Gem Dandy

Gem Dandy is the company created by turntable innovator George Merrill, who coined the term “tonearm release energy” during the development of his AR modifications (1976). Release energy is produced by the tracing of the record groove. The stylus only moves microns. A very small amount of energy intrusion will diminish low level information and cloud sonic quality. The start of the energy chain is within the cartridge body, this energy is equal and opposite of the stylus movement. The energy is then fed from the cartridge to the tonearm. Many cartridge and tonearm manufacturers now design their product with materials and form to minimize the body induced resonances produced by this energy. The final step is when the energy is released into the arm mounting platform. What happens at this step is the true test of the design. The energy must be dissipated and not reflected back into the tonearm. The Energy Management design principals are incorporated in all Merrill Turntables. In these designs the arm mounting platform is a non removable part of the subchassis allowing coupling the release energy to a large homogeneous dissipating area. This area was many times larger than that of any turntable produced at that point in time and probably most now. This is one of the main reasons for the sonic integrity of these innovative designs.