Cartridge ISOLATION; What Say You?

Putting a Isolator between the Cartridge and Head Shell serves one purpose IMV, it can change the perception of the presentation for the listener who is quite familiar with a Systems SQ.
The user of the Isolator is in their assessment liking the perception of the sound now being delivered or they are not.

It is possible for myself to change a perception of the sound in my system in a much easier method and that is to exchange Platter Mats.

The Science is the same as it is quite basic, the new material at the interface, either stimulates an individual and it becomes likeable or it does not.

Platter Mats are much easier to swap out than Head Shell Isolators.
The two methods probably share a requirement where the VTA might still need to be adjusted to get the full impact of the changes being made.   

millercarbon,

thanks for the link to the Peter Ledermann Video. 

I encourage everyone to find an hour to view it, link repeated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmwnN_T_wW8&t=1200s

Makes me want to run right out, rob a bank, buy his best Strain-Gauge Cartridge.

https://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/strain-gauge-systems/strain-gauge-systems

Have you or anyone tried one?

Everything vibrates. If the cartridge is rigidly attached to the head shell then this vibration travels through the head shell into the arm tube and so on, with the result the whole thing is vibrating. There are plenty of Peter Ledermann videos you can watch if you want to learn how big a problem this is.

Interesting reading this from a guy who in the past has been completely dismissive of cart/tonearm compliance matching.  Perhaps he's coming around?

Thanks OP, good to see a few decent earnest audiophiles still around here.

Ledermann’s Strain Gauge is good enough it more than likely will be next for me. There are not a lot of reviews but search around, they are there, and the consensus is the SG1 is right up there with the world’s best cost no object cartridges. We are talking $10k and up carts. At this level of course you are using a $10k and up phono stage. One review if I remember right was $30k or more of cart and stage and the SG1 was right there.

This is with the stock power supply. There are gains to be made upgrading the power supply. Not that it is needed, but nice to know. Combine with being able to buy extra stylus/cantilever for dirt cheap, user-replaceable no less, it makes the SG1 about as much of a stone bargain no-brainer as can be.

What makes it especially attractive for me is since it eliminates the need for a phono stage then selling the Herron the SG1 nets out to a very reasonable upgrade cost especially considering it should be like going from entry level Koetsu to their finest for only about $5k. Can hardly say no to that.

atmasphere,

" If the arm tube is not damped you're going to have problems!"

I found this, makes my head spin, especially with short term memory issues.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/tonearm-damping-damped-or-not-useless-welcomed

Are these two arms (rigidly mounted to my rigid plinth) considered Damped?

My 12.5" long one, Gimbal Type (not quick change cartridge). Carbon Arm

http://newartvinyl.ru/board/detali_proigryvatelja/tonarm_black_bird12_5_carbon/7-1-0-41

NewArtVinyl says:

• Tonearm - 12.5-inch, straight, swivel; gimbal type with internal stabilization according to the Gimbal principle, anti-skating system.

I also have a 9" Acos Lustre GST 801, Dynamic Balance, magnets for stylus force and anti-skate, removable headshell. Precision machined base has wonderful VTA on the Fly.

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/acos/lustre-gst-801.shtml

My old SME 3009, Knife Edge, Damped?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203593495169?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=533...

.......................................

In any case, I gather you do not advocate adding a soft layer under the tonearm base, or adding a soft layer above any cartridge, correct?

IOW, these 'soft' treatments can only be an improvement if they are solving a problem that could/should be otherwise avoided/eliminated, correct?