Turntable versus tonearm versus cartridge: which is MOST important?

@chakster , you like cocobolo? Check out the record clamp I just made on my system page. The finger lift is also cocobolo.

@mijostyn you got your own workshop? Nice! Maybe you could make two cocobolo sideboards for my LUX :)

If the assertions (premise) are not true then deduced statements
from those assertion also can't  be true. Assertion formulated
in the simple ''S is P'' form ( ''subject is predicate'') can hardly
be sufficient base for  correct reasoning. Relational statement
can't be put in terms of ''properties of individual objects''. Those
are implicated by analogy with statements about individual
objects. 

Atomic60, I could have used ebony. If you look at the top of the record clamp you will see an ebony plug in the very center. There is a cavity in the clamp filled with lead shot. The ebony closes the entry. The problem with using ebony in the finger lift application is that it is very brittle. Turning it down to that diameter would be very stressful. It would probably that me 10 trials before I could get one off in one piece. I know this for a fact as I turned a set of pick-up sticks for my children out of 20 different varieties of wood. I put a picture of it for you on my system page. This is how you teach yourself to have a light touch on the lathe. Cocobolo and ebony have almost the same density. Both are almost as heavy as water. Cocobolo is a lot oilier and more flexible.

@chakster , no problem. Just send me dimensions, a picture or two and the type of wood you want. Shop time is $50/hour. Then there are materials and shipping. I doubt it would take more than an hour. The cost of wood can vary drastically. Shipping to Russia? No idea. I doubt customs will bother with a wood sample:-)

Dear @lohanimal : " after a certain stage in a turntable it’s the improvements in the arm that are the most significant. Cartridges IMHO are often very subjective..."

Take two good designed and manufactured tonearms ( everything the same including tonearm EL. ) as the one that comes in the Rega RP10 and in the other side the SAT and take the same cartridge, say Etna SL, and certainly will sounds different and maybe the sound will like more to some gentlemans in the Rega tonearm and to other audiophiles in the SAT tonearm Both cases: subjective.

What is what is happening down there? first " minute/microscopic " differences in the tonearm/cartridge alignments, both tonearms resonates/vibrates with different tone " color/frequency " due to its different builded materials, the cartridge could be well matched in both tonearms but not exactly/mimic and all those and other " things " could make those differences.

So for the ones that like it the Rega/Etna the tonearm is more important and to others that like with the SAT this tonearm BUT it’s the cartridge and its tracking abilities that pick-up the information recorded in those groove modulations and it’s the cartridge whom must convert/transduce those modulations in the electrical signal that will be processed through the Phono Stage, this is the cartridge roleand it is not subjective but facts that maybe for some of us are more important and for other gentlemans not to important.

What is the role of the tonearms down there? to hold the cartridge and to follow accurately the cartridge movements: up/down and side to side and these movements must needs to do it with out any " additional " movements by tonearm it self ( obviously needs low friction ( say no more than 25mg. ) and tight bearings that today tonearms and even vintage have. Unipivots can’t acomplish with the tonearm role. ).

Then one thing is a subjective audiophiles opinions and other different are the facts explained here.

I’m with the cartridge and I’m with out diminishing in any way its tonearm mate ( not the TT role neither. ) and maybe in that example the Etna sounds could like me the more through the Rega and this is subjective and dependent of MUSIC/sound priorities on each one of us.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.