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The Arm/Cartridge Matching Myth

When I began my journey in high-end audio 36 years ago….no-one ever wrote about arm and cartridge matching nor tonearm resonant frequency…?
Over the last 10 years or so…this topic has become not only ubiquitous, but has mutated beyond its definition, to THE guiding principle of matching cartridge to tonearm….❓❗️😵
The Resonant Frequency can be calculated using a complex formula relating Tonearm Effective Mass to the cartridge’s Compliance….or it can be simply measured using a Test record of various frequency sweeps.
The RECOMMENDED Resonant Frequency of any tonearm/cartridge combination is between 8-12Hz.
But WHY is this the recommended frequency and WHAT does it really mean…?

The raison d’etre of this Resonant Frequency…is to avoid WARPED records inducing ‘resonance’ into the tonearm…..
Say what…❓😵
WARPED records….❓❗️
Yes…..ONLY warped records❗️😎
But doesn’t it have any meaning for NORMAL records…❓
None whatsoever…..😊👍
Let me explain….🎼

A badly warped record induces the tonearm to rise and fall rapidly on the ‘sprung’ cantilever of the cartridge.
Depending on the severity and frequency of this warping…..a subsonic frequency between 2-5Hz is induced so if your tonearm/cartridge Resonant Frequency dips into this frequency range….it will begin resonating and thus miss-track and/or induce hum through your system.🎤
Keeping the lower limits of your tonearm/cartridge Resonant Frequency to 8Hz simply insures against this possibility.🎶

So what about the 12Hz upper limit…❓
This simply insures against the possibility of any ultra low-level frequency information which MAY be on the record, also inducing this same miss-tracking or hum. For instance if your tonearm/cartridge Resonant Frequency was 18Hz and you had an organ record or one containing synthesised bass going down to 16Hz…..your tonearm may miss-track or you MAY develop a hum❓😢

So how many badly WARPED record do you possess…❓
I have three out of a thousand or so……and have NEVER experienced miss-tracking or hum even on these three…❗️😍

Yet these days….everyone (without exception it seems)…even tonearm and cartridge designers….happily follow the dictum of this Arm/Cartridge MATCH as if it affected sound quality…..❓
This Resonant Frequency has ZERO affect on the sound quality of a particular tonearm/cartridge combination and I have proved it hundreds of times with a dozen different arms and over 40 cartridges.

The best match for ANY cartridge ever made….is simply the very best tonearm you can afford…whatever its Effective Mass…😘
128x128halcro
howardalex's avatar
howardalex
64 posts
 
Lewm,
that’s a great point: I did read that the suspension is likely to have hardened considerably on the Shure given its age so perhaps it’s no longer a springy high compliance cartridge.
If the suspension has hardened to the extent necessary to transform the compliance from high to low would there be any obvious sonic degradation attributable to that ? I only ask as the cartridge is not showing any nasty tonal characteristics or sibilance, tracking issues etc. When I lower the cartridge down onto the record it settles nicely so there does still appear to be some suspension give.
The only thing I’ve noticed that on the one fairly badly warped record I’ve tried to play the Shure/FR 66 on it simply wouldn’t work - the stylus jumped out to the grooves.
Whether that’s a sign of a cartridge tonearm mismatch or a knackered suspension I have no idea ?
It’s sounding great on non-badly warped vinyl ....

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Hi Fi News cartridge lateral and vertical resonance tests. It didn’t actually resonate at any frequency detected on these tests (no idea if that’s good or bad !).

I think it’s impossible
Not like other cartridges from your arsenal ?
The arm normally shaking at resonance frequency with Hi Fi Test LP
maybe you need a magnifying glass to see that (look at the cantilever) ?

I have never seen any cartridge that does not resonate with Hi Fi test LP, even the lowest compliance cartridges such as SPU are shaking at certain frequency. I think i tried at least 50 cartridges.

Also i don't think that suspension can be hardened that much, as i said in another thread the suspension normally softened on old cartridges, not hardened. 



howardalex's avatar
howardalex
64 posts
 
Nothing at all !
all my other cartridges shake somewhere - the Decca nearly jumps out the groove at around 9hz on the lateral test , the Koetsus similar.
I’ll run the test again but I didn’t notice anything first time ‘ maybe the resonance would be off the scale ? Ie above or below what the record detects ?
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
very interesting issue, you have a phantom of a cartridge
flying like a stealth, invisible for radars
report back

billwojo
397 posts
 

So your saying that a Denon DL-103, a very low compliant cart could run well with an arm like a super light weight Black Widow? I would think that Denon would wiggle that Black Widow furiously at lower frequency's and not much energy would come from the cartridge.
A very common complaint with new users of the Denon DL-103 is a very light bass. Adding headshell weight and more counter balance weight transforms it's lack luster performance like magic.
That's some real world experience echoed across the web.

BillWojo
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