Don't know about the Stillpoints, but Herbie's has a 90-day guarantee so you can try both the Iso-cups and the Tenderfeet and see what you think. I would have thought the Tenderfeet would work a bit better myself.
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For a foot design that would combine vibration transfer with absorption and isolation at a reasonable price, I'd go with Vibrapod Cones sitting atop the appropriate weight-rated Vibrapod Isolators. Everybody who sells them offers a 30-day money back guarantee, and they're very light weight, so if you returned them shipping would be very cheap. Another thought would be brass spikes/cones sitting on Herbie's Grounding Base. Either of these approaches combines the vibration transfer of a hard ball or cone with a soft receiver to dissipate the vibration, and also to isolate the turntable a little bit from the room. A third approach would be to use spikes or cones onto a butcher block cutting board, and then something soft under the cutting board, such as silicon gel pads, Vibrapods, or Foculpods. This combines vibration transfer out of the base and into the cutting board with isolation underneath to isolate the TT from in-room vibrations and feedback. |
I have an older Target rack. I did try a few different types of feet on my Rega Planar 3. I use the CF Cones from Composite Audio Products. They sounded just as good as the ones from Black Diamond Racing, but cost a whole lot less. I actually went as far as to glue them straight onto the plinth. They do not take away from the PRAT factor at all. It is still the Rega sound, just better. |
I do agree with Johnnyb. The CF Cones are about $75.00 for a set of three. Pretty cheap, by comparison to what is out there. The Black Diamond Rega setup at Music Direct costs a lot more than that. If you start going crazy with the platforms, racks, etc., you may be better off with a different table entirely. |
That is where you need to do the calculations. How much weight you have and how many springs you want to use. How can I be specific for someone else's system? Maybe the OP will want to place the turntable on a platform and then on springs. Then it will change some more. I am not adverse to be emailed for specifics. If I have the time I will gladly help. |
Here's an example of a spring based platform. I know a couple of people who use them for their turn tables and like the effects: http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina25.htm |
Trip, The springs are McMaster-Carr P/N 96485K125. They are 1-15/16D x 4L and use .148 diameter wire ground flat at the ends. They compress 23.7lbs/inch, up to a total deflection of 2.88. So a 50lb load compresses each spring about half way down and leaves .88 of unused travel before the spring binds. I use six of these underneath a heavy sandbox. The springs can be moved around to level the TT. |
I found the Audio Technica AT605 feet to be well-adapted to my Linn LP12. They are large enough to fit the corners of the plinth well, they compress enough but not too much, they handle both vertical and horizontal vibrations and they are easily height-adjustable. They cleaned up the sound for me a lot, even though I had the TT on a Target wall shelf. These feet are hard to find because they are not made any more, but they do come up from time to time. |
This reminds me that I have an old set of Audio Technica spring footers as well. They are better suited than the McMaster-Carr springs to being placed directly under a component. The MC springs work best when mass-loaded by placing a heavy plinth layer beneath the component and the springs. This ensures that the springs work at a very low frequency and do not ring. |