Damping settles down what I call "groove chatter." On percussion with sharp initial transients followed by complex overtones (bells, finger cymbals, triangles, tambourine, etc.) you get a more realistic sound without over-ring and distortion. It also lowers the arm/cartridge resonance frequency, whatever it might be. It makes a bad match better, and a good match closer to ideal. With the proper amount of fluid, you get a better sense of the formation of notes, their bloom, and then their fade.
But as Stringreen says, if you use too much, it sucks all the excitement and much of the dynamics out of the playback. A little dab'll do ya. But a little dab does a lot more for the music than none.
But as Stringreen says, if you use too much, it sucks all the excitement and much of the dynamics out of the playback. A little dab'll do ya. But a little dab does a lot more for the music than none.