Fantastic Turntable Isolators...cheap!

DustyOldPile

DustyOldPile

Vinyl Goddess
Get a pack of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Shepherd-Har...=8-1&keywords=caster+carpet+protectors+square

And these:

https://www.amazon.com/Wilson-Racqu...8&qid=1507744686&sr=8-1&keywords=racquetballs

Take three of the chair coasters and two racquetballs. Cut the racquetballs exactly in half. Set one of the halves aside.

Now squish each 2 1/4 inch diameter racquetball half into the 1 7/8 squares, they'll fit tightly and snugly.

Stick one under each front turntable leg, and one in the back. Start in the center of the back, but using 3 instead of 4 allows you to level it more accurately. You might have to stack something under the back one to get the table level. I like using old CD's...they finally have a purpose! LOL

Boy, did this deaden the heck out of all feedback! I had the PL-550 sitting on a 1" thick block of granite, and with these in between I can thump on the entertainment center all I want...nothing comes through the system.
 
Perfect, now all you need is a record clamp.

Take one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Rep...F8&qid=1507746051&sr=8-15&keywords=air+hockey

And one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/QuickTrophy-...8&qid=1507746109&sr=1-4&keywords=music+trophy

You're going to need to file down the rounded top of the air hockey paddle to a flat surface and set it aside.

Now carefully separate the trophy from the base - this can be done by grabbing the trophy in one hand and the base in the other, and snapping it in half.

Last, simply glue the trophy to the top haphazardly and voila, a record clamp.
 
DustyOldPile said:
Seriously, these racquetball feet work extremely well!
Click to expand...

Sorry for taking away from your real suggestion, I couldn't resist after seeing that other thread.

To clarify, while I was joking, OP is not and this is a valid DIY for isolator feet.
 
If you don't like the look of racquetballs, you could always DIY this into the interior of a plinth that simply has a slab of something dead suspended from the racquetballs set so that it's basically level with the top of the box but with 1/4-1/2" clearance all around the inside edge. Boom, cheap isolation table.
 
EngineerNate said:
If you don't like the look of racquetballs, you could always DIY this into the interior of a plinth that simply has a slab of something dead suspended from the racquetballs set so that it's basically level with the top of the box but with 1/4-1/2" clearance all around the inside edge. Boom, cheap isolation table.
Click to expand...

I wish I had a camera right now, but I left my iPhone about 150 miles to the north at the cottage. The ball halves tucked into the carpet protectors actually looks quite purposeful and professional. In other words, it looks better than it sounds, or than it should.
 
Good idea. I have used racket balls In the past. I have found that the vintage Pioneer models with the resin/plastic type base can really benefit from good isolation (same with Technics and similar styled 70-80's tables).


Ok, you can pound on the table and not effect anything. Do you hear an improvement? Better focus and clarity perhaps?
 
bobins08 said:
Good idea. I have used racket balls In the past. I have found that the vintage Pioneer models with the resin/plastic type base can really benefit from good isolation (same with Technics and similar styled 70-80's tables).


Ok, you can pound on the table and not effect anything. Do you hear an improvement? Better focus and clarity perhaps?
Click to expand...

This is something I've thought about as well. I can hear tapping on the body of the record player on my PL-200 during playback. Buy why would I do that? The magnitude of the impulses caused by me tapping on the enclosure directly is far, far larger than anything that is going to get transmitted by whatever it's sitting on. So maybe don't tap on it while it's playing. :D
 
bobins08 said:
Good idea. I have used racket balls In the past. I have found that the vintage Pioneer models with the resin/plastic type base can really benefit from good isolation (same with Technics and similar styled 70-80's tables).


Ok, you can pound on the table and not effect anything. Do you hear an improvement? Better focus and clarity perhaps?
Click to expand...

A month or so ago, before I got the 3BX and the DAK-1, I had a problem with a very low frequency 'howl' at high volumes. After I added the 3BX and the DAK-1, the howl was partially suppressed in an odd manner. It almost sounded like it was a rotational issue with the platter, but it didn't coincide with the actual rotation. What was happening is the howl would start to develop, then the combination of the processors would quell it, then it would start again and cycle like that at high volume. I also noticed that tapping on any part of the very long piece of IKEA furniture that the turntable sits upon would 'ring'. So I got to thinking, "Ok, we have the big piece of granite underneath the turntable so that it has lots of mass and isn't susceptible to footfalls, but this low freq howl is coming through, how do I further isolate?" And so I dug in my junk drawer and my garage and came up with this solution. Ringing gone. Howl gone. Tight, low bass. All is good with the world! The only pitfall is that the turntable is slightly more susceptible to big footfalls, so I have to be careful that I don't dance like an idiot right in front of the turntable. I can live with that.
 
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