Foil damping tape as a tonearm tube wrap?

Geoff’s dislike of EAR damping products reminded me that he also dislikes lead, and that rolls of lead tape are also available. A roll of 3/4" cost less than $10, for those wishing to give it a try. However, lead is relatively heavy (in relation to EAR foil), and will substantially increase the effective moving mass of any tone arm whose tube it is wrapped around. Perhaps just one layer at the back end of the tube, right in front of the bearing housing?

I reviewed the E.A.R. foil product at the Michael Percy Audio site. (To be honest, I was surprised to learn he’s still using a journal-styled product catalog—hasn’t changed in like 20+ years!) Only downside is one has to cut a strip from the sheet. I’m not great with exacto knives or scissors. 😬

celander, Regarding your proposed use of the damping tape with the London cartridge, if you think about the physics of the situation, is it not possible that by wrapping the tonearm wand, you are inhibiting its capacity to dissipate energy transmitted into it from the cartridge, by inhibiting its capacity to vibrate?  This would result in the energy moving either to the pivot or back to the headshell, both of which are to be avoided.  I guess, best case, the energy is dissipated as heat in the arm tube. Anyway, let us know how it works out.  We toss these terms around, but in fact most of the time the physics is complex and requires a deep understanding to predict.

@lewm while I’m the OP, this particular application was reported by @nationalbar. I have no experience with his setup to offer an opinion. Please review my post of a private message that includes his findings. He’s happy with the resolution to his concerns.

Unless the turntable is properly isolated the cartridge, tonearm, platter etc. is subject to very low frequency seismic vibration. The tonearm, like the cartridge and platter, is susceptible to seismic vibration in the 10-12 Hz region, which is its design resonant frequency Fr. That is the physics involved. Even if heroic vibration isolation is employed, isolation is not perfect so it might be worthwhile to damp the tonearm, e.g., tape or oil bath, using oil of the correct viscosity, even if isolated. It’s not rocket science. Well, maybe it is.