Turntable Stands


My VPI Scout sits atop a relatively stable, heavy wood cabinet. All other electronics are contained below inside the cabinet (ventilated)...and my speakers (Legacy Whispers) sit within four-five feet on either side of the VPI. For the experienced tweakers in the forum....

1. How critical is a table stand beneath the VPI?
2. Will I really hear an improvement?
3. Recommended stand?

Thx!
128x128earzona
Never seen it, but it was made just for the VPI Scout.

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=17061§ion=equipment
I sold about 60 VPI Scouts and Scoutmasters a year. Most of my customers ended up using a cloud 10 or cloud 11 to support their turntables. The cloud 10 and cloud 11 are the varation reduction platforms from Gingo Audio. So far I have not had a single complaint. It works so well that many of them using these platforms for their CD players and amps/preamps as well. Before spending a lot of money on more expensive racks/stands, give these products a try and you will not be disappointed. For additional information, please go to www.gingkoaudio.com or contact me at sales@levisaudio.com.
Good luck,
An
Go to avid audio and go to link of guy who they listed from audioreview.com.HE gives his perosnal story.It's funny I am a cable skeptic but see the reduction in vibes as often worth the freight especially with speaker stands and by extension racks.Test done by Michael Fremmer with acclerometer and showed active Vibraplane the best at isolating components (more important with turntables but can affect digital and amps.But Vibrplane active (they makeinactive ones for less but super expensive actives used for elctron microscopes),He compared this (the best) with and the Gingko acrylic and rubber balls (look like regular lacrosse balls to me)which also drastically reduce vibration.Wonder why Wilson Benesch turntable arms don't sell more because they are made out of carbon fibre like Black Diamond Racing who make cones,shelves etc.I mention all this because if these things work on cheaper say a Target metal or a mapplshade frmame then take a look at the Wilson Benesch stands and price might not be worth it.Maybe they are like the Arccici Z(?) with neumatic pumps for each shelf ($3K!!!!)but I am not sure.But these carbon Fibre ones made made by WB made somebody feel that certain somehting missing in his $40K system was no longer missing.Me?I believe in heavy iron especially on wood floors.I sold B&W and was told back in the Matrix days that geting one of Bob Warzalla' Sound Anchor stands for all B&W's be they 24" 805 bookshelfs to lower ones (that were more acurately called platforms) could make an INCREDIBLE differenc on the sound of speakers even big ones like the 803-801 where they were consdiered De riguer.Though theyl looked like amps stands under speakers and sales figure don't lie tens of thousands were sold.It make a huge difference.Ten I will chosee glass (bad resonaceat a certain frequency),Mapple (seesm to be wood of choice,Carbon fribre shelves from BDR (expensive ) or get mapple shelves and put BDR cones and cups or use what VPI founder Hary Pearson went gaga over the Gingko platform witth acrylic and rubber balls for my source componets and inverted cones or Vibrpods Z(all dpends on tubes or SS and weight)for the rest like amp.Solid massive rack from Sound Abchor (not cheap for item or shipping) as abase with vibe killers put in it.But first good components decent no name silver wirees (silver being best consductor) and this would be last of project.Wonder if anybody follwing up dissagree's with this approach
Chazzbo
Nudge is right. The best stand/rack, even on a concrete slab, will never outperform a good wall shelf. And if the wall happens to be masonry (brick or block) you are a truly lucky audiophile.
Slipknot's DIY suggestion is a good one. However, you may wish to consider the economical commercial solution that I am using with excellent results. I use a Target VW2 wall mounted turntable stand, but I replaced the top MDF shelf with an 18' x 22' x 1.25' slab of granite on cones.

I made sure to use the largest lag screws that would fit through the mounting holes of the VW2 rack, and made sure I hit the center of the studs in the wall. The granite weighs over 60 lbs, and the turntable adds 48 lbs., and I keep a bubble level on the shelf for continuous monitoring to make sure there is no sagging. After over a year, still no movement of the rack at all.

This was a tremendous improvement over the floor standing rack that I was using previously. You can see a picture of it at http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/s/f/1122661578.jpg .

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

Good Luck.
the Scout series are all non-suspended designs, and as a result, will benefit greatly from a quality stand. My advice, is a DIY model, made from 18 x 24" rock maple butcher block, with 2 ft tall 5/8-11 threaded brass rods, nuts and washers. Put some threaded cone points under it to couple it to the floor. A two shelf model will cost under 200.00 and only take a couple of hours of your time. Up until recently, I had my Scoutmaster on just such a stand, and it performed wonderfully.

There are also some commercial designs out there of the same or similar material, but they will cost a great deal of money. They are:
http://www.walkeraudio.com/proscenium_turntable.htm Scroll down to the Prologue Rack.

http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/audioproducts/maple_main.php

http://www.silentrunningaudio.com/products/craz_isorack.htm

I am in the process of getting a new turntable which will sit on my DIY rack, with a Walker Audio Prologue Shelf under the table and on the top of the rack.