Clearaudio Twister Clamp

A Screw-Down Clamp That Pulls the Record onto the Platter, Not Just Rests on It

The Clearaudio Twister Clamp is sold each, one per turntable. It weighs 190 grams and works differently from a plain weight: a stainless steel knob on top winds down against the spindle, and as it tightens it draws the clamp — and the record under it — onto the platter.

A weight can only press with its own mass. A screw-down clamp borrows the spindle for leverage, so the force holding the record to the mat is not limited by how heavy the clamp is. That is why the Twister does more than 190 grams sounds like it should.

A Twist-Lock Knob, a POM Body, and No Threaded Spindle Required

Fit, Load and Materials

The clamp weighs 190 grams — 6.7 ounces, or 0.42 pounds added to the platter bearing. The body is machined polyoxymethylene, the dense engineering plastic sold as POM or Delrin, capped with a stainless steel twist-lock knob.

It stands about two inches tall and measures a little over three inches across, so it needs more headroom than a low weight. Check the clearance under a hinged dust cover before ordering.

The Twister grips a smooth, unthreaded spindle. That covers most turntables, with two exceptions worth checking first: a deck whose spindle is threaded for its own screw-on clamp, and any Rega, whose spindle is too short for a clamp to get hold of.

Who Is the Twister Clamp Best For?

• You want clamping force, not just mass — the knob draws the record down harder than 190 grams could on its own
• Your records lift near the label — a screw-down clamp pulls that area onto the mat and holds it there
• You prefer a light clamp — 0.42 pounds on the bearing, well under the heavy stainless weights
• You like a clamp you can feel seat — the twist-lock tightens progressively, so you know when it is home
• You own a VPI or a Rega turntable — VPI spindles are threaded and the Twister needs a smooth one; Rega spindles are too short for any clamp to grip. Both take a weight instead, from record clamps and weights

How Do You Use It?

Set the record on the platter. Lower the clamp over the spindle until the body rests on the label, then turn the knob clockwise until you feel it take up and the record pulls down onto the mat. Snug is enough — it is not a fastener. Back the knob off before lifting it away.

Pairs Well With

What most Twister Clamp owners shop next.

• Turntable mats — the clamp pulls the record onto whatever is underneath it
• Record brushes — a dry sweep each side, with the record clamped flat
• Stylus force gauges — the other five-minute setup job that changes how a record tracks
• Record cleaning solutions — for the grime a brush leaves behind

Frequently Asked Questions

How many do I need?

One. The Twister is sold each and a turntable takes a single clamp.

Will it fit my turntable?

It fits turntables with a smooth, unthreaded spindle, which is most of them. Two brands are out: VPI, whose spindles are threaded for VPI's own clamp, and Rega, whose spindles are too short for a clamp to grip. Owners of either want a record weight rather than a clamp.

How is it different from a record weight?

A weight presses with its own mass and stops there. The Twister screws against the spindle, so tightening the knob adds clamping force beyond its 190 grams and pulls the record down rather than sitting on it.

How tight should I make it?

Turn the knob until you feel it take up and the record settles onto the mat, then stop. The clamp is holding a record, not torquing a bolt, and over-tightening loads the bearing for no gain.

See It in Action

Garth Leerer of Musical Surroundings, Clearaudio's US distributor, fits the Twister to a turntable and shows how the twist-lock knob draws the record down:

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