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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
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas OP
13,064 posts
 
Dear @bdp24  : ""  it addresses the issue of the tonearm/cartridge resonance that is inherent in the LP phono system, REGARDLESS of the specific arm and cartridge.  ""

That's the great contribution to the analog alternative but historically several of the vintage tonearm manufacturers, some way or the other, took in less " dramatica/effective " way the issue on the necessity of some kind of damping in their designs.

One way or the other all tonearm designers know the importance of damping and they try that their designs have it.

Triplanar, SME, Jelco, Technics, Schroeder, Reed, SAT, etc, etc did it. 
A non-damped tonearm is just out of question and today and with all respect a design stupidity.

R.
ihcho's avatar
ihcho
612 posts
 
I have Denon DA309 and DA401. They have dynamic damping mechanism. Well, pardon my ignorance, but I don't know a bit about dynamic damping. 
Do I need to care about damping for the proper functioning of those tonearms? If I do, what do I need to do?
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,803 posts
 
Right @rauliruegas. My point was that even if there were a "perfectly damped tonearm" (if such a thing is even possible), there will still be the cartridge/tonearm resonance that is produced by ALL cartridge/arm combinations. A poorly or non-damped arm may exacerbate that resonance, but it will be there even with an arm 100% free of it's own resonance. At least, that was the finding of the Cranfield research. 
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas OP
13,064 posts
 
Dear @bdp24 : Yes, that resonance can't be avoided and some audiophiles think that if it's in side that " ideal " frequency range: 8hz- 12hz everything is fine but the harmonics of that kind of resonances always " color " the whole frequency range of what we are listening, this is: paint it.

Damping is welcomed playing LPs.

R.


Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas OP
13,064 posts
 
Dear @ihcho  : Damping is need it. You need a good TT mat and a good TT clamp. You can help your cartridges in the 309 using a good damped headshell: build material is the key here as wood or magnesium or even blended material builded headshells. You can't do that with the 401 that came with a dedicated headshell.

Now, read the first 1.5 page on this thread where Agoners posted " things " that could help tonearm/cartridge damping issue.

R.
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