My DIY Isolation Platform

[jcarruthers]

So I made this— well, not really made, it involved sourcing some bits and drilling three holes— but you get the idea.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescarruthers/9287779004/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescarruthers/9287792834/

I shall report back on what I find—

James

 

[Anonymous]

Looks interesting

 

[audiodarkness]

Looks nice mate, good job

 

[drummerman]

It looks very nice. Please dont get the following the wrong way;

Pointy feet on their own and without any absorbtion damping compound provide no isolation whatsoever. Probably one of the most misused (misunderstood?) audiophile fallacies.

If you want to absorb vibrations you either need to turn them into harmless heat or dissipate them to frequencies which are outside the 'danger zone' or most audibly obvious. -

Apart from that, the platform looks lovely and I too currently use pointy feet under my (suspended) Thorens because I think the look nice. They have no other purpose though and even a thin pad of sorbothane or something made of vulcanised rubber (hockey puck) will have far greater damping properties.

Everything vibrates to an extend.

Better still, suspension, designed to 'eliminate' the most harmfull vibrations (turning them into different, more harmless ones).

Having said all that, anybody putting time, effort and a little imagination into their hobby deserves applause.

regards

 

[jcarruthers]

Drummernan,

All feedback is greatly received — this is a test so I am finding out what it will do one step at a time.

The main damping is meant to be from the 20mm thick acrylic — which is meant to have very inert properties.

I am already ahead of you and have ordered some 30mm sorbothane discs to sit under the feet protectors. If it works better I'll glue them.

I think it'll still look pretty nice too

James

 

[drummerman]

Cool.

Looking forward to your developing project.

regards

 

[jcarruthers]

Argh! Testing will be delayed as somehow I've bent the stylus

Must have been when I moved it.

Sad times—

 

[CJSF]

. . . Having said all that, anybody putting time, effort and a little imagination into their hobby deserves applause.

regards

Hi drummerman . . . would you mind telling this to all the sceptics, a miseries that have 'extracted the water out of me' for past couple of years. I have 'carfully and thoughtfully' improved my Rega based system, to the point where it is now performing out of its skin, I am very pleased despite the the put downs? One wonders if its the fact those that 'put down' dont have the imagination or want to put the effot in???

Cetainly I'm not bothering to contribut any futher, hard earned experiance 'pearls before swine'.

CJSF

 

[chebby]

It's a professional looking job you've done there JC.

As for the cartridge accident.... Ouch!

 

[jcarruthers]

Thanks Chebby.

Very pissed off at myself— mainly because I can't listen to any vinyl tonight and it'll cost me 65 quid to replace.

Some more details for those interested:

358 x 446 x 20mm clear acrylic from http://www.sheetplastics.co.uk/ — the size is the same as a Rega RP3 plinth.

3 x large tenderfeet and tendercups from Michell Engineering

http://www.michell-engineering.co.uk/accessories/tenderfeet/

http://www.michell-engineering.co.uk/accessories/tendercups/

The tenderfeet are M6 threaded — Michell Engineering can supply those direct — better than the tiny 8-32 UNC threaded versions.

James

 

[drummerman]

It's a professional looking job you've done there JC.

As for the cartridge accident.... Ouch!

Yes, one of the miseries of turntable ownership.

Had a few misses myself when the headshell got caught by a sleeve ... . Only a matter of time but hey, its all part of the cause.

@ CJSF, I actually find the TT fraternity quite helpful even 'emotionally well balanced' in the greater scheme of forums. - Try some 'actives' topics and you'll appreciate what I am saying.

I am still learning, of course, and mine was a steep curve but as you I enjoy trying (not always successfully) to improve things. If I make mistakes I let others know, if it works well I do too. - Unlike you perhaps I dont take negative comments so much to heart anymore though it wasn't always like that.

It's a great hobby we have so please continue to contribute and enlighten.

regards

 

[CJSF]

It's a professional looking job you've done there JC.

As for the cartridge accident.... Ouch!

Yes, one of the miseries of turntable ownership.

Had a few misses myself when the headshell got caught by a sleeve ... . Only a matter of time but hey, its all part of the cause.

@ CJSF, I actually find the TT fraternity quite helpful even 'emotionally well balanced' in the greater scheme of forums. - Try some 'actives' topics and you'll appreciate what I am saying.

I am still learning, of course, and mine was a steep curve but as you I enjoy trying (not always successfully) to improve things. If I make mistakes I let others know, if it works well I do too. - Unlike you perhaps I dont take negative comments so much to heart anymore though it wasn't always like that.

It's a great hobby we have so please continue to contribute and enlighten.

regards

Sadly Drummerman, my experiance over all has not been a happy one on WHF . . . never again will I constructivly contribute, as has been noted recently on other threads, as I say, pearls before swine. I still enjoy my HiFi . . . entering the 'Horlicks hour', enjoying Emmylou Harris at this moment, I will still continue my quest for better hifi, but its going to be 'my quest', I cant wast my time any more . . . :wall:

Incidently, I totaly agee with you over 'pointed spikes' and there totally missunderstood application, I have them on my CJS MK P5, made of rosewood, stuck on with Bluetak, there pimerily for looks? Spikes were originaly conceived as a means to give a solid connection to the floor throught the thick fitted underley and carpet of the era. Reliance on said spikes these days makes me smile, a nice solid adjustable foot will work better on modern uncarpeted foors, kinder to the foor too, thats of course, if you believe in the floor acting as an energy sink????

CJSF

 

[floyd droid]

@ CJSF,

Unlike you perhaps I dont take negative comments so much to heart anymore

I'm not so sure as its a case of taking things to heart Drummerman ,I see it as pure bloody frustration.

A bit of chain yanking is ok, jeez I do enough of it ,but tis all in fun and nowt ever meant by it. But lets be honest here , a fair few times in the past the comments aimed at CJ have been downright vitriolic in my opinion.

The guy has posted his thoughts and findings for folk to read and maybe try out. But not any more it seems.

To be honest I cant say I blame him.

 

[chebby]

My problem with spikes (on a turntable) would be the lack of 'purchase' on a hard surface. I'd be terrified of the whole shebang sliding onto the floor if I bumped it by accident.

Grippy feet for me thanks.

 

[floyd droid]

Good stuff James. Easy peasy isnt it , loads of self satisfaction and save a fair few quid in the process against a shop bought jobbie.

Now then , this opens up lots of options for tweakeroonies. For instance , you could get another sheet of acrylic/mdf/whathaveyou. Spot through your spike fixing holes to make little indents into the sub plinth/platform. Drop the spiked one into the indents and put sorbothane half rounds under the bottom sheet.

Shame about the cart tw***ng exercise , upwards and onwards eh.

Why not get yourself an AT95e as a spare cart*. Cheap as chips and will get you out the mire if you have future mishaps.

I can see the countersinks holding the spikes on but do the spikes have levelling thumb wheels ?.

Prolly going to need a bag of washers / spacers unless you have vta adjustment covered ?.

 

[jcarruthers]

I am going to try sorbothane under the feet first — I think that will be enough damping? I wonder what the difference is damping the feet individually compared to anchoring all the feet together and then damping — interesting!

I am going to replace the 2M red stylus — £65 isn't too bad and it will plug straight in — I am probably going to go with a more exotic turntable soon so I will sell the whole thing with the new cart included.

Would the AT95e be better than the Ortofon red cart?

 

[Paul.]

Three seperate vulcan referance in this thread. A spock, a rubber and a jet. I may pre order in to darkness now...

 

[floyd droid]

Ah I thought that you had bombed an Elys ,hence the bag of washers bit.

AT better than the Red , well only your ears will tell you what you prefer. Will be different thats for sure.

I only suggested it as a get out of gaol cheaply cart. I cant get my head around folk not carrying a spare cart.

 

[floyd droid]

Three seperate vulcan referance in this thread. A spock, a rubber and a jet. I may pre order in to darkness now...

Have you been eating Cnos wasps.

 

[jcarruthers]

Ah I thought that you had bombed an Elys ,hence the bag of washers bit.

AT better than the Red , well only your ears will tell you what you prefer. Will be different thats for sure.

I only suggested it as a get out of gaol cheaply cart. I cant get my head around folk not carrying a spare cart.

Ahh I need to update my signature — I ended up sending the Rega back after they couldn't sort a working cartridge for it — I just got frustrated.

Purchased a 2M Red locally today and will fit it when I get back from work.

As for the leveling — I realise now that it would have been better to tap the holes to M6. I may buy some M6 inserts — or else glue the bolts in.

I checked the thing with a digital level and it's dead level, possibly surprisingly.

 

[CnoEvil]

Three seperate vulcan referance in this thread. A spock, a rubber and a jet. I may pre order in to darkness now...

Have you been eating Cnos wasps.

If you have, I will take a very dim view of it! :twisted:

 

[floyd droid]

Lo mate. Yeah I should co-co anaw. Nowts sacred these days.

 

[floyd droid]

As for the leveling — I realise now that it would have been better to tap the holes to M6. I may buy some M6 inserts — or else glue the bolts in.

Could be worth it if you go the sorbothane route via a sub platform. Easy oversight James,tis all a learning vertical innit .

 

[jcarruthers]

You are right, as it only has three feet I expect the one on its own will compress a bit more.

Maybe.

 

[jcarruthers]

So I got my new stylus.

They sent me the wrong sorbothane feet I had ordered — hemispheres instead of pads.

Using the run-out-groove and turn up the volume and tap on the table technique there's still significant coupling.

Let's see what the right sorbothane solves when it turns up…

I've decided to order some M6 inserts to screw in to the acrylic— and some grub screws to glue in to the feet— height adjustable.