View Full Version : Speedy Steve's Ebony Armboard
It's been a couple of weeks since I installed the Ebony Armboard from Magna Audio http://fosworld.wix.com/magna-audio
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Ebony_zpsgvtuogfg.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Ebony_zpsgvtuogfg.jpg.html)
These armboards have everything going for them. They look fantastic for starters - sorry about the photo but these are the first photos I have taken with a new camera.
More interesting is the influence they have on the sound. I am familiar with my system as I listen to it most days. My expectation was that it should improve the sound slightly if for no reason than it was replacing metal. (I should add here that I had already damped the existing armboard which was a small help.) I have scarcely been more surprised. There was a significant improvement. Interestingly the improvement was in more than one way. First up instruments sounded more lifelike, second the sound was overall more pleasing, and third the soundstage was noticeably sharpened. All from an armboard?
I am at a bit of a loss to explain this and the best I can come up with is (1) The armboard is near the action ie it supports the tonearm which will have its own resonances. (2) A before and after comparison of the materials; The previous armboard was well designed but the metal is not the best. The ebony armboard is made from the same material that musical instruments are made from - think clarinet or the black piano keys.
The thing does take a bit of time (measured in minutes) to install but doing up a Tecchie is a labour of love right? On the photo you can see an allen key. That is one with a short base to the 'L' - need to adjust the height of the arm. Anyway it was about a 20th of the time it took me to damp the chassis with dynamat or strip the underlay of the platter.
Just to put the armboard in its context: Other improvements to my 1210 were: Isonoe Feet (+sorbothane boots and glass separator), Longdog External Power supply, Platter damped with dynamat, Internal metal chassis damped with dynamat, Achromat, Michel Clamp, Yamamoto Sound African Hardwood headshell, Benz Wood cartridge, Jelco 750D tonearm with Shuggie Collar and Isokinetik counterweight.
Overall I would not say this should be the first upgrade - you would likely take steps to reduce vibration. But if you are going to upgrade the technics tonearm the you may as well get Speedy Steve's armboard at the same time.
Wakefield Turntables
12-03-2015, 08:52
Your findings seem to mirror my own and a few others om the Forum. :)
Ammonite Audio
12-03-2015, 09:04
Andrei, how do you rate the Isokinetik counterweight? I have one too, but struggle to hear any improvement over the standard weight.
keiron99
12-03-2015, 10:37
I am at a bit of a loss to explain this
Because I'm a cynic, I would point to this...
My expectation was that it should improve the sound slightly if for no reason than it was replacing metal.
What would be intrinsically wrong with metal? After all, the entire platter, plinth and tonearm are metal.
(Despite my cynicism I am glad you are happy with it though and it does look like wonderful craftsmanship. I'd love to see it being made.)
Most good tonearms are designed to transmit energy away from the cartridge, though the arm, into the bearings and sunk into the armboard - this interface between tonearm and armboard is thus fundamental to the sound.
keiron99
12-03-2015, 12:51
Most good tonearms are designed to transmit energy away from the cartridge, though the arm, into the bearings and sunk into the armboard - this interface between tonearm and armboard is thus fundamental to the sound.
Surely the "energy" should transmit up the cantilever?
Andrei, how do you rate the Isokinetik counterweight? I have one too, but struggle to hear any improvement over the standard weight.
I struggle as well :-> I think the beast tracks a bit better. The lower center of gravity apparently helps in that regard. Also because it is heavier it has to be closer to the pivot point and that times the square root of your age does something to the mass.
What would be intrinsically wrong with metal? After all, the entire platter, plinth and tonearm are metal.
The metal, particularly in the platter, resonates and this is not a good thing. Others (eg Funk on their website) and I have pointed out in the past that the platter audibly rings when struck with something like a spoon. The sound of the Technics improves when the platter is damped. In fact I believe everyone who has bought an aftermarket platter has also noted the improvement. I have taken it a step further and covered the underside of the metal layer (there are three layers in a 1200) with damping material. Some tweaks either don't do anything or the difference is too small to be audible, but damping the platter and chassis do make an audible difference. I was expecting the ebony armboard to be an improvement, but definitely surprised at the amount. Most high-end TT manufacturers address this issue, eg by constrained layer damping.
Incidentally, I should have mentioned that at the point of installing the armboard I had not put on the new African Hardwood headshell. It is made from a wood that looks like ebony, but apparently is even harder. I was running the Oyaide HS-TF headshell, but the African Hardwood headshell has also brought a similar result.
I struggle as well :-> I think the beast tracks a bit better. The lower center of gravity apparently helps in that regard. Also because it is heavier it has to be closer to the pivot point and that times the square root of your age does something to the mass.
The metal, particularly in the platter, resonates and this is not a good thing. Others (eg Funk on their website) and I have pointed out in the past that the platter audibly rings when struck with something like a spoon. The sound of the Technics improves when the platter is damped. In fact I believe everyone who has bought an aftermarket platter has also noted the improvement. I have taken it a step further and covered the underside of the metal layer (there are three layers in a 1200) with damping material. Some tweaks either don't do anything or the difference is too small to be audible, but damping the platter and chassis do make an audible difference. I was expecting the ebony armboard to be an improvement, but definitely surprised at the amount. Most high-end TT manufacturers address this issue, eg by constrained layer damping.
Incidentally, I should have mentioned that at the point of installing the armboard I had not put on the new African Hardwood headshell. It is made from a wood that looks like ebony, but apparently is even harder. I was running the Oyaide HS-TF headshell, but the African Hardwood headshell has also brought a similar result.
So, Andrei what your impressions of the Yam blackwood? I love mine, and it looks great into the bargain.
So, Andrei what your impressions of the Yam blackwood? I love mine, and it looks great into the bargain.I thought yams were a vegetable. Anyway my Yamamoto Sound headshell is certainly very good looking. (You can only say this sort of thing on a Hi-Fi forum). It has also improved the sound. It seems strange that something so small can actually make a difference but it does. I believe it works well with the ebony armboard in that the metal tonearm has a hardwood interface at both ends.
Surely the "energy" should transmit up the cantilever?
Yes and into the coils. In an ideal world that's it, but the cartridge and arm interface also vibrates, and this energy has to go somewhere. In fact some people use more lossy classic 3009s and looser headshells with a standard DL103 for this reason to damp it rather than sink it.
ChrisKemp
03-04-2015, 16:54
It's been a couple of weeks since I installed the Ebony Armboard from Magna Audio http://fosworld.wix.com/magna-audio
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y530/Andrei_nz/Ebony_zpsgvtuogfg.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Andrei_nz/media/Ebony_zpsgvtuogfg.jpg.html)
These armboards have everything going for them. They look fantastic for starters - sorry about the photo but these are the first photos I have taken with a new camera.
More interesting is the influence they have on the sound. I am familiar with my system as I listen to it most days. My expectation was that it should improve the sound slightly if for no reason than it was replacing metal. (I should add here that I had already damped the existing armboard which was a small help.) I have scarcely been more surprised. There was a significant improvement. Interestingly the improvement was in more than one way. First up instruments sounded more lifelike, second the sound was overall more pleasing, and third the soundstage was noticeably sharpened. All from an armboard?
I am at a bit of a loss to explain this and the best I can come up with is (1) The armboard is near the action ie it supports the tonearm which will have its own resonances. (2) A before and after comparison of the materials; The previous armboard was well designed but the metal is not the best. The ebony armboard is made from the same material that musical instruments are made from - think clarinet or the black piano keys.
The thing does take a bit of time (measured in minutes) to install but doing up a Tecchie is a labour of love right? On the photo you can see an allen key. That is one with a short base to the 'L' - need to adjust the height of the arm. Anyway it was about a 20th of the time it took me to damp the chassis with dynamat or strip the underlay of the platter.
Just to put the armboard in its context: Other improvements to my 1210 were: Isonoe Feet (+sorbothane boots and glass separator), Longdog External Power supply, Platter damped with dynamat, Internal metal chassis damped with dynamat, Achromat, Michel Clamp, Yamamoto Sound African Hardwood headshell, Benz Wood cartridge, Jelco 750D tonearm with Shuggie Collar and Isokinetik counterweight.
Overall I would not say this should be the first upgrade - you would likely take steps to reduce vibration. But if you are going to upgrade the technics tonearm the you may as well get Speedy Steve's armboard at the same time.
Very nice write up, Andrei! And very interesting that you find the armboard to make such a big improvement:) Congrats. It looks great too!
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2026 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.