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Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

“For those who want the moon but can't afford it or those who can afford it but like to have fun and work with their hands, I'm willing to give out a recipe for a true high-end 'table which is easy to do, and fun to make as sky's the limit on design/creativity! The cost of materials, including 'table, is roughly $200 (depending, more or less), and add to that a Rega tonearm. The results are astonishing. I'll even tell/show you how to make chipboard look like marble and fool and impress all your friends. If there's interest I'll get on with this project, if not, I'll just continue making them in my basement. The next one I make will have a Corian top and have a zebra stripe pattern! Fun! Any takers?”

The Lead in “Da Thread” as posted by Johnnantais - 2-01-04

Let the saga continue. Sail on, oh ships of Lenco!
mario_b

Showing 2 responses by opus100

opus100
4 posts
 
Hello all;

I agree with Mgreen, Lewm & Jean on a number of points.
Firstly, the current audio dogma that quality is proportional to price is incorrect. This point has been propagated by the Audio press. The are many examples of where a DIY audiophiles creating pieces of audio equipment for low cost that supersedes production pieces costing multiple fold. So, why is it so hard to believe that this could happen with turntables. Also the 30k SME costs more like 15-18K wholesale, and 7-8K to produce from the manufacturer. So the difference in prices between a 2K Lenco & a 7-8K SME are not are large as they look on paper.

As Lewm mentioned, the only way to determine the effect of the table on the sound characteristic is to keep all other variables constant and just change the Table.

I do not agree that absolute neutrality makes a turntable great. But again this is person dependant. Obviously Rick deems neutrality to be his priority, in which case the SME maybe his ultimate turntable. But, one can not say that because a piece of equipment is "colored" is not top class. Who generates the rules that neutral is the pinnacle & colored is not? Who is to say that something is colored? The answer is each of us does!! I for instance do not assess a piece of equipment as neutral or not neutral, but I look for the equipment to be musical. As close to the live music as possible. If this means colored then so be it.

Further, if one follows the magazines there top classes of audio equipment are filled with varying flavors ( warm, neutral, cold/dark) sounding equipment. So how can 2 pieces of equipment that are on polar opposites of a spectrum both be on a Class A list? Easily, because different reviewers have varying tastes.

I am not sure Why Rick became upset with this discussion. Audio like so many other topics are always full of debate & opinion. That’s what makes each of us different. It is our ability to process information and come up with varied answers. This does not make one person right or wrong, it is all a matter of perspective.

Regards;
Opus
opus100
4 posts
 
Hello Hxt1;

What are the dimensions & thickness of your slate deck? I was wondering why you decided to add the slate top to a ply/mdf plinth ( what is the mdf/plywood plinth dimensions) versus creating an all slate plinth or a two tier slate plinth with slate blocks sandwiched in between?

Lewm--Where did you find the information that additional weight is concentrated on the periphery (a la the Shindo platter) Do you know the ratio of weight distribution on the Shindo platter. It could be possible to take a regular Garrard platter and add lead shims to the outer edges.

Thanks
Opus
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