Acoustic Signature CLD:Constraint Layer Damping

Acoustic Signature writes: “Constraint Layer Dam­ping (CLD) is a mecha­nical engi­nee­ring method for the absorp­tion or mini­mi­zation of vibra­tions. In audio compo­nents CLD techno­logy is usually imple­mented by using sand­wich designs that ’embed’ a damping material layer between mate­rials that do not them­selves have suffi­cient dam­ping proper­ties. A cart­ridge will only track a record unaffec­ted, if it finds a quiet sur­face without reso­nance inter­feren­ces. Accor­dingly, it is neces­sary to deve­lop vibration-free chassis and platter designs – this must be done in addi­tion to the reso­nance-reducing mea­sures for motors, drive and bea­ring cons­truc­tion.

In order to achieve this, we already exten­ded the typical CLD techno­logy approach more than 20 years ago. Beyond the classic sand­wich cons­truc­tion, we presen­ted an absolute novelty to the high-end world: the Acoustic Signa­ture silencer platter, which imme­diately set new stan­dards in vibra­tion absorp­tion. Our twin-track CLD approach, which is mainly used in our high-mass turn­tables, is still unsur­passed in its effec­tiveness.

In the course of plan­ning and deve­lo­ping our NEO product line, we have been working inten­sively on impro­ving our CLD con­cept. First, our tests led to an opti­mized material combi­nation consis­ting of two layers of a special alu­minum alloy and an inter­mediate brass layer. Second, this also led to a new arrange­ment as well as an adjust­ment of size, weight and position of our silencer brass bolts when imple­mented in our platters.

In addition, we had to sensibly pair the two CLD tools descri­bed above with the NEO chassis to maxi­mize the effect. The elabo­rate material experi­ments and listening sessions were worth the efforts: in our NEO turn­table series we have succee­ded in taking the inter­action of all techno­logies to a stun­ning new level! A rigid, yet energy-absor­bing chassis based on finite element design princip­les, and our new CLD approach creates unbea­table units in terms of reso­nance behavior.

The CLD techno­logies that we imple­ment in the Acoustic Signa­ture NEO turn­table gene­ration have clearly excee­ded our metro­logical expec­tations and also show off in terms of sound perfor­mance – with an even blacker back­ground, larger ima­ging, increa­sed trans­parency and, above all, breath­taking musicality.”