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From: rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: If I may step aside from the CD/LP Wars,...
Message-ID: <1210@hound.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Jun-85 13:28:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: hound.1210
Posted: Fri Jun  7 13:28:05 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Jun-85 04:00:47 EDT
References: <2412@decwrl.UUCP> <350@moncol.UUCP> <304@tilt.FUN> <1199@hound.UUCP> <164@harvard.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
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[]
If I may step aside from the CD/LP wars for a moment or so, I'd like to pass
on a couple of low cost gimmicks I have lately discovered that appear to have
a very high cost/effectiveness ratio. (That's the way you say it although it makes more sense as a high effectiveness/cost ratio)
I recently purchased from some mail-order (catalog) place - don't remember the name, but it was one of those expensive places whose catalogs come unbidden in
the mail if you get on the right/wrong lists - two gadgets that have amazed me
by apparently improving my enjoyment of my phonograph. Each was about $10 or $12plus shipping.
Ther first was a mat made of genuine carbon fibers that fits tightly over the
turntables center post. Assuming the turntable is grounded, the purpose is to
drain off static charges from the record. Now Years ago I saw an explanation
of why this wouldn't work. Unfortunately for me, I believed the explanation.
The truth is, it does work. Now I have tried a lot of things in the past,
and some worked sometimes. e.g., burning candles ionize the air - if you use
the right kind of candle. Beeswax works well, the usual petroleum derivative
candles don't. The "zerostat" gun to zap ions onto the record works for me
sometimes, but not usually and is too much of a pain to bother with most of
the time. This pad really works for me. There seems no trace of static
fields around the disc. dust blows off. I often don't even bother mopping
off the dust. The brush on the shure cartridge is sufficient. Gone are
all sorst of crackles and pops. 
Many of which I didn'r realize were static electricity caused.  THere is still
an occasional POP, or BANG, I don't know from what, but they repeat at te same point. This, of course works best on new teldec vinyl records, but Ive also played older garden variety records with about equal success. It <does> reduce
background noise.
Item is labelled "Omega One Sound Saver- Transcriber Co. Inc."

The next gem is a little, ivory colored plastic, three-legged record clamp.
It is marked "EON Canada Patent Pending." Eacj leg has a small rubber tip
which presses on the record. A central assembly slips over the turntable
center post, the three legs rest on the record. You press down on a plastic collar around the center-post collet. this puts downward pressure on the record
which is maintained by the collet's grip on the centerpost. After playing you
lift up on the collar and the collet pops off the spindle, releasing the
record.  It is my impression that this device is cleaning up the sound of my
records. The effect is subtle, but it seems to shift the reproduction from
disk in the direction of the "clarity" we have come to associate with CD's. 
I am not usually troubled with acoustic feedback - the margin of stability is
quite high, but it is reasonable to assume that long before a system will 
oscillate from acoustic feedback, the sound quality will be afflicted with
...muddy quality? I don't know. And I admit I could be mistaken, however
the difference seems big enough to me that I am now using this gadget
full time. It is a minor inconbvenience, but less so than trying to use the ZeroStat. It is extremely light, and is not going to affect my turntable
bearings one way or the other.
Good Luck, I recommend both gadgets highly.

-- 

"It's the thought, if any, that counts!"  Dick Grantges  hound!rfg