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Tonearm microphonics

When I have the volume at my normal level & tap the arm (not whilst playing vinyl) it is slightly amplified... Is it possible to significantly reduce/eliminate this?

Current set up - Roksan Xerxes 20plus, Origin Live Encounter tonearm (thin cork ring at the base) with Lyra Skala.

Apologies if this is a stupid question!
128x128infection
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@infection you are unfortunately misunderstanding two uses of the term dampening in the context of tonearm design. The silicone fluid is used to damp the movement of the entire tonearm for example in response to warps. Adding wrap to the arm will damp resonances in the arm itself but not damp the bearing type motion. My advice is to be very careful - the designers of your arm may well have tuned it to sound best as is and adding wrap to the arm may overly deaden the sound
infection's avatar
infection OP
805 posts
 
@inna - interesting, thanks.

@folkfreak - thanks for elucidating...so perhaps Origin Live would suggest upgrading to a different model in their range...!


bimasta's avatar
bimasta
227 posts
 
Inna — I disagree with your comparison completely. "Try to dampen and guitar or piano" — this is irrelevant. Those are instruments designed to resonate and amplify sound from the slightest stimulus — a tonearm has the exact opposite purpose, to produce no sound of its own, merely to transmit the signal from the stylus to the other end of the cable at the preamp input, adding Zero resonance or vibration of its own.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,412 posts
 

The lower the compliance of the cartridge stylus’ suspension, the more the energy from that cartridge is transmitted into the arm. The stiffer and more damped the arm tube, the more it resists resonating from the energy being pumped into it. Also, the stiffer the tube, the higher in Hz is it’s own resonant frequency, and the more damped it is, the lower the Q of that resonance---a broader, more shallow resonant profile. The energy fed into the arm tube migrates to the back end, where it is transmitted into the arm’s bearing(s). The better the bearing(s), the less they rattle or create chatter---noise, which decreases transparency and resolution.

The arm’s designer has to balance all the competing demands, making compromises to achieve over-all best performance and sound. Applying after-market damping to an arm may upset that balance, actually decreasing the sound quality the arm can provide.

The best way to damp a tonearm/cartridge is at the headshell, as is done in the unique Townshend Audio Rock turntable.

infection's avatar
infection OP
805 posts
 
Thanks for your input bimasta & bdp24.

It appears then that the only solution is to upgrade & not have the arm modified even by Origin Live...
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