The Cartridgeman Isolater.

Hi coneflap

I too was a skeptic, until that is after I actually listened to the isolator. I take it that you have not, so you are just "ranting" which is OK in this free democracy. The made from "micro spiralex" came from the reviewer at Stereo Times.

In the spec sheet that comes with the isolator it states the construction is " 2 x 0.2mm stainless steel plates and a closed cell, cross linked ethylene copolymer structure. cartridge fixing : high specification 3M glue film".

If you google " ethylene copolymer" you get 1,240,000 hits. Does that make you feel better??

I would assume the main reason why the isolator works is that is isolates to some extent non audio frequency resonances etc from the LP to the carridge but stops it going up the arm and from the arm itself to stop it going back into the cartridge. Sounds reasonable to me with all the other isolation devices that are sold for all other parts of the audio chain.

Tubes measure poorly compared to SS, however most of the time they sound a lot more musical - how do you explain that?

cheers

06-09-07: Downunder
Paul,
I'll try my 103r with an isolator in the next few weeks and advise. If it does the same for the denon that it did for my Koetsu the denon will sound sensational. But, then again it may not.
How bout you try one on your jubilee and let me know. I don't want to take it off my Linn / naim arm as the naim arm is too small for the isolator,

Shane I'm curious enough to get one of these isolators. Don't think it will be any good with the Jubilee though - those ridges on top will prevent good contact with the adhesive layer. I'd have to file the ridges off....yikes!
In any case the jubilee's already tall body means I would run out of vertical arm adjustment with the Graham (in my setup).
The Denon has a fairly flat top and and about 5mm shorter than the jubilee - so it should work ok.
Did you get yours from Decibel HiFi?

Hi Downunder

I ranted, granted, hehe.

I also use tubes and I know they measure badly. I also use 'isolation' - under and around my tt's armposts and above, below and around my tt's legs. The isolating material is called 'butyl'which I got from someone who brought it from Belgium. The stuff is compressable but not a 'closed cell foam'.

I also admit I have not heard the "Isolator' and my modest opinion or prejudice is just as subjective as yours. I will not go as far as the brave men who superglue their carts to headshells though, but for the life of me, I cannot see the benefit of introducing yet another compliance in the cart-to headshell-to arm chain. While being driven from side to side and up and down a gazillion times per second, the cantilever already has a tough-enough time to accurately decode those grooves. I guess the same effect could be introduced for less than $150 by cutting your armtube halfway between the h/shell and the pivot and re-joining the two pieces with a rubber bung. Would this however, make sense?

coneflap

I have to disagree with many of the posted comments, just based on listening (but not measurements). After speaking with Pierre at Mapleshade, who suggested I loosen the cartridge bolts to just finger tight, I tried it on my Technics 1200 and Audio Note AQ-II. Without a doubt, the sound was more dynamic and there was less of a spitty character, especially to vocals. Same with my new Clearaudio Maestro on the same table, although truthfully it's not fully broken in. Too loose caused mistracking but that was easily corrected. As others have pointed out, this is all about cartridge-headshell-arm-table resonances and frankly it has got to be more complex than simple platitudes that a more solid interface is better. So, something like the Isolater may work in some cases, but so might just loosening the bolts or trying Moca wood or Blu-tack as suggested.

I did some further research into people who tried the isolator. It appears to be very tonearm & cartridge dependant. I think that it will benefit some on using the VPI arm, depending on the cartridge. The Phantom most likely wont benefit on most cartridges. It really has a lot to do w. how the turntable & arm deal w. resonance. If the turntable can dissipate resonance well and so can the arm it shouldn't be needed. I myself am just trying my best to explain what I have been explained from memory. I have not tried it and now don't plan on trying it.