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  3. 161137-245

TONEARM DAMPING : DAMPED OR NOT ? ? USELESS ? ? WELCOMED ? ?

Dear friends: This tonearm critical subject sometimes can be controversial for say the least. Some audiophiles swear for non damped tonearms as the FR designs or SAEC or even the SME 3012 that is not very well damped in stock original status.

Some other audiophiles likes good damped tonearms.


In other thread a gentleman posted:


"  If a cartridge is properly matched to the tonearm damping is not required. " and even explained all what we know about the ideal resonance frequency range between tonearm and cartridge ( 8hz to 12hz. ). He refered to this when said: " properly matched to the tonearm ".


In that same thread that a Triplanar tonearm owner posted:


" This is the one thing about the Triplanar that I don't like. I never use the damping trough...... I imagine someone might have a use for it; I removed the troughs on my Triplanars; its nice to imagine that it sounds better for doing so. "


At the other side here it's a very well damped tonearm:


https://audiotraveler.wordpress.com/tag/townshend/


Now, after the LP is in the spining TT platter ( everything the same, including well matched cartridge/tonearm.  ) the must critical issue is what happens once the cartridge stylus tip hits/track the LP grooves modulations.

The ideal is that those groove modulations can pass to the cartridge motor with out any additional kind of developed resonances/vibrations and that the transducer makes its job mantaining the delicated and sensible signal integrity that comes in those recorded groove modulations.

 That is the ideal and could be utopic because all over the process/trip of the cartridge signal between the stylus tip ride and the output at the tonearm cable the signal suffers degradation (  resonances/vibrations/feedback ) mainly developed through all that " long trip " .


So, DAMPING IS NEED IT AT THE TONEARM/HEADSHELL SIDE OR NOT?


I'm trying to find out the " true " about and not looking if what we like it or not like it is rigth or not but what should be about and why of that " should be ".


I invite all of you analog lovers audiophiles to share your points of view in this critical analog audio subject. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT?


Thank's in advance.



Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.






Ag insider logo xs@2xrauliruegas

Showing 4 responses by cleeds

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,657 posts
 
rauliruegas
... you can get way better quality sound using the " tape " around its arm wand. This is a must test you need to do it.

This other tape can helps you:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Scotch-Super-33-3-4-in-x-66-ft-Electrical-Tape-6132-BA-10/100073402

this is a streched tape and this characteristc is the one that works the best ...
Wow! That's electrical tape. I'd never put gooey sticky electrical tape on a pickup arm. If my arm needed that, I'd dump it and buy a proper arm.
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cleeds
5,657 posts
 
rauliruegas
The issue is not if it is electrical tape or what ever, the issue is that any tonearm arm wand need it that kind of damping ...
I think the recommendation you made to wrap a pickup arm with electrical tape is an especially bad idea and very much the issue. There is no way I'd put that gooey, sticky product on any arm I've ever owned, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
... you have to give up/dump on analog/LP alternative because all tonearms need it !
Sorry, I'm not abandoning LP based on your command.
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cleeds
5,657 posts
 
lewm
... What does mistracking look like on a ’scope? Wouldn’t you need a positive control, a cartridge that does not mistrack the passage, to know what you are looking at?
You use tracks of increasing amplitude from a test record - such as the Ortofon LP - then look for deviation from a smooth sine wave on the ’scope. It is possible to see mistracking before you can hear it.
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cleeds
5,657 posts
 
lewm
... you are using a pure tone from a test LP, not music, which is fine but does not quite mimic the real world situation. Because music will always give a very complex wave form ...
That's true, of course. Regardless, it is often possible to detect mistracking using steady-state tones before such mistracking can be detected audibly using actual music.

Thatis part of why I discount many of the claims that a cartridge "tracks great." When questioned, those making the claim usually can't really explain how they arrived at their belief. Merely being able to play an LP side without skipping or obvious distortion is not itself proof of good tracking.
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