Building your own high end turntable stand?

Dean, I'm also interested in learning possibilities here, as I have a similar need for a waist-high support for my Teres 255. I have it on a stand right now but it's very close to the floor (as there is too much vibration if I have it higher on the stand). I've seen some interesting options on ebay - marble tables that are designed for lab use, but look like they would work well for turntables too. Pricing looked at about $800 or so, but shipping would be quite a bit I'm sure. I'm wondering if marble is the perfect material though. Anyway, like you I'm keen to explore building my own and have no budget to shed out 2-3k on such a support.

You could find a ton of DIY models and reccomendations around the net. From the light IKEAs to the Flexy-Racks variations. One model I remember from my starting audio days ( from the 70's) was one pictured on a StereoReview magazine. It was just a huge wood box filled with sand, painted in black and with a heavy top.

Jahaira.

I think both of you should consider a TT wall shelf. They're not expensive even new, and far more effective than any floor-standing device IMO.

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15576&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&langId=-1&parentCats=15576*15729&productId=10351

Have a TNT V on it and added two solid shelves below for extra space. Solid wood, very sturdy, cheap (comparatively speaking), and easy to assemble. Can be stained or left as is.

i agree with the wall mount...but if you are like me that is an impossiblity with the Mrs. of the house! in any event i built one using 3/4-10 threaded rod and maple cutting boards...that might sound crude but it came together well...i went to a local kitchen supply house...the kind that services resturaunts. they ordered me 5 shelves (my tt sits on top) 18x24x1-1/2 for something like $60 per board. i drilled 3 holes through each plank and slid the threaded rod through...sandwiched each board with a zinc plated nut, washer and a Delron (type of plastic) washer on each side of the board. this allowed independed leveling of each shelf. stained the boards cherry to match my decor and we were in business...for a tt only stand i would buy two shelves and 3' zinc plated rod, aforementioned nuts and washers...put one shelf at the top and one a few inches off the bottom (for stability and keeping the rod straight). you could also add weight to the stand by placing something decorative and heavy on the bottom shelf...if you have access to a pedistal grinder (or local machine shop) they could even grind a 45 degree angle on the floor end of the rod for piercing the carpet.

2 boards = $120 (you can get thicker for more)
12 sets of nuts and washers = $25
3 zinc plated threaded rod 3' = $15

total = $160ish

good luck
chad

Nsgarch--do you think a wallmount is more effective than a granite slab on top of a rack that is on a concrete slab in the basement? If so, why?

I just went for the Rega Wall Mount.(See system)
Doesn't take up much space, rock solid and east to adjust the level.
Found it second-hand on Audiogon for $100.
Very happy.

Something perhaps similar to Jahaira's explnation:
http://teresaudio.com/haven/stands/stands.html

Thanks for the link! That one is not that old but I also remember it. It is a combination between the sand box concept ( alas Sismik-box) , Flexyrack variation and Finite Element.

The one I talk was a big box filled with sand and weighting over 300lbs. Once you filled it, stays there.....top it with a busher block or granite and you are done with the rack.

The above rack mentioned by Mrmb looks great and should be easy to build too.

Gladstone, nothing wrong with using a stout TT stand or rack on a concrete slab. The operative word is 'stout' though. As far as TT stands go, I think Billy Bags gets the award for stout! But if you're interested in cost effectiveness, wallmount is still the best value, even if you have a concrete slab floor.

I just made a similar pair of sand box stands, following Mrmb's design concepts. Mine is only 3 boxes high, with 50lbs of sand in each. I used an Ikea birch table top cut into 3" pieces for the legs. And birch cutting boards for the plinth's. They look like maple butcher block, but were more easily available to me and far less expensive.

A few coats of Tung oil on the wood, some gloss black paint on the boxes and a truely nice set of shelves. I did notice however, that the components will benefit from additional isolation under them. I use a combination of rollerblock-like devices and spongy foam tennis balls.

Enjoy,
Bob

I'm thinking of using four concrete blocks to support my Teres 255. I'm currently using the bottom shelf of my Adona stand, but it's not comfortably accessible (you can see from my virtual system). I'm wondering if the concrete will be effective support, compared to the nice granite & mdf composite shelf and support the Adona offers. I guess I'll find out. My Teres looks so nice, I hate to hide it away on the bottom shelf. Because my floor is unsuspended, I do get vibration from footsteps on higher shelves, so I can't raise the Teres there. Also, I rent the house, so can't explore wall mounting.

You can use a granite surface plate (3" thick X 18" x 24" 150 lbs.) that sits atop a stand made for it out of angle iron with leveling screws. These are available from machine tool suppliers. I paid less than 200 bucks for both pieces new. i have the parts if you are in the michigan area.

Hey Dean, Check out Brass & Granite Audio. (google will get you there) They are a great DIY shop in Oregon for ideas and more. Their pictures should give you some ideas as a jumping off point in design.
Enjoy your music! Jon

I just attended the HES show in LA last weekend - what a thril. I saw a very nice set of stands in one of the demo rooms. The stands ware branded Fusion Designs. They supported a Brinkman TT among other elctronics. Anyway, I haven't been able to find any info on these stads, but they were beatuful and looked cost-effective. They came in a number of sizes (variable # of shelves), and were a single piece (all welded metal, filled with sand in this case). The shelves were very thick - about 3 inches I'd say. Anyway, I'm keen to figure out where I might get one - might be the perfect solution for my Teres 255.

I have used this and it works very well, but don't use now because current room is smaller.
http://www.audiophilia.com/hardware/diyttstand.htm

My TT sits on a wall mounted platform. I used 2 - 10" x 10" x 1 .25" - 1/4" steel L brackets recessed into a 3/4" plywood shelf with beveled edges faced down and painted flat black. The L brackets are pocketed at the bend into slots in a wall mounted 1" cleat, allowing for shimming of the trailing legs to level the shelf under the weight of my Systemdek IIX. The shelf is directly over my rack, with the reversed beveled platform it appears to float. I recently moved a couple of components on my rack and moved it out on a diagonal to rearrange the interconnects just as wife wife was passing, with surprise in her voice she said " Has your turntable always been mounted like that?" Only for the past 15 years.

Hi everyone, I saw the following item at a "designer" store recently and thought that it might be a very good support for my Rega RP3, but I would like to get some feedback before purchasing.

Do you think a big concrete brick would be a good support for my turntable, or an I better off with a wall mount instead (or a wood-based solution)?

Here's an image of the item, it is very heavy although not 100% filled with concrete (otherwise it would have been unmovable).

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/10058933755_9ac5b59d54_b.jpg

Odedia

Go to Amazon.com and get a Peerless Adjustable Component wall Shelf for AV EQ for 38.00 bucks will support up too 100lb you can then mount some Isolation cones upside down and then either make your own shelf top or use a 2" to 4" thick cutting board from E bay for around a hundred bucks. O r you could make one like I did out of 3/4" Birch plywood top and bottom with a 3/4" particle board center and picture framed the outside edge with 3/4" solid Maple I glued the three pieces together with liquid nails instead of wood glue with the though that it would help Isolate each piece of wood from each other better that Elmer's glue. The three piece shelf ways about 35lb and my B&O 4002 weight about 26lb, I am going to add a 2" thick solid Maple cutting Board (30.00 bucks) with four (12.00 bucks) super balls in between the two boards for isolation another 30lb for a total of 91 lb.'s
Approx. 140.00 bucks

@Markfina, thanks for the wall shelf info. This looks like a very flexible solution. I made my own wall shelf mounted TT rack out of some steel from old speaker stands, but might try this one as an alternative since it is such a great price. Have you had any problems with the arms flexing any under weight? How flexible is the mounting location as you match the wall rack up to the stud locations?

Odedia & Markfina - Both of you gave me an idea. Why not build a form out of plywood and shape it into something aesthetically pleasing and then cast it out of concrete? Some 2" wire cloth internal for stress and breakage resistance, add some inserts for spike feet, and go to a marble store that sells marble kitchen counters but dig through their trash bin for a suitable piece. It would look very cool and be very effective. What do you think ??

This is a very solid system for the money it has a series of holes that run the length of the wall bracket that you use to find the studs for your lag bolts, with a cover that snap over to hide it and the arms can be leveled individually with the adjustable screws that are part of the arms it is a very well thought out bracket. Amazing most engineer's have their head up there rear or the bean counters screw it up, I have had no problems with it holding the weight.When I get a chance I will try and post some pictures. The uses of this bracket are wide open you could build your own wall mount system with these brackets along with cutting boards for shelf's that would look really cool and rock solid no more large amps without enough air space above them just install the brackets at the height you want for each piece of equipment that you own adding another new component no problem add another bracket very flexible.

Hi
I have my own TT stand. It supports my Kuzma XL4 TT which has a total weight of around 90Kg.
Essentially it is a piece of 50mm slate bonded to a piece of 50mm granite, both approx 500mm sq.
This sit on an acoustic absorbent polymer with wood support supported on springs. The whole lot sits on a small hardwood table.

MIne is a very heavy, massive and low profile solid oak coffee table I found in a used furniture store down south about 20 years ago for around $30 as I recall.

Have yet to see anything else worth considering as a replacement years later.

Guaranteed, if whatever you buy is marketed to high end turntable users, you will pay a huge premium for the actual things that matter in a "turntable stand" versus finding some common piece of furniture with similar physical characteristics that can do the job just as well, maybe better.

Might not look as cool though.

"Turntable stands" generally work best when table is located closer to ground level rather than up high, where vibrations transmitted via the floor and air will be magnified.

So if one is handy raw materials needed to construct a solid low profile stand big enough to do the job need not cost much. Could be wood, cinder blocks, whatever as long as rigid, dense/massive and not prone to transmit vibration.