inthegroove
Member
The mdf platters that Project uses have eight coats of lacquer on them.
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Steel or MDF platter
- Thread starter inthegroove
- Start date
Steel platters have no damping whatsoever. MDF is DOA.
I have a Project turntable with a steel platter. It's quite heavy and overall the speed is well regulated. Trouble is that it rang like a bell. So with a little help from a university friend we made some formers and filled the platter with a liquid rubber compound (allowing clearance to the belt drive and spindle etc). Then it was dynamically balanced. The difference is amazing. This thing in now basically acoustically dead with just a little increase in weight. Platter timing and stability is excellent. We also modified the bearing so that it rides on the oil better.
ripblade
Addicted Member
I didn't say steel plattera were damped, just that they could be, several different ways. Take @Powertech's approach above for example, also used by Zu Audio on the Technics 1200 platter; or the peripheral wave trap on the Oracle Delphi in my avatar, or the SDS Isoplatmat I currently have bonded to the Sol platter. They're not steel, but metal rings, yet can be effectively damped into inertia.
MDF is internally damped by the wood fibres, but not completely (all wood has resonance), yet there's little one can do to improve it.
Macaroonie
Super Member
Some but not all grades of Stainless Steel are non magnetic. Reglar ol mild steel would be a poor choice with LOMC carts.
MDF has its place in this world , in the dumpster. It's only attribute is that it is 1/3 of the price of Baltic Birch.
MDF has its place in this world , in the dumpster. It's only attribute is that it is 1/3 of the price of Baltic Birch.
Greenie
Active Member
Dring my journey down the Rega upgrade "rabbit hole" I tried a variety of platter and mat combinations. They all changed the sound a little but until I tried an acrylic one piece platter/mat I would not say it really improved on the supplied MDF - Felt as supplied. Glass was a real disappointment, even with a damping ring.
It was fun trying them all though.
It was fun trying them all though.
inthegroove
Member
I agree glass is disappointing and steel is worse. I'm happy with one piece acrylic for now and love having no. mat.
AudioFeline
Super Member
Firstly, the comparison between MDF and steel would depend on the thickness.
MDF is popular for turntables and speakers because it is cheap and easy to manufacture. But it's not good acoustically. If it was a very thick piece of MDF (1") it might be very rigid and have some mass.
I wouldn't want thin steel for a plinth. However, if it was a thick piece it might be OK (it's what I've had on a Commonewealth vintage idler, as per manufacturer's recommendations, and was OK). Steel might be improved with some Dynamat or similar dampening material, however, too much can suck the life out of a tt. Experimentation is the key to tweaking it with Dynamat - the balance between too little and too much.
If you have thin steel or thin MDF I would throw them out and make something from thick hardwood ply. Do it properly and let your turntable sing.
MDF is popular for turntables and speakers because it is cheap and easy to manufacture. But it's not good acoustically. If it was a very thick piece of MDF (1") it might be very rigid and have some mass.
I wouldn't want thin steel for a plinth. However, if it was a thick piece it might be OK (it's what I've had on a Commonewealth vintage idler, as per manufacturer's recommendations, and was OK). Steel might be improved with some Dynamat or similar dampening material, however, too much can suck the life out of a tt. Experimentation is the key to tweaking it with Dynamat - the balance between too little and too much.
If you have thin steel or thin MDF I would throw them out and make something from thick hardwood ply. Do it properly and let your turntable sing.
I agree totally with the posts following mine. I have to say that I use a MM cartridge - I'm not financially up to esoteric hifi levels. The steel platter that I have on the ProJect is quite heavy and very rigid. Not flimsy in any way. I think that mass helps it act as a flywheel to even out any speed fluctuations from the motor and belt (it has the belt and pulley upgrade from the original as well). My next move is probably to mechanically isolate the motor and the arm from the main turntable plinth and to upgrade the connection between the plinth and the unit it's standing on (maybe hang it from a rubber suspension system)..
My main interest with hifi in general is to take equipment which is pretty good already and then carefully and thoughtfully improve it or at least allow it to perform at it's best. All by researching best engineering principles.
I'm just interested in how things work.
I'm not an extreme purist or anything like that and i believe that however simple or complex a system ends up, the main principle is to try to do justice to the skill and effort put in by the artists and recording engineers to get the sound that they wanted.
My main interest with hifi in general is to take equipment which is pretty good already and then carefully and thoughtfully improve it or at least allow it to perform at it's best. All by researching best engineering principles.
I'm just interested in how things work.
I'm not an extreme purist or anything like that and i believe that however simple or complex a system ends up, the main principle is to try to do justice to the skill and effort put in by the artists and recording engineers to get the sound that they wanted.
