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Why does your turntable sound the way it does.

Ok, we all seem to agree that turntables sound different, and there are any number of upgrades to a basic turntable that are offered, up to and over $100k. But what is it that causes a turntable to sound the way it does. After all, isnt the basic principal that the table causes the groove undulations to pass by the stylus at a certain speed, thereby creating the sound we hear. If that's true, then only something that affects that point of interaction should have an effect on sound. Forget of course, differences in cartridge, tonearm, wire or preamp. Just think of the turntable itself.
Now, we hear that idler drives are more impactful than belt drives, belt drives are quieter and release more inner detail, direct drives maintain speed and tempo better, aluminum platters sound different than acrylic or glass or MDF. Platter mats can change the sound considerably. different bearing materials and precision in manufacture can change the sound. but why?
Is there a basic sound to be acheived when everything is perfect, and what we are hearing is actually a distortion of that sound based on resonance or time or torque or vibration or whatever. Is there a means of measuring what a cartridge can do in a perfectly set up system where there is no influence on the stylus/vinyl interface and the cartridge is free to follow the groove undulations without exterior influence. Is this perfect environment found in the cutting head, or is it also subject to the same influences as the playback stylus. And if so, how can we ever account for that effect in our playback systems.

So, fellow Audiogoners, what do you think has the greatest effect on vinyl playback as far as only the turntable itself, and what do you think can be done to ammeliorate those effects.
manitunc
dekay's avatar
dekay
2,959 posts
 
Because it's in the closet.
manitunc OP
795 posts
 
If we assume that the sound off the master tape is what the engineer wanted us to hear, and it is the best sound we can get, than why would damping out any extraneous vibrations take the life out of the recording. 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. Maybe they are also damping out what is actually on the record, but I dont know the theory under which that would happen. Again, I assume that a stylus accurately following the groove undulatons without any extra outside interference would provide the best sound, but maybe that assumption is incorrect.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,033 posts
 
Most tables have no technical knowledge inside but they look expensive instead of pushing the curtain. Most "Designers" are in real life more or less amateurs who do, try, add "something" and when it doesn't break, it is fine.
Based on that you have indeed different "sounding" Turntables.
peterayer
1,373 posts
 
I can't say much about dampening vibrations and effecting the sound of a turntable. Is it livelier or deader? But I can write from experience that I have lived with two turntables in my system, one unsuspended, and one suspended, and the sound improved tremendously when I isolated the turntable system from floor born vibrations by placing a Vibraplane beneath each turntable. The improvement was more dramatic with the unsuspended table, but it was still noticeable with the already well isolated suspended table.

I have found that isolation and mass are critical to good sound. This is a very complex topic and I wonder if we ascribe sonic characteristics to the turntable which may actually be more attributable to the cartridge/arm combination. How energy is handled by the arm tube, the arm bearings and the arm board is also critical IMO.

I'm just a hobbyist and have no technical knowledge about any of this stuff, but I do enjoy reading peoples' opinions and theories about what makes something sound the way it does.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
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.
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