Cartridge ISOLATION; What Say You?


another good read, it does go against my 'instinct' of a rock solid cartridge/arm connection. (non-removable headshell) 

Who thinks what?
Who tried what?

https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/isolator_e.html

btw, has anyone tried a Len Gregory cartridge (with or without the isolator)?

another comment in the article: reviewer mentioned a layer of isolation under the tonearm base (he tried blu-tac). Also against my 'instinct'.
elliottbnewcombjr
The design of The Cartridgeman‘s Insulator is precisely addressing that issue while avoiding your concern of cartridge displacement by choosing a polymer too stiff to be displaced by the cantilever, which displacement -as you point out yourself- is magnitudes smaller than the former. On my system (Zyx Universe, Dynavector DV 507MkII) the benefit is so obvious, that I can only recommend that people try it rather than defer to principle based pontification.
If the cartridge transmits vibration to the arm, the arm hasn't done its job properly. But its a simple fact that no arm is perfect in this regard. So what really becomes the question is whether the arm tube should be damped to absorb such vibration or whether you want to decouple the cartridge from the arm in trying to do the same thing?


From an engineering perspective damping the arm tube seems the more elegant approach. But this is by no means universal so you may well perceive a difference (hopefully better). I alluded to this earlier.
The most efficient and effective means of absorbing and dissipating cartridge mechanical energy is via employment of a damping trough (containing viscous fluid) located at the front end of the arm, as found in the series of Townshend Audio Rock turntables.
this is what got me excited:

" HS-A02 comes carefully packed in a special protective foam-padded box."