Ebony armboards and SME tonearms?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Been speaking to Steve at Magna Audio and my interest was aroused (down boy) about the possibility of a Ebony Armboard for my 1210. I have a Mike New solid Copper version at the moment and it's done it job wonderfully for several years now. I'd just like to put a call out to ALL ebony armboard users and ask for comments, opinions, advice etc. Steve dosen't have a loaner unit so I'd like some help before ordering.

[Tarzan]

You need wood! l reckon an Ebony armboard would sound better than a metal one- less ringing?

[Andrei]

I recall our glorious leader Marco also being in a state of arousal at the ebony armboard - some men prefer black I guess. This deviance aside, I might mention my current flavour of the month: Dynamat. This wonder product can be applied to any surface and would tame those micro vibrations. It is almost a free shot - I say almost because it is a right pain to remove if you want to take it off again. You can cut a piece to measure and stick it on the underside of the armboard. Either way it is such a small area I remember being surprised that it seemed to make such a difference. Still it is 'close to the action' ie the tomearm. Or you can go ape and stick dynamat all over every spare surface under the hood.

[YNWaN]

You need wood! l reckon an Ebony armboard would sound better than a metal one- less ringing?

Ebony is more like aluminium or a plastic like Delrin than when compared to most other woods. It is exceedingly dense and has an exceedingly tight and fine grain. I've made bits from Ebony and it is far more like turning brass than wood.

[Wakefield Turntables]

what are your thoughts about how it works sonically?

[dimkasta]

Ebony is more like aluminium or a plastic like Delrin than when compared to most other woods. It is exceedingly dense and has an exceedingly tight and fine grain. I've made bits from Ebony and it is far more like turning brass than wood.

In terms of machine work and turning I agree. The grain is very fine and tight. Very nice to work with.

Ebony though is far more "dead" sonically. It does not ring like aluminum and is perfect for absorbing vibrations, although it is expensive to get it in thick masses.

Let me rephrase that... it is OMFG EXPENSIVE!!!!!! to get in thick planks...

[Wakefield Turntables]

My biggest fear is that the ebony armboard is going to completely dull the soundstage. I remember messing around with sorbothane, this stuff completely deflated the drive and slam of my deck. Some people had good results with sorbothane footers, I had a nightmare.

[Marco]

Ebony though is far more "dead" sonically. It does not ring like aluminum and is perfect for absorbing vibrations...

...which is precisely why it lends itself so well for use as a tonearm board ;)

Marco.

[Marco]

My biggest fear is that the ebony armboard is going to completely dull the soundstage...

Do you honestly think I'd use it if it did? Fear not! :)

Marco.

[RobbieGong]

My biggest fear is that the ebony armboard is going to completely dull the soundstage. I remember messing around with sorbothane, this stuff completely deflated the drive and slam of my deck. Some people had good results with sorbothane footers, I had a nightmare.

I'm surprised you'd think that, now a thick piece of sorbothane / rubber I could maybe understand. The ebony armboard is beautiful, sonically excellent and very natural sounding in my experience. Having had one I wouldn't have anything else given the choice. Yep! fear not indeed ! :)

[Wakefield Turntables]

Do you honestly think I'd use it if it did? Fear not! :)

Marco.

Marco, this comment surprises me, I didn't think you rated the SME V. I dont see how you can formulate an opinion given your an Ortofon fanboy (like me) and have never had a V mounted to your deck.


I'm surprised you'd think that, now a thick piece of sorbothane / rubber I could maybe understand. The ebony armboard is beautiful, sonically excellent and very natural sounding in my experience. Having had one I wouldn't have anything else given the choice. Yep! fear not indeed ! :)

Yep I dont doubt it but no-one has compared solid copper against solid ebony. I'd hate to waste the money. See my quandry:scratch:

[Marco]

Marco, this comment surprises me, I didn't think you rated the SME V. I dont see how you can formulate an opinion given your an Ortofon fanboy (like me) and have never had a V mounted to your deck.


An SME V has got nothing to do with it, Andy. I'm simply saying that one of Steve's solid-ebony armboards should allow any high-quality tonearm to realise its true sonic potential. One thing it certainly shouldn't do is "dull the soundstage", which you've cited as being your biggest fear, and is why I said 'fear not!'

I have no experience of Mike's solid-copper armboard, and I'm sure it's excellent, but I'm unconvinced that the sonic advantages it possesses as a material are best utilised in that area.

Certainly, other types of metal armboard I've tried on the Technics have all added a rather 'clinical' form of sonic signature, and contributed to the somewhat sterile sound the Technics can have, if you don't take effective steps to ameliorate it, one of which is fitting a high-quality wooden armboard - and in that respect they don't come any better than Steve's! ;)

Marco.

[Spectral Morn]

My biggest fear is that the ebony armboard is going to completely dull the soundstage. I remember messing around with sorbothane, this stuff completely deflated the drive and slam of my deck. Some people had good results with sorbothane footers, I had a nightmare.

Get it, don't like it and I will buy it off you - assuming it is in the same nick as you bought it - for what you paid. Buy it, like it and I might be interested in the MN armboard.

So there you go a no risk offer.


Regards Neil

[Wakefield Turntables]

Get it, don't like it and I will buy it off you - assuming it is in the same nick as you bought it - for what you paid. Buy it, like it and I might be interested in the MN armboard.

So there you go a no risk offer.


Regards Neil

If thats a solid promise I'll get one.

[Spectral Morn]

If thats a solid promise I'll get one.

Yes that's a solid promise, if my not having a MN base plate but having the other bits the same does not mean the armboard you get will raise my SME 5 too high, so I can't lower the arm enough to accommodate my cart (AT33EV). I have a MN no bonded copper mat platter, I use a Funk mat on it.


Regards Neil

[YNWaN]

Ebony though is far more "dead" sonically. It does not ring like aluminum and is perfect for absorbing vibrations, although it is expensive to get it in thick masses.

No, it doesn't ring like aluminium (can) but Delrin doesn't ring in that way either (nor does brass). Just because a material is inert, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is good at 'absorbing' vibration - indeed, the opposite may be true as vibration must first pass into the material before it can be dissipated.

Personally, I use a constrained layer damped aluminium arm board - it's resonant frequency is critically damped by the construction method employed. I've tried quite a lot of materials for arm boards and found them all to have a sonic signature (I've not tried ebony for an arm board though).

Andrew, I would be very surprised if you found the Ebony arm board to sound like the Sorbothane damped one you have previously tried. I too have not been impressed by Sorbothane damping when I have tried it - it's very good at attenuating some frequencies but not others and this seems to create a very coloured effect.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Andrew, I would be very surprised if you found the Ebony arm board to sound like the Sorbothane damped one you have previously tried. I too have not been impressed by Sorbothane damping when I have tried it - it's very good at attenuating some frequencies but not others and this seems to create a very coloured effect.

Nice to know I'm not going off my rocker. To my ears Sorbothane completely kills the mid band on my deck and robs life from the soundstage presentation.


Yes that's a solid promise, if my not having a MN base plate but having the other bits the same does not mean the armboard you get will raise my SME 5 too high, so I can't lower the arm enough to accommodate my cart (AT33EV). I have a MN no bonded copper mat platter, I use a Funk mat on it.


Regards Neil

Looks like the bank balance is going to be depleted a little further. ;)

[Wakefield Turntables]

New tonearm board arrived. Have a look in my main thread for some pix.