vinyl?

This post has been edited by Canar: Feb 15 2013, 13:45

[bandpass]

Some info

Might be good for warped LPs that never made it to CD, I suppose, but probably not much else.

[DVDdoug]

I agree. Unless the record is warped or there's some other unusual defect, you are unlikely to hear a difference in a blind listening test.

A different cartridge is likely to make a bigger difference. (Although a better or more expensive cartridge might sound different there is no guarantee it's going to sound better to your ears.)

Plus, the pursuit of analog vinyl perfection is futile Beyond a certain point, you can spend LOTS of money and MAYBE make a slight improvement in sound. But, you will NEVER achieve the quality of digital (in terms of noise, distortion, and frequency response).

[Engelsstaub]

...but you will NEVER achieve the quality of digital (in terms of noise, distortion, and frequency response).

...but one can achieve quality that is more than sufficient or better than "good enough." Furthermore I have some pretty fantastic-sounding LPs that sound better than their extant CD versions.

"Good sound" is highly subjective and some people like to tweak. Vinyl has its weaknesses and can be a pain to many, but it's pretty hard to fit a new "cart" to your CD player

OP: part of that aforementioned tweaking can be experimenting with weights such as those you've described. It's not hard to make such a device with a good hockey puck and a drill. I would mess around and see what I could come up with before I paid some audiophool-price for something nearly anyone could construct for themselves.

Depending on the design of your TT's platter, such a weight could actually introduce more warpage to the record. OTOH such weights may, on certain 'tables, reduce rumble. There are many things to consider and many variables. There's no universal answer IMO. (I currently don't use one.)

[Xenion]

I would be concerned about the extra weight for the motor with these stabilizers.

[pdq]

Some info

Might be good for warped LPs that never made it to CD, I suppose, but probably not much else.

CODE

While constructing turntables (the first one in 1980), I was learning all the time about
mechanical and acoustical properties of materials, how to use and combine these
and find solutions. This enabled me in the beginning of the nineteen nineties to
optimize several CD players, mechanically and acoustically.
The mechanical and acoustical aspects are far more important than exchanging
capacitors, resistors, opamps, wires and connectors. I also found out that the
physical properties of the cabinet, especially the way the metal from which the
cabinet has been extruded and the cover has been molded, do contribute to the
quality and similarity of the individual channels. Already taking out the plastic rod
which is attached to the power knob at the front of the cabinet, resulted in a more
precise, less make-believe high frequency reproduction.
Applying damping material in certain places in order to control vibrations that interfere
with the proper reading of the samples, helped me to acquire a lot of knowledge.
First the side panels, the metal top of the cabinet and the mechanics of the tray and
the clamp that holds the CD down were distinctively treated. The next step is to
determine the exact spots were vibrations occur.
While damping a Denon CD player with small pieces of bituminous sheet, I followed
a specific pattern when all of a sudden the stage opened up, was getting larger and
deeper, the harmonics were improved and transient reproduction (the weakest
feature of the CD format) sounded more exact and natural.
The CD player was cheap compared to the high end machines of Mark Levinson and
Krell for instance. But when my optimized player was compared to these expensive
giants in the auditorium of a high end shop, the simple player was in the same league
in every aspect, except for the ultra low frequencies. There the cheap player lacked
strength because of its small power supply. It goes without saying that the player was
a multi bit player with Burr Brown converters.

[Canar]

I've removed the poll. Either they are good or they are not. Truth is not a democracy.

[db1989]

Some info

Hmmm.

Already taking out the plastic rod which is attached to the power knob at the front of the cabinet [of the CD player], resulted in a more precise, less make-believe high frequency reproduction.

After trying many possibilities I found that the lighter ring consisting of upper ring + support + acrylic 5 mm ring + 2mm stainless steel ring is the most musical ring.

Each and every turntable that the ring was tested on, brought about the precision one would like to have without altering the speed of the signal (liveliness) and the natural color of the instruments, but yet eliminating distortion.

The result of this configuration is just that little extra precision what makes the saxophone player a human being, gives the singer soul, and increases the realism of the symphony orchestra. It increases the feeling of ‘being there’. Now one realizes that much of the high frequency content delivered by the cartridge is mere distortion, caused by the minute movement (vibrations) and eventually some distortion from the groove itself.

These high frequencies are fantasy-high-frequencies just like the extreme over sampling in digital formats. With the Universal RSR the high frequencies were exact and natural.

The things these people tell themselves to justify their wasted money and time. I… I don’t even.

It would be less of a problem, more just a case of yet another deluded person, if they didn’t insist on bothering everyone else with their silly feelings and the constant assertions that all these pointless items and processes can magically restore to music the legendary soul that digital audio so cruelly excises.