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tonearm/cartridge matching, mass/damping/tweaking

I'm reading more and more, here and mostly elsewhere about matching cartrdge compliance to tonearm mass. Of course, the wonderful but also dreaded Denon 103/103r s are front in centre in most debates.
I recently swapped out my denon 103 for my nos GAS Sleeping Beauty and perceived a better overall sound although it just may be a better overall cart too, who knows?
I am running a Linn Akito 2b arm which is said to be a little low on the mass side for the Denon 103 at I think 11 grams. i have seen some raging debates with guys saying their black widow (really low mass) arm matches just great with a 103, and a mass proponent saying that you need at least 25 gram mass arm for the 103R (although his 'perfectly matched' jelco 750d is ironically an 18g mass arm....). being a sucker for punishment I have on order both a 301mkii and a 103r (my audiophile nervosa has ingrained me with the fear that 'they' may stop making cartridges - after all, I have read that the venerable technicss DD tables have been discontinued). Now, I could simply likely sell my Akito 2B and buy a Jelco 750db and be done with it. resurrect my light headshell for use with the 301 and start having swapping fun. WTF, I could prolly also build up an outboard tonearm stand and run a 12" jelco outside my SOTA opposite the akito2b and turn into a real freak (sorry to all you freaks out there, you know what you are ;-)).
I have read some possible arm tuning damping ideas too that dont smell of overdoing it. One being laying a couple of pieces of tonearm litz between the cart and the headshell when mounting to decouple slightly. Another is the adddition of herbie's hal-o jr's to the arm wand which is cheap maybe effective and readily reversible (unlike wrapping the wand).
i gotta wonder just how accurate some of these mass and compliance calcs are too. ironically, i had to use a supplied sheet of what appears to be lead with my GAS to give it sufficient weight to use with this arm and it is only a few grams less than the denon....
Any thoughts, ideas, current thinking on the mass vs compliance issues?
mickeyf
mickeyf OP
153 posts
 
Thanks, Don. Some day I would really like to see how you designed that post. Perhaps if you are taking it apart for some reason or if you have a schematic(?)- although if you intended to patent/sell it, I'd understand ;-). No pressure. I just happen to reside in Aldershot, we're probably less than 10 miles away. Drop me a note on mfinn5@cogeco.ca if you get the urge.
And thanks to all for your answers. I will be trying the Herbie's dampers when I get the 103r and report back...
Cheers,

Mike
mickeyf OP
153 posts
 
Update guys. I put the Akito 2b up for sale and it was gone in a couple of days. Hardly gave me time to order up the Jelco 750db, which I have since received and installed in the system, using both the GAS and a new 103r. Well, holy crap, synergy or what? It was like the linn arm was just not ideal for the table and cart choices (although it didnt sound 'bad' per se) and the Jelco was designed to be on it (maybe some truth there the sumiko mmt is a jelco). Form here in when I read someone talking at symetry and matching I'll be less of a sceptic.
hesson11
237 posts
 
Glad things worked out so well, Mickey. May I trouble you with a side-issue question? There has been a good deal of debate about the tonearm geometry of the Jelco 750 arm (mostly on other forums). May I ask if you mounted the Jelco in the same hole you used for the Akito? If so, were you able to align the cartridge correctly without any problems?

The nature of the Jelco debate is that, although its effective length is specified as 229mm (identical to the Akito), some claim that it is actually longer, necessitating a different mounting position. Any light you can shed would be appreciated. Thanks!
-Bob
hot_rod
11 posts
 
Mickeyf,for some interesting reading check what Romy has to say on the subject of arm mass and compliance.
While I always thought he was a little of his rocker with some of the claims he has made over the years,thru my own experiences I find quite a bit of truth in his statements on this subject.
I am currently using an Aluminum bodied 103R on a 12" Jelco(26g) mated to an old Lenco idler and find this combo very musical.
PS. Romy is definetly not a fan of the 103 variants,but this is where I couldn't disagree more.

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?postID=1868#1868
mickeyf OP
153 posts
 
Hot rod. I'll try to chew through that while I'm coasting in Key Largo next week. I've read his stuff before, he's a little verbose to say the least but definitely interesting.

Hey Bob. It is currently situate in a board that had overlapping holes for the linn and a prior RB300. I took a dremel tool to it, working in from the RB300 hole. (Ha ha it's starting to look like an SME hole). I think I am still a little further away than the current thinking. I have the cart right out to the end of the arm and on the lofgren protractor, I come up about 2mm short at the second grid. Apparently that's not huge, the sound is glorious.
I suppose I could do more playing around with the dremel and pull it in a few more mm's but the fact the sweep is on track most of the way in, suggests the hole is either too forward or too back as well. I want to order a new pre-cut board from SOTA but I am going to write and ask them how many mm's they will be drilling from the spindle upfront.

this board also had an air arm on it at one time, it's officially swiss cheese.
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