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TT from the ceiling

freQ(*)Oddio

freQ(*)Oddio

Super Member
Some of us remember the plywood platform with 4 chains hanging over the top of a 1970s style audio tower. That was my first experience of not having to tiptoe around my room with a record playing. This is all i can think about when I see a 5' tall aluminum $100,000 artwork turntable with platforms that eliminate all ground vibrations . Any hanging capable table should have the same or better isolation than any on or below chassis designs. The biggest problem is the WAF may not be good with 4 dog chains hanging from the ceiling. I remember 4 or 5 of us always jumping up and down stomping next to the audio tower and not even a flutter would come over any cheap table we used, ...100% isolation with any table............for free.., no fancy feet, no spikes or special damping platforms, tennis balls, nothing came close to a stock TT that is hanging in the air. because the only factor is removed. I am using a IKEA platform and spikes, but i am aware that hanging my table would be better than buying any isolation system . Vac, Magnetic, similar results. Dont want to sound like a scorn "want to be" high end audio guy, , just my beliefs on seeing the newest expensive isolation systems, there are certainly buyers, i am just going to hang mine again some day.
 
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Go for a dynamically-balanced arm (using a spring to apply tracking force, instead of today's much more common static-balanced arms which use a counterweight) and further opportunities present themselves.

inverted tt by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

That's an Empire tt with an Empire dynamically-balanced arm.

:)
 
Lordy--yes, I remember those chains--and then we moved on to aircraft cables (for a cleaner look) and added those tensioners that you just had to twist for ease of leveling. A buddy of mine (a mechanic) who is into cars as well as audio gear has devised a couple bizarre TT isolation platforms. Both use heavy granite bases and tops, but are suspended--one by a set of air shocks, and the other by one of the air-bag suspension components from a Lincoln Town Car--"hybrid hobbies" I guess.
 
Never liked suspended.
At the time, I didn't live where it worked well.
Flimsy buildings like trailer houses.

A 100lb block of granite on a stand that would press into the carpet was nice.
Moving to a basement and getting to a cement floor was best.

A solid heavy turntable like the Technics SL-1300 was good too.


The local head shop and record store had a suspended table.
First time I heard AC/DC was a promo album on that. 1976, High Voltage.
I ordered a copy from the first order he placed.
 
It is, in my opinion, the best isolation solution from a technical standpoint. It's the 'holes in the ceiling and cables/chains' part that puts most people, including myself, off unless it's an absolute necessity. However, back in my club dj days, it was the only way to keep records from skipping when people would slam into the dj booth, or to keep the tables from howling from feedback at high volume.
 
I had a friend that took the solution to the problem a step further. He sawed a hole thru his floor to the crawl space underneath and sunk a fence corner post into the ground. He mounted a table top on top of that and that's where he set his turntable.
Definitely had his table "grounded"!
 
dosmalo said:
I had a friend that took the solution to the problem a step further. He sawed a hole thru his floor to the crawl space underneath and sunk a fence corner post into the ground. He mounted a table top on top of that and that's where he set his turntable.
Definitely had his table "grounded"!
Click to expand...

Would you say it was... grounded to the ground?
 
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