Why does your turntable sound the way it does.

Dear Manitunc: ++++ " I do agree that some tables do sound lifeless and over dampened, but I have to believe that is due to some other reason than damping out extraneous vibrations. " +++++

in theory the best TT is the one that adds nothing and permit to lose nothing to the cartridge signal. This could means: no added noise, distortions, vibrations, resonances, etc. but " dead silence " and all these IMHO could means a very well damped instrument.
From this statement IMHO does not exist an " overdampened " TT. How can be overdampened?. What we are looking for is a " dead silence " TT.

IF in that " dead silence " TT we don't like what we heard that is not a TT problem but an audio system problem in other or others of the links in the audio chain.

We want to reproduce faitful what comes in the LP grooves and this means that the TT must be absolutely " transparent "/non-existence for the LP grooves/cartridge/tonearm.

++++ " due to some other reason than damping out extraneous vibrations. " +++++

absolutely right, I agree. IMHO that some other reason belongs out of the TT thgrough the audio system chain.

Unfortunately till today I never heard a " dead silence " TT not even an " overdampened " ( this does not exist. ), all the TT makes a " contribution " to the sound by adding TT distortions that are not in the recording and that degrade the cartridge signal.

If we are hearing a lifeless sound coming from our analog rig, one very well dampened analog rig, then it is because that recording is lifeless by it self or because out of the analog rig: in some other audio link exist that kind of lifeless quality performance.

Again, a TT must be unexcistent for the cartridge signal. That we like it or not what we heard through this kind of TT is non important what is important is that the cartridge signal stay " untouchable " by any kind of TT distortion/noise/resonance/vibrations/colorations. We don't want that the TT can works as a mechanical equalizer but as an invisible audio link.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Raul,
I agree with your comments. But putting different tables into an identical system creates a different result, meaning that the difference is in the table. So if we have a dead sound with one TT and not with another, both used in the same system with the same arm and cartridge, are we to assume that the deadest sounding table is the most accurate, and therefore the rest of the system is to blame? Have designers created cartridges and arms that are more lively to circumvent the trend to more massive, deader TTs. And how do we explain the massive plinth idler table movement whose greatest benefit seems to be the liveliness of the sound.

Again, has anyone actually listened to a master tape and compared it to the resulting vinyl on a high end TT?

This might not be the exactly correct place to bring this up, or maybe it is. It has been stated that the Linn method of evaluating audio equipment simplifies things too much, but I disagree. It may not be the only way, but I believe if the intent of the musician to convey something is preserved, that more of the music is coming through.

"Again, has anyone actually listened to a master tape and compared it to the resulting vinyl on a high end TT?"

I have not personally, but I can share an anecdote from a buddy of mine. In the late 80s he was involved with hifi groups that listened only to master tapes. I never understood if these were 2nd generation copies of marketed music or originals from special sessions. These guys had complete disdain for turntables. My buddy had high end turntables, but said nothing approached the musical quality of a master tape. His hifi with vinyl blew me away. I've never had a spare dollar since...

I can answer one question here that has to do with the platter and platter pad:

When the needle tracks the groove, the vinyl can talk back to the stylus and thus affect the sound. Just turn down the volume when you are playing an LP and you will see what I mean.

If the vinyl is properly damped, it will sound more neutral and correct, regardless of the drive system. This is because this is a more important feature than the drive. Sure, you can hear differences in the drive, not contesting that.

Anyway, most platter pads don't damp the LP properly! Acrylic is too hard as are metal platters (which work fine if the right platter pad is in place). Rubber and cork are too soft. Warren Gehl of ARC did a lot of reserach in this topic about 20-25 years ago and over a period of years developed what was and still is the best platter pad I've seen. It has the same hardness as the vinyl, which is paramount as if it is any different, the coupling between the two surfaces will not favor all frequencies. At the same time the pad did not depress as the needle tracked the vinyl (there is a microscopic depression around the needle caused by the tracking pressure), yet the pad was designed to damp not only the LP but also the platter.

Sadly, the last of these platter pads was made a good 15 years ago or more, but what those audiophiles that were lucky enough to find one found out is that it almost didn't matter what table you had if it could support this pad (which weighed a few pounds). They all sounded pretty much the same if the pad was in place, which is also to say considerably better than without!

I think someone needs to make a new version of this pad. Warren says he can no longer make it as some of the materials aren't available.

BTW I've played master tapes against the resulting LP many times. I'm not sure I would use the term 'overdamp' but I know what you are talking about. This is actually a coloration caused by the platter pad. Raul is correct- it is actually impossible to in reality overdamp a turntable (or a tube or a transistor...); if you hear something like that what has happened is a coloration has been introduced.

Please note that I did not say its impossible to overdamp a cartridge. With LOMC all that happens is you loose output, but with a moving magnet you will indeed kill the highs if the cartridge is overdamped (meaning the load impedance is too low for it to drive with full bandwidth).