KAB TD-1200 Tonearm Fluid Damper For Technics SL1200/1210 MK2, 3,5 & M5G*
Please note: This only for models manufactured between (1979-2010)
All hi quality tonearms use fluid damping. Now your Technics (1979-2010) can have this desirable feature. The TD-1200 consists of a precision machined trough, tonearm paddle, and special Silicone fluid. Installs easily in minutes.
The paddle rides in the fluid controlling sudden movements of the arm. It also helps suppress sound vibration within the tonearm tube. Improves tracking on warps, and tracing of minute details. You will hear better bass and clearer vocals. Works great at all speeds including 78 RPM. True worldclass performance.
* For the M5G and GLD models, you must first remove the lateral weight adjuster. To do that, loosen the small philips set screw on the back of the gimbal pillar, and turn the adjuster all the way out and remove. re tighten the set screw. TD-1200 fits original models 1979-2010 including SL1600mk2, SL1700mk2, SL1800mk2.
All tonearms vibrate at the arm cartrige resonant frequency. This causes the speakers to motion in and out modulating the soundstage. Fluid damping stabilizes this behaviour and brings greater stability to the soundstage. Your amplifiers are also over reacting to this very low frequency signal and that can cause even more problems.
It would be better if we could call this behavior "Dynamic Ridgidity" for that better describes what is happening. Functionally when a tonearm reacts to the resonant frequency it produces a peak of output energy. This is seen as woofer pumping which is essentially the stylus over reacting to a small warp in the records surface. Fluid damping stops the stylus from over reacting. That is what is "damped". It all occurs at frequencies below 10 hz and has no impact whatsoever on audible dynamics. In otherwords, do not confuse damping of resonance with damping of dynamics they are not related in any way.
Above 10 Hz the arm is seen to be even more ridgid at any single point in time and as a result the stylus traces the groove with even more precision. The biggest sonic effect is to make the sound stage more "Still". This can be subtle to some, overwhelming to others. It all depends on your listening priorities.
In summary, reproduction is more precise with damping then without.
The really great features to take note of with the KAB TD-1200 Tonearm Fluid Damper are the improved sonics and tonearm response.
The tonearm handles better under manual cueing. The needle tracks warps without ever leaving the surface, even at 78 RPM. Tracking of shallow groove records like vintage Pathes, is no longer a nightmare. Many repeat skips will now continue unabridged.
In use, the damping is attenuating the low frequency "arm - cartridge " resonance. This lets the arm mate with a wider array of cartridges while providing consistent bass performance.
