Can a turntable ever have enough isolation?


I have a Pioneer PLX-1000 turntable mounted with minnesota pc tech feet sitting on top of an ISO acoustics ZaZen II platform. My phono preamp and all tube preamp are on 3" maple butcher block acoustics block on spikes. The amp is on 1 3/4" Maple butcher block on spikes as well.

Thinking of trying something different under the amplifier like iso pucks or something. But anyhow on to the point I would then have a nice beefy large 1 3/4" maple butcher block I could experiment with adding to the turntable isolation. Directly under the turntable on perhaps the rubber feet on top of the ISO acoustics platform or the entire setup on top of the butcher block itself.

Appreciate any thoughts on this. Thanks.

-Chris

128x128blue_collar_audio_guy

Showing 2 responses by pindac

I have produced structures over the past years using different Quantities of Tiers with differing materials/devices used a footers.

I have a Multi Tier Structure today, that would is only acceptable as it is used in a dedicated room for the HiFi System, the design and aesthetic would not last an Hour in the main home space before the divorce papers arrived.

To get to where I am, I started with a dedicated rack and the usual Top Shelve mounting. This progressed to a Wall Mounted Shelve and then a method was used to suspend a Platform from the shelve. 

Curiosity is always present, and I began trying out different footers, and then different Sub Plinth Materials and the Quantity of Sub Plinths.

As the use of Sub Plinths was the most attractive, I abandoned the Wall Shelve as the Structures were looking precarious when mounted on it.

This idea was reinforced when I went back to the Rack System with a Granite Top Shelve/Lowest Sub Plinth and then built the structure of this, I felt a lot of improvement was to be found.

I become convinced that Sub Plinth Materials that were compressed were the most attractive in my environment when compared to additional stone, standard Type Boards, and Glass.

Today I have started to use Densified Wood built up from the Granite Base.

The TT also has a Densified Wood Plinth Produced, which is yet to be introduced.  

I do demonstrations in different homes and my Solid Tech ' Feet of Silence' footers are ones that originally caused a stir, resulting from the good impression made when in direct contact under a TT or CDP. My introducing the  Densified Wood Sub Plinths, along with Suspension Footers are starting to seem ubiquitous for showing the improvements that can be attained when used with a TT or CDP. 

I see you have Maple Sub Plinths in different thicknesses available. A very cost effective method to learn about the effects of using additional tiers to support the TT, can be achieved quite quickly, I would use different footer type materials / devices, with at least one being a suspension device between the tiers.

If discoveries are made that are attractive, the same can be carried out on the Amp's.

My Power Amps are seated on two footers made form a Vibration Control Material used under the concrete screed when constructing laboratories. Seated on this is a 200Kg Granite Engineers Block, which if the Bottom Sub Plinths, I then use two different densities of Foam, one with a compression resistance and the other being  boards of the most compressed foam that can be bought, at approx' 800Kg per cubic metre. 

As aside, it is the compressed foam board, that superseded all previous sub plinth materials used above the Granite, the foam is now looking likely to be Superseded by Densified Wood, as the funds allow for the purchases.     

I know of a German Equipment owner, who has a vast experience in using a Vinyl Source, they seat their Phonostages on a 50mm thick Stainless Steel Sub Plinth, I am tempted to see if there is good reason for this.   

It will be interesting to receive feed back if this suggested method is trialed..  

@blue_collar_audio_guy 

'And have tons of options to go through if I want to take it further according to the folks here.'

Your description of owned Sub Plinth supports for the Amps, also allows for your to try out a few alternative Sub Plinth configurations at your leisure, not needing to spend any funds.

I am familiar with the Cork - Fluted Rubber Lamination Footers and the same with Foam in place of Cork.

These when used in my environment and used on a the Sub Plinth Structure for the TT, had subdued the sound stage, an airiness and spacing was lost, the foam version was slightly more attractive over the Cork. Suspension footers correct this in my environment to a manner that I find more attractive. 

The above has proved the same when using the same materials as Speaker Footers, sat upon a Spike Supported 50mm thick Granite slab. The Pads and suspension footers have been used as footers for Floor Standing Cabinet Speakers.

The above does not rule Cork or Foam out, I use Cork in a 5mm thickness and like the impression made with some devices seated on it, It has been the most cost effective, when I use it as an isolator between a 30mm Thick Granite Shelve and a SUT.

I also use foam in different densities, a Pre-Amp' set up on its own dedicated Rack/ Plinth, excels in presentation when seated on a Sub Plinth Base, being made up of the highly compressed foam, with a Soft Porous, easy to compress foam tier that is in contact with the Pre Amp', even though it does come to rest unlevel on the rack.   

I have discovered some quite interesting outcomes about the use of different thickness materials being better in use in certain environments, I have learnt when it comes to TT's the environment is a very important consideration, there is in my experiences, not seeming to be one ubiquitous solution available when using affordable ancillaries to aid with supporting a TT. Especially ones that leaves the perception an improvement has occurred due to the mounting method in use.

The is usually a need to swap out materials and configurations of an assembly to show a change to a presentation that is seen to be an improved set up.

The recent adoption and use of Densified Wood, is looking to be getting closer to a 'suits all' material, from evaluating it use recently for Mounting other TT's in other environments.