I'm on an isolation mission...

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Neurasthenic

Member
Decided to order a few things for my turntable today.

Currently my TT is on a metal shelf that doesn't have solid surfaces... I can't think of the term to describe it. The shelves are "bars" spaced about an inch apart. So it's sitting on an acrylic sheet that rests on four hockey pucks. :yes:

I've been putting off buying a set of Vibrapods, I'm really curious to try them out. So first I ordered a set of those. I'm going to want to do the Vibrapod sandwich so I needed a solid base.

Last time I was home I saw that my parents had a really nice looking cutting board. Seemed like a good size and it's solid marble so it has some heft to it. I ordered one for myself to serve as my bottom layer.

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-535591/White-Marble-Pastry-Board

Hopefully it will be a good combination, we'll find out in a week or so. I think aesthetically the setup will look great with my white Debut III. I don't have issues with footfall or anything, I'm looking for a more subtle improvement and hopefully further reduction in rumble or motor noise.
 
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How about some racquetballs to go with your hockey pucks...

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Take that marble cutting board from your parents and buy them a nice maple or walnut one. Marble for cutting boards is the equivalent of making a record out of stone and wondering why your stylus seems to get damaged!

I actually use a cherry wood cutting board (2") under my TT but sadly it sits on a less than sturdy metal support so it's far from optimal; working on it!
 
I've found marble to be not that good at reducing much of anything. It looks great but as far as sound deadening it's not much help. I've actually had my best luck using car audio sound deadening sheets on the underside of shelfs. In my application this worked better than hockey pucks, or rubber balls cut in half. Securing the shelf to a solid wall also helped a great deal. I have to try to make my tt pick up noise now. With the loudness engaged and bass turned way up I have to go to a stupid high volume before the tt picks up anything. And unless someone does the elephant stomp there's no footfalls to be heard either. Good luck to you.
 
My experience
-Adding dampening material to the iside of a TT (bitumen, lead etc) helps a lot
-Floating the TT off the ceiling is usually most effective, otherwise a wallmounted stand will do a lot for you.
-The tennisball/squashball trick (mentioned earlier here) works.
 
You could make a sandwich... too slabs of marble (big floor tiles) with a layer of high density foam in between. Might even insert a fine mesh metal screen layer to shield the turntable from any EM noisy components that might be below it...
 
This is a recent renovation project that I finished.
I took a 1934 radio/phonograph console and rigged it with early to mid 50's mono gear.
The console is a reverberant, resonating design, and, in my testing, I found a need for isolation from acoustic feedback. The tests were done with the console lid closed, and a variety of TT's were placed on the lid, and the console was run at various levels to try to produce feedback. With non-supended decks, it was easy to get it to feedback. With a suspended deck, the feedback went away. So, I determined that I'd definitely have to suspend/isolate the deck to pull it off without feedback.
To that end, I bought two two-packs of Mighty Morphin PowerRangers SuperBalls from a $1 store, and had some scrap birch plywood in the garage.

This is the renovated console:
IMG_0627.jpg


Base layer with SuperBall suspension:
IMG_0618JPG.jpg


The base layer, ^^, is suspended within the console cabinet, attached by its own interior framing design and rails. It does not connect to the sidewalls of the cabinet, which are very flexible and resonant.

Plinth layers that ride on the SuperBalls suspension:
IMG_0619JPG.jpg



inside console cabinet:
IMG_0621JPG.jpg


If you look to the gap above the base layer, ^^, you'll see the Superballs in the gap, and the rest of the massive plinth design above them.

The result was as hoped, isolation and suspension, while still maintaining plinth massiveness (crucial with old idler drives). I think that the "massiness" of the plinth is helpful in getting the most from the SuperBalls.
I can turn this console up all the way now, even with bass-full music selections, and not get any feedback.
I'm entirely pleased with the results and would suggest this as a workable theory.
 
The description of the stand with wire shelves doesn't sound like the most ideal placement for a turntable IMO. Your best bet is a solid stable equipment stand or wall shelf. I'v been useing Target turntable wall shelves with just the turntable sitting on the shelf and found anything else unnecessary. You could also build a TT wall shelf DIY very cheaply.
 
I believe what you are describing was originally called Metro shelves or industrial kitchen shelving now sold at most stores under names like gorilla shelving or many other names.

I tried using this stuff for my TT back in the 80's and it did not work well. Even using a 75 pound isolation base with built in air pillows did not do the job well enough. eventually i made a shelf and mounted it to the wall which worked better. but that table and place are long since gone.

I would caution you that depending on the TT what you put beneath it can adversely effect the tonal quality of the TT. Different materials can impact the bass. By fixing one problem you can create another. Solid materials will not necessarily work since they do not isolate low frequencies so you might consider a very dense piece of foam to help. but try playing with different materials and setups to see what works best. If not try the wall shelf as others suggested.
 
moggi1964 said:
Take that marble cutting board from your parents and buy them a nice maple or walnut one. Marble for cutting boards is the equivalent of making a record out of stone and wondering why your stylus seems to get damaged!

I actually use a cherry wood cutting board (2") under my TT but sadly it sits on a less than sturdy metal support so it's far from optimal; working on it!
Click to expand...

The marble is not a cutting board. It's a pastry board for rolling dough. I also have one under my Dual TT. I super glued brass cones to the underside of the marble. I do not have an issue with TT isolation because my listening room has concrete floors under the carpet and pad. I can jump up and down all day without causing any issues with my tables.
 

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I just went through round #42 of playing with isolation methods this weekend. As my system got better and bass tighter the problem got worse. My best solution so far is a 16" cork sheet on my wire (kitchen type) rack with a 16" 42lb. concrete pave on that, then 3/4" x2x2" closed cell foam blocks then a floor tile. This has worked better than bubble wrap, shelf liner or inner tube between the floor tile and paver. My 4 yr. old can now dance with no footfall noise hitting the table.
 
I use a 4" thick hunk of maple sitting on sorbothane feet to isolate my TT. It works exceptionally well.
 
Mission Isoplat turntable platform (if they still make them)
Mission Isomat turntable mat (again, if they still make them)
Good record clamp.
 
G'day mate, carpet underlay works well for suppression/ isolation applications. :thmbsp: Regards, Felix aka catman.
 
I think that you're working from a serious deficit by the fact the 'table is sitting on a wire rack. If it were on something more substantial, you'd have to do a lot less to isolate/stabilize your turntable.

If you're staying with the wire rack, consider anchoring it to the wall behind if you can. Maybe you could mount shelf brackets to wall to offer support and stability to that one shelf.
 
Neurasthenic said:
Hopefully it will be a good combination, we'll find out in a week or so. I think aesthetically the setup will look great with my white Debut III. I don't have issues with footfall or anything, I'm looking for a more subtle improvement and hopefully further reduction in rumble or motor noise.
Click to expand...

Not to dismiss the importance of a good shelf or stand for your turntable, but if the primary issue is "rumble or motor noise", then I don't see that a different stand will necessarily solve the problem.

I'm not familiar with the Debut III, but I'd think looking at the turntable itself would be a better approach to reducing rumble.
 
Cactuscowboy I'm trying to stay "neutral" today and not let my feelings re the "new" entry level belt drives get the best of me. Myself and others were trying to be helpful and recommend a more stable platform than the wire shelf but as you pointed out this isn't going to do much to help a TT whos rumble and motor noise was IMO bettered by many lofi vintage belt drive TTs. I can't fault a lot of new TT buyers who would expect some kind of competent construction/materials/performance in this price range and were swayed into purchasing them by the slick appearance that was only skin deep.
 
Let's not diss the guys 'table. I don't have experience with a Debut III but it gets high praise around the web, even specifically for it's low noise floor.

The OP asked about isolation for his 'table and there is no question that isolation will improve the performance of any 'table.
 
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