Tonearm mount to the plinth vs arm board vs rotating arm board vs isolated tower


Hello,

I am rebuilding a Garrard 301 and looking for a plinth. I am planning to buy 3-4 tonearms to try. I would like to know which is the best way moving forward.

Is there a difference between mounting a tonearm directly on a solid plinth vs arm board (same vs different materials) vs rotating arm board vs isolated tower. 

Thanks
Nanda
kanchi647

Showing 14 responses by halcro

The mounting of the platter bearing in the plinth will be thus coupled as rigidly as possible to the mounting of the tonearm. If it is not, any vibration at all can be interpreted by the pickup (arm and cartridge) as a coloration.
That's the advice you get from 'amateurs'....🤪
HERE is the 'reality' from Mark Doehmann, responsible for the designs of the Continuum Caliburn and Criterion turntables as well as his own Doehmann Helix 1 and Helix 2 turntables.....all of which are carefully designed with the tonearm mounting bases ISOLATED from the bearing and plinth 👍
Sorry Halcro, you fail to understand that both can be true.
Duuuh.....🤪
You surely don't imagine for a second @dover that I could be advocating for an armboard to be 'moving' in relation to the platter....?
As you rightly surmise....
Dohmann claims to provide BOTH isolation AND positional stability.
But what he emphasises is the importance of 'isolating' the tonearm from the both the BEARING and MOTOR.
As @lewm states above...
A very heavy outboard arm pod that sits on the same support structure as the plinth itself is probably an acceptable compromise as far as coupling.
What irks me mostly is the declaration of FAKE facts....
Here is the engineering principle that MUST be observed when designing a plinth for a turntable:
The plinth must be as rigid and as acoustically dead (damped) as possible. The mounting of the platter bearing in the plinth will be thus coupled as rigidly as possible to the mounting of the tonearm.
Such dogma is anathema to our intriguing and not fully-understood hobby....🤗
By the way, smart guys (Atma-sphere, Richard, and Mark) can differ in opinion, which does not make the persons on the other side of the argument "amateurs".
Please don't ask me to explain the difference between 'Professional' and 'Amateur' in relation to turntables @lewm ......🧐
Keeping the two parts still relative to each other isn’t easy.
Perhaps not.......
But certainly not impossible 🤗
I echo Lewm's comments re the Helix TTs.
Mark Doehmann's design is innovative and unique. Way cool. I have heard them a number of times and they are exceptional.
I have also met Mark twice. He is totally open to sharing his extensive knowledge about TTs and the industry in general. A true gentleman.

THIS
👍
The flywheel, platter/plinth, & tonearm tower are on the same platform, while the motor is on a separate platform.
Well done @boxer 🤗
Would love to know your System....?
That Toho stuff is fabulous.....👍
I don't believe they are still active....?
Thuchan has one of their TONEARM PODS...immensely heavy 💪
I think it is made from cast-iron 🤔
But I've never seen their turntable bases before....
That company realised that weight/mass was a critical element in the separation of turntable base and arm pods 🧐
That was also the fundamental principle espoused in my COPERNICAN THREAD nearly 10 years ago.....
And the reason I designed my arm-pods as CAST BRONZE.
HERE are the finished armpods.
What I DIDN'T appreciate at the time....was that the same principle of weight/mass applies to the TURNTABLE PLINTH 🥴
I began with a MINIMALIST PLINTH made of stainless steel as described in my NUDE TURNTABLE Thread.
After learning my lessons.....I decided to design a turntable 'cradle' out of cast Bronze or cast Iron but the prices I received were very high.
But a SOLID GRANITE CRADLE, whilst not as heavy as cast metal.....was GOOD ENOUGH and relatively affordable 🤗

I agree with @lewm about the 'beauty' of the Torqueo products....but the MASS is just not there 😢

utilises SPZ which dissipates any energy between 4 and 100hz internally at a molecular level, but is completely rigid.
Nice story....🤗
Unfortunately....a fairytale 🤥
Not only will 4Hz go straight through your plinth...but every frequency from 1Hz-10Hz will do likewise (watch the Mark Doehmann video again).
My turntable however, sits on a HERZAN ACTIVE ISOLATION STAND which cancels all vibrations from 0.5Hz-100Hz.
Granite rings like a bell due to its crystalline structure.
Can you please explain its crystalline structure which enables this?
Is it similar to bronze or CAST-IRON which are in fact used for bells?
Should you perhaps inform Toho who foolishly made their TURNTABLE CRADLES from cast-iron....🤔

And if you really believe that 'tapping' a material to see if it 'rings' is the criterion for turntable design.....I look forward to your new plinth made of plasticine to support your platter made of styrofoam 😝
@richardkrebs 
The V stands for 'Vertical Vibrations' (Up and Down)
H1 stands for 'Horizontal Vibrations in One Plane' (Side to Side)
H2 stand for 'Horizontal Vibrations in the Other Plane (Side to Side).
Therefore providing Vibration Isolation in the Six Degrees of Freedom.
The vibration isolation performance for both platforms is made possible by its unique technology, consisting of piezoelectric sensors, actuators, and control electronics. These carefully engineered components (Made in Switzerland) allow the platforms to dynamically respond to vibrations in the environment, enabling sub-hertz vibration isolation (starting at 0.5 Hz) in all six degrees of freedom.
How does the stand reduce self noise in the TT structure itself?
I don't believe it can......
In WTB Forum....there are several interesting Threads which appear to show that Active Isolation Stands may have problems with the 'self-noise' or 'self-vibrations' of Belt-Drive or Idler-Drive Turntables.
Direct-Drive Turntables appear to have no problems with self-noise or movement generation.
What weight did your granite base come in at?
The base weighs 18 lbs (8.1 Kg)......
Your herzan cant move fast enough to remove all vibration - its superficial.
Quick....we need to advise all those scientists looking through electron microscopes sitting on Herzan stands....🤣

ISOLATION 'OFF'

ISOLATION 'ON'
In the case of the first you have a subjective means to winnowing out how a separate arm pod is a failed concept;
THE ATMASPHERE PRINCIPLE

THE 'FAILED' CONCEPT
Thank you for reminding me of why I dont use rubber belt drive turntables or direct drive turntables - the swirling and lurching from note to note of a platter driven by a rubber band vs the grainy grey wash of the direct drive as it interminably tries to calculate the correction speed required on ancient "software" using 1970's electronics, not to forget that a can of Baked Beans probably has more structural integrity than the motor housing on the DD.  And to think you can even hear it with a low res MM. Thanks again for reminding me.
Perhaps you'd like to make a YouTube Video to show us the superiority of your esteemed system @dover ....?
What was that........?
Can't do...it's raining in New Zealand....videos can't show shit....my finger's broken.....
Ain't it great when you can spout 'garbage' without having to provide proof or evidence...🤥
You could fill Audio Forums with your 'wisdom'....🤗
Dover
04-26-2019 7:38pm
I have been following your cartridge postings - they are great. I have the Glanz MFG61 and was interested in getting a flavour of the 610 you have.
But then....
Dover
05-23-2019 7:49pm
And to think you can even hear it with a low res MM.
To this.....
Dover
06-06-2019 4:57pm
I preferred both my V15vxmr & V15vmr with a brazillian and a dab of superglue on the stylus holder - as used in my Eminent Technology ET2. Accurate tonearm set up, properly grounded TT & clean records obviate the need for heath robinson type solutions.I preferred both my V15vxmr & V15vmr with a brazillian and a dab of superglue on the stylus holder - as used in my Eminent Technology ET2. Accurate tonearm set up, properly grounded TT & clean records obviate the need for heath robinson type solutions.
And this.....?
Dover
05-23-2019 7:49pm
Halcro - thanks for the Decca post for Frogman and I - I have been a bit busy to respond - the music was great.
And this....?
Dover
07-22-2019 7:39pm
Hi Halcro
for me on my cheapo ear iPhone plugs -

Shure V15/III/SAS - full bodied but coloured sound

Shure Ml140HE - slightly recessed in the vocals, clangy in the upper mid area

Shure Ultra 500 - the least coloured by far of the three, the balance across the frquency spectrum far more even, and more resolution. On crescendos this cartridge holds that balance. This is significantly better than the other two to my ears, more open, more balanced and less coloured.

If you really want to hear the Ultra 500 at its best you need to buy yourself an Eminent Technology ET2, a significant gain in performance cf the Dynavector/FR64 to be sure - I own all 3.

To this again....?
Dover 
05-12-2020 12:52pm
And to think you can even hear it with a low res MM.
And from this....?
Dover
10-30-2019 8:05pm
Great music. Beautiful.
In a nutshell firstly comparing the Palladian to the Decca, again ibuds, the Decca wins, most notably I can hear the chest and body of the female choristers, even individually. On the Palladian it sounds like they are singing from the top of their throat - no chest. The Decca more accurately conveys the full weight of the choristers and the room acoustics.

Then comparing the Sony XL88D to the Decca - wow. More transparent and the majesty of the performance and the completeness of the full orchestral spectrum conveyed by the Sony is fabulous. There appears to be more chest/body with the choristers from the Decca, but the vocals from uppermids to top end on the Sony appear far more transparent. As the full orchestra comes in the Sony is simply wonderful, the most complete cartridge for me of the three..    

At this point I am done with comparisons - could you please just send me the Sony for Xmas. Now back to the music....
To this.....?
Dover
05-12-2020 12:52pm
Thank you for reminding me of why I dont use rubber belt drive turntables or direct drive turntables - the swirling and lurching from note to note of a platter driven by a rubber band vs the grainy grey wash of the direct drive as it interminably tries to calculate the correction speed required on ancient "software" using 1970's electronics, not to forget that a can of Baked Beans probably has more structural integrity than the motor housing on the DD.
Perhaps Dover needs 'constant' reminding......🤗