I've used one myself, but did not find it made any difference. Your experience may vary. Give it a shot. FM Magma fabricates a few variations of clamps of different weights. He also makes a stabilizing ring. I've not tried those, but I suspect that they might be more effective, especially with warped records. Fortunately the 401 can sail through without loss of speed even with this additional weighing down of the platter, something a low powered suspension belt drive would have difficulty with. There is, of course, the issue of convenience. I tend to keep the motor running for the entire duration of a listening session, lifting off the LP while the platter is spinning, because each start/stop puts in greater wear and tear on the idler wheel. With clamps and rings, there is the additional task of getting those off as well, which can be risky if your fingers slip - something that's bound to happen sometime, especially at a well fueled session
. Your call.
