Cartridge ISOLATION; What Say You?

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?

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

Nor do I. So what happens around here over and over again, someone says something perfectly clear and uncontroversial, then someone else comes along twists it around to resemble nothing even close and fifteen immediately parrot the distortion. Here is what I actually said:

The cartridge however is very low mass and has to track a violently undulating groove. It cannot just be free to move. It must be held rigidly, but yet also in a way that facilitates some vibration to dissipate into the more massive arm, while damping cartridge vibration, and all of this at the same time as not reflecting vibration right back down into the stylus.

The Cartridge Enabler is not soft. Went out of my way to make clear it is not felt. Not soft. Engineered material. Not at all what people are talking about.

millercarbon

aside from full understanding of the ugly thing, it's ability to dissipate Jitter without being considered Soft:

I thank, and not thank you, for the link and my learning about the essentially Jitter Free Strain-Guage Cartridges. Maybe I'll spend that much for my 75th Birthday in 2 years. Of course, that will lead to what Tonearm?

I found these Strain-Gauge discussions here:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/live-concerts-and-studio-sessions-despite-covid-soundsmith-st...

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/anyone-have-experience-with-soundsmith-s-strain-gauge?highlig...

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/live-concerts-and-studio-sessions-despite-covid-soundsmith-st...

2pm, time for breakfast,

Elliott

I have an Enabler in house, haven't used it yet. I understand everyone's argument for and against. There's many positive reviews. Heard of Funk Firm Houdini? The designer says it's his most important achievement yet. Thinking about getting one to compare with the Enabler.

There very well could be benefits to limiting vibrations through cartridge isolation. I’m not sure this should be categorically dismissed as snake oil. What I was reacting to incredulously is how MC believes that addressing these types of vibrations is important while also asserting that vibrations caused by poor tonearm/cart matching can be ignored.

Even his audio heros over at Soundsmith believe compliance matching is important - because vibrations are indeed harmful to sonics.

https://www.sound-smith.com/articles/how-choose-cartridge

Meanwhile MC rants about why anyone should worry about compliance. Apparently F=ma only when convenient to MC.

https://i.postimg.cc/t70jjFHV/MC.jpg

As Emerson once said: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..."