There are wood armwands and then there are wood armwands. As Rockitman stated, woods can be treated to such an extent that they are essentially impervious to warpage from aging, moisture and temperature changes. Warpage in wood is a function of the change in tension between the different grains. Each grain having a different density and moisture content, hence a different shrinkage (hate it when that happens)factor. By choosing the properly aged/dried wood with the desired grain pattern, wood is the optimal choice for an armwand. (All bets are off if the wood is green.) I know this statement will bring out all kinds of challenges. No matter what I say or write, I doubt I will change anyone's opinion on this topic. Nor do I care to try. I will say, IMHO, nothing in use today isolates the energy from the motor/plinth getting to the cartridge better than a proper wood armwand. No other arm material I have heard is as neutral. If there were better available, I would be using it. It certainly would cost less and save many hours to make a metal armwand than a properly prepared wood armwand.
One poster suggested wood expands so much that it will change their precise to the micron cartridge setup. Thanks for the laugh, and that is on so many different levels. First of all, cured/kiln dried wood in general has a lower expansion rate when compared to most metals. It is the moisture in the wood that expands, not so much the wood itself. Low moisture content hardwood has about a third of the expansion rate of aluminum and magnesium and half compared to titanium when the temperature range for testing is in the realm of our real world environments. Stabilized wood(where the moisture is vacuumed out and replaced with other materials) performs even better. Then lets talk about the thermal properties of vinyl. It expands and moves around at a rate about the same as aluminum. The problem is the heat generated by dragging the record grooves against the stylus generates huge temperature swings. How much heat is contested but 500 degrees F peaks might be conservative. There goes those micronic adjustments.
Disclaimer, I build the Schröder LT tonearms.
No matter which side you take, have a great Holiday!
One poster suggested wood expands so much that it will change their precise to the micron cartridge setup. Thanks for the laugh, and that is on so many different levels. First of all, cured/kiln dried wood in general has a lower expansion rate when compared to most metals. It is the moisture in the wood that expands, not so much the wood itself. Low moisture content hardwood has about a third of the expansion rate of aluminum and magnesium and half compared to titanium when the temperature range for testing is in the realm of our real world environments. Stabilized wood(where the moisture is vacuumed out and replaced with other materials) performs even better. Then lets talk about the thermal properties of vinyl. It expands and moves around at a rate about the same as aluminum. The problem is the heat generated by dragging the record grooves against the stylus generates huge temperature swings. How much heat is contested but 500 degrees F peaks might be conservative. There goes those micronic adjustments.
Disclaimer, I build the Schröder LT tonearms.
No matter which side you take, have a great Holiday!