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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
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,800 posts
 
The 'amp's resistor' does not make a lot of sense in this conversation. However the 'cartridge loading resistor' does and that is what I meant. If it is in place prior to the application of mechanical damping, it may well be found that the damping of the resistor was compensating for the distortion (which will cause brightness) present when the arm, vinyl or turntable was not damped.


So the result would be that by doing the mechanical damping it might sound dead and lifeless. I've found that if your electrical/electronic ducks are in a row, its impossible to overdamp a platter, overdamp an LP with a platter pad (although a platter pad causes changes in tonality all on its own) or by properly damping an arm tube (which admittedly is a bit of a trick,  as this directly affects the effective mass of the arm/cartridge combination).



Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas OP
13,055 posts
 
Dear @snackeyp  : "  I know that tonearm resonation is partially caused by the vibrations from the record groove.... but believe that a lot of these vibrations come through the plinth on tables that are not well isolated from room vibrations. "

Really?, the main " vibrations " comes from the stylus tip grooves modulations tracking and in the other side no single plynth can do nothing about speaker bass range sound " vibrations " through the air.

The tonearm arm wand tape is to damps the tonearm and the silicon paddle mainly is to damps cartridge ridding and that you " hate " it only  means that you don't like it but not that's wrong with that kind of damping because damping is a must at both positions.
What you or I like has no importance at all but what the cartridge needs.

R.


Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas OP
13,055 posts
 
Dear @atmasphere  : In reality the resonance frequency between cartridge/tonearm is not affected because the tonearm EM change is really low because the kind of damping that we are talking about contributes all over the arm wand and not at the headshell only that's where matters more.

You can measure/calculate, here an example: EM 12grs. and with a 12cu caRTRIDGE with 8gr.-12gr. weigth you are inside 110hz and if the EM change to 15grs then it can change to  at 12grs. 9hz but at 8grs. stays 10hz.

R.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,800 posts
 
I found that adding the Sumiko Analog Survival kit meant that I had to use cartridges with a bit lower compliance. IOW while solving one problem another is created, like many things in life. A better solution is to start with a properly damped arm tube.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas OP
13,055 posts
 
@atmasphere  : the dronepuck advise or even that 3m electrical tape or any other ligth tape makes almost nothing for the tonearm EM goes higher enough to be a problem.

Yes, the ideal arm wand should be very well damped but that is the ideal/perfect arm wand that does not exist and that's why we have to take some actions about.

R.
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