Can I use a record stabilizer with my EMT turntable?

As there are different types of turntables we must have a look on which turntable you want to use the stabilizer.

There are the EMT 927 and EMT 930 which use main platters with a high mass for good W&F parameters. The bearings of these turntables are made for a large mass and such for a high weight. But the auxiliary platter has a very low mass and a very light weight. That makes it easy to be braked and slip upon the continuously rotating heavy platter. But with a record stabilizer and it's high mass the friction between main and auxiliary platter will increase and makes it hard to break the auxiliary platter. So please avoid using the fast brake if you intend to use a record stabilizer on EMT 927 or on EMT 930.

Although EMT 928 uses a main platter with a bit higher mass, the bearing is not made for high massses like record stabilizers. Also the same is valid about braking as said in the paragraph above.

For the direct driven turntables like EMT 938, EMT 948 and EMT 950 one must know the idea behind the drive: A light weight platter is accelerated by a motor with a huge torque. After the desired speed is reached the mass "is put into the electronics" for good W&F parameters. So each additional mass will influence the control processes. Next to that the motor bearings are not made for additional weights like record stabilizers.

Conclusion: For the direct driven turntables as well as for EMT 928 it is not recommended to use record stabilizers. For the workhorses EMT 927 and EMT 930 one should think whether it is really "necessary" to use a record stabilizer.

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