I thought it would add vibration from the pump. I was in the “Oh sure” camp.
The funny thing was the vacuum pump failed in my third month with the turntable and it took 4 months to get it fixed, Bah.
1 Like
My “thoughts” (and experience) exactly. 
You beat me to it.
1 Like
Pulled the plug on a P15. Fanless feature and future flexibility/more capacity were the deciding factors.
Thanks @audiojan, @Serhan and @luca.pelliccioli
8 Likes
Nice!
1 Like
Techdas has not one but two record clamps/weights for their tables. Their theory is that despite the vacuum hold down the records interaction with the stylus creates microvibrations/noise that can be absorbed by the weight. I think you need to shell out a couple of grand for the fancy Techdas Tungsten weight to get the full glory on your sucky turntable. TechDAS Disc Stabilizer Ultimate-Tungsten - TechDAS High End Turntables
3 Likes
That turntable really sucks!!
2 Likes
Well done! You’ll love it.
On fuse upgrade: my P15 liked HiFi Tuning Copper fuse much more than SR Purple!
1 Like
I am breaking the seal on one new to me record after another. Bathing it properly, and seeing just what that sucker can do. So far it’s a blast!
I took your advice and put on a record weight. First I lined it’s bottom with the amazing 3M wonder material. I’m thinking a cork on top. Uge difference in Slam.
This is what I discovered in my unopened vinyl collection. Highly recommended!
3 Likes
If you don’t have a sucky turntable, this titanium record weight is not bad for a damping material. It made a considerable improvement in the sound and cost only $175, not thousands.
2 Likes
This is a feature I don’t have, but always thought is optimal if you are willing to run a compressor somewhere. It simply seems to make much sense and is certainly well reviewed. I always asked myself, why not every turntable of a certain price level incorporates it.
I don’t have too detailled experience of different turntable concepts and feature characteristics, but as for most topics, I know people who are on micro level of things.
For those interested in different perspectives I just summarize one on vacuum hold down from someone who knows and heard everything around the world and builds leading turntables up to more than a quarter million, using a compressor for air bearing but intentionally not for vacuum hold down, although it would be very easy for him to add.
So the following bullet points are not mine as I personally didn’t have a chance to experience them, but anyway interesting.
The basic experience there is, that no vacuum hold down player sounds as lively and dynamic as an equally well engineered non hold down player.
One assumption why is, that all hold down players need sealing lips to hold the vacuum. This rubber contact to the record might damp/soften impulses more than a continuous hard contact to the platter.
Another weak point in such designs is seen in the non solid platter design due to the canal system needed for air vacuum generation, being on the one hand more prone to resonances and less good in their deduction. Platter construction being the most important design element of a record player in general.
The reason why on the same player the hold down sounds better than no hold down (and why this doesn’t tell much about a theoretical comparison between the same player purposefully constructed with and without hold down) is seen in the fact, that those players are from start not designed to sound optimal without hold down, as then the lips and platter design work even more against a usually strived for solid, uncanalized and hard coupled concept.
Other features more important for final sound quality (I don’t remember anymore) are not or much harder to realize due to the needed air canal constructions within the platter spindle.
Something to extremely care for is the fact that the records have to be very clean of larger and harder dust particles, as those can be heavily pressed into the grooves during hold down and damage the record.
The hold down concept is seen as a vintage optimization attempt of the Micro Seiki era, which a few manufacturers took over that vanished from the market and also few well regarded do today, but the concept didn’t assert itself in a way it would have on a high price level, would it be definitely superior.
A good clamp/platter design can achieve more or less the same connection between record and platter and enable other more important features for overall sound quality, a hold down construction limits.
————————-
So this point of view (not mine from own experience I don’t have) for all those who want to know all major perspectives on things as they may exist for many design decisions. We’re talking on a very sophisticated level, means, no record player on this level is optimal in every regard and all will sound quite fantastic.
You want to be seduced? Play this 45 rpm of Ben Webster with a cartridge like the Hyperion. It don’t get much more intimate than a good LP system!
4 Likes
Is the nine tracks on four sides? At least you’ll get your steps in every time you need to flip it over. 
2 Likes
I am now feeling I really miss my streamer. At least now I’m getting some much needed exercise, but I also beginning to feel it’s some very pleasant exercise.
2 Likes
The Hyperion is really breaking in! I’m playing a 45rpm of Art Blakey and Wow!! I have never heard a system that is more dense and live as what I’m hearing now! This recording is as good as it comes.
3 Likes
This is fantastic. It’s an interesting take on having a multi-out DC Power Supply(ies).
I just think that building a pneumatic plant with all measures to:
- isolate compressor sound
- isolate compressor vibrations
- buffering the compressed air to avoid pressure waves that come from the compressor or sudden air releases
- ensure air sealings are durable
- ensure that the air sealings over rotating and movable parts don’t cause mechanical friction
- sealings do not wear over time
- keep it all so air tight that there won’t be any hiss
- ensure that any intended air leak, think of air cushion for tangential tonearms or platters is realize without causing resonances in the pressure
Just from this perspective I cannot see any involvement of compressed air contributing to better sound quality on a turntable.
I think those topics are solved to a sufficient degree and the contribution to better sound is the tight connection between record and platter. Some just think that the small difference between this and a good platter/clamp system is not worth the other compromises mentioned.
But as I said, no one with a turntable on this level has to suffer 
The problem with forming a practical opinion just is, it makes no sense to compare with/without hold down on a vacuum player, one would have to compare a well engineered non vacuum player using a good platter/clamp system with a vacuum hold down player. As then there are further design differences, making it no apples to apples comparison either. So finally what we compare are overall packages…and who really compared complete larger turntables at home or a good bunch of players using the one concept with others using the other? In practice most decide for a concept and live with it, without having heard meaningful comparisons oneself…or they listen to someone they trust, who did.
So no one uses a Rega P3? Got one here.
What you don’t know you don’t know. I know it can be done well. It is easily proven. Sit your nasty self down and hear it on, and off with the touch of a button.
Hearing is believing. They scoffed when someone suggested the microwave oven. Now look.
6 Likes
I use one, love it. Has an Elys2, a TTPSU, the latest Rega upgrade belt, and all Groovetracer mods including the Delrin platter and record clamp. I feed it into a PS Audio GC phono converter. Love the sound.
1 Like