Tonearm mount on the plinth or on Pillar ?


Folks,
I am looking to buy a custom built turntable from Torqueo Audio (http://www.torqueo-audio.it/). They have two models, one with a wide base plinth where the tonearm would be mounted on the plinth (as usual) and the second is a compact plinth where they provide a seperate tonearm pillar to mount the tonearm. According to them the separate tonearm pillar version sounds more transparent and quieter because of the isolation of the tonearm from the TT. My concern is whether seperating the tonearm from the plinth would result in a lesser coherence in sound ? Isnt sharing the same platform results in a more well-timed, coherent presentation ? Any opinions ?
pani
Halcro
That is the most unlikely scenario. Airborne induced vibrations in the platter/tonearm/cartridge synergy are virtually non-existent as the turntable world would have ceased to exist if this were not so.


I am very disappointed that you did not tell Ralph to yell at his cartridge. 

just sayin....

Haha...
Yes Chris, I remember that from years ago.
Everyone can try that test.
Just place your mouth close to the cartridge while playing a record and yell at the cartridge/tonearm.
If airborne sound waves are ever going to be heard it should be under this test.....

For me... all of this is very simple...

Before one considers TT that commands thousands of $'s X 10... this person should first buy a VPI HW-19 and try all sorts of experiments.

This TT, along with an owner that has the willingness along with the machinery to try all sorts of mods, will have had enough experience in which to make the OP's post irrelevant.


Verdier photo:  It looks to me like Dietrich simply replaced the OEM flimsy tonearm mount (an inverted L-shaped affair that never looked to be very stable, to me) with a nice solid pillar and then attached it directly to the granite "plinth".  Nothing really radical but certainly better than stock.

Slaw, I may be wrong, but isn't the HW19 a suspended type?  The OP's post contained a perfectly reasonable question that brought out all the usual suspects to comment.
Most people follow this belief but if you had studied acoustics and the science of materials, you would know that materials react to air-borne sound by a mixture of:-
  • Reflection
  • Absorption (as heat)
  • Transmission (passing directly through)
It is only when sound pressure of a sufficient volume (and that's important) at a material's Resonant Frequency occurs...that the material can 'vibrate'.
You do know of course that the Resonant Frequency of most tonearm/cartridge combinations is 6-15 Hz and this is well below the frequency reproduction ability of all commercial loudspeakers and almost all subwoofers as well?
It in only in this frequency band that any vibration of the tonearm/cartridge can be observed. There is no 'alternate' vibration phenomena unless you can direct us to the relevant scientific papers
Halcor, the second to last statement here is plainly ridiculous- and may be why you are having trouble understanding how this works. The resonant frequency of the arm and pickup is irrelevant- that affects tracking and the ability to play bass but has no bearing on the fact that higher frequency vibrations can be transcribed by the cartridge. Were this not so as you state, it would be impossible for the cartridge to put out anything at all!
You seem to use the term 'vibrate' as if somehow it were a different genus to 'resonate'?
It is unimportant whether the vibration is occurring at a resonant frequency or not- its vibration either way- just more of it if its at a resonant frequency.

If air-borne sound pressure is a problem in the turntable playback system, then every increase in volume would of necessity degrade the sound.
Correct.
There are tens of millions of turntable systems where turning up the volume is heard to IMPROVE the sound quality noticeably.
This statement is false.
Dietrich knows a thing or two about turntables, arms and cartridges.
And gosh....what are those?
They look like tonearm pods and did he say in the interview that the tops of the pods are totally isolated from the plinth and structure?
They look like pods but they are part of the plinth. Go look at the video again. This looks like an excellent machine! It does not support your position.
If any other sound frequency is used there will be NO vibration in the material? This with any energy level in the sound?
Correct....unless you define the transmission of sound through the material as caused by vibrating molecules.

Not in an imperfect world. I am sure the word NO was capitalized for a reason. Damping material damps, but cannot remove all vibration, unless its perfect. It isn't. Its very effective for sure, but not 100%.

No strawman argument from me Ralph, at least not intentionally. I’m with ya, man!
Got it- I sorted that out a bit later.