Using Maple Butcher Block Under a Turntable

The thing with cones is they’re rather *directional* and should always be points down. When they are points down they allow energy to *exit* the system and disallow energy to come up into the system, relatively speaking. This is also why the specific material of the cone and the shape of the cone are also important. What you want this very rapid energy transfer as well as seismic energy blocking.

Huh? Three brass cones facing up? You broke the golden rule of cones. For shame!

prof wrote,

“But...putting the springs beneath can it seems add a tiny bit more ring-off when the turntable itself is tapped (thinking of turntable born-resonance, rumble here, possibly being slightly amplified by being placed on springs).

So...the best approach I could come up with is: use springs, but holding up fairly heavy materials above. If the object held by the springs is too light then you get some feedback if the turntable is pinged sitting on the springs. But the more weight you place between the turntable and the springs. the lower the feedback to the springs.

Once you have a heavy base atop the springs it seems to be the best of both worlds: tap or stomp beneath the bass and the springs do a great job of isolating vibration to the turntable above them. But tap the turntable or the maple block above the springs, and that too produces even less vibration (measurable with the ipad app) than the turntable sitting on just a shelf or on just the maple block.”

>>>>>>>Wow! I didn’t think it was possible but your research into vibration isolation completely failed to turn up an explanation of mass-on-spring isolation. Should I be flabbergasted? 😮 Quick tutorial : You have to match the spring rate to the mass! The total spring rate equals the spring rate per spring x no. of springs. You want to obtain the lowest possible resonant frequency for the iso stand which is inversely proportion to square root of total mass and proportional to square root of total spring rate? It’s not rocket science. 🚀

I abandoned the Arcicci lead balloon 🎈 a long time ago, too, especially after I came to the conclusion that lead as a material is just plain bad for the sound almost anywhere and in almost any amount. Yes, I know what you’re thinking - “but it’s such a good material for damping, not too soft, not too hard, and very dense. Just right.” I also concluded that the tall members of the Arcicci stand are too tall and therefore prone to moving at low frequencies due to seismic forces. As are many racks in general. That is coincidentally about the time real vibration iso stands came into vogue. Townshend, Mana, Bright Star, Vibraplane, etc.

I made some of those opposing magnet isolation feet about 25 years ago for a lightweight Optimus CD player. For lightweight things like that making the magnetic iso feet is not difficult but for heavy things you would have to figure out the size magnets to use and there is the added issue of the danger involved working with very powerful magnets. In addition, there’s the issue with magnetic suspensions involving how opposing magnets slip horizontally creating a slight path for vibration to travel. Nevertheless, it’s a very interesting idea.

Of the dairy food group I believe you’ll find whole eggs 🥚 🥚 🥚 are a delicious addition to your tweak box and are surprisingly strong when positioned as shown. You should find three eggs provide a very stable platform as three points determine a plane. Four eggs usually won’t determine a plane due to the slight variations in size of the eggs. Eggs-ackly! One variable is whether to use raw or boiled eggs. Let your ears decide. Another variable: Tips up or tips down? Let your ears decide.

Of the major food groups Spam is the king of dampers on butcher blocks. Not too soft, not too hard. Just right. And the best part is if Spam doesn’t ring your bell sound wise you can make some sandwiches with it.

We’re all ...very ...proud ...of ...you.

What to put under the butcher block? Springs. Duh!

pop Quiz - What is the reason why the butcher block should be thicker rather than thinner?