Wave Break Plate

[Chas B]

Audio Grail are showing this device on their Facebook page. It's a plate that is intended to stiffen the Garrard 301 chassis. I can't find any more info at the moment.
I have to say that when listening to my 301 I have never thought to myself 'if only that chassis didn't flex so much, it's ruining my listening experience'. :)
Joking aside it might be of interest to some of you.

[Chas B]

A bit more info. It's called the Dalby Wave Break and seems to sit in position ( no fixings) on the chassis beneath the platter. Will be interesting to read a review of this.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Its not a new idea and something that's been done before.

[Chas B]

Indeed, I've tried it myself. :)

[Wakefield Turntables]

Tim of EAR did it 30 years ago! I'm watching this one with some interest but is it really going to any good if you have a decoupled motor on your TT?? I have a 301 with motor attached to top plate and a decoupled motor on my 401. I would imagine it's going to be cheaper to decouple the motor rather than mess around with an additional brace. It's probably pointless on the 401 due to this design fault being ironed out from the 301.

[A.Grail]

Certainly P plates and H brackets have been done before in a variety of rather basic ways...

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/f298/furylovelolly/Garrard_H_bracket.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/furylovelolly/a/bd7742fd-65e8-4aa2-903b-ab82f7e3d746/p/42fcf354-bb44-4d75-9b27-5efadc4b2014)

What I find interesting about the wave break plate is that in addition to stiffening, it attempts to dampen via lignum pads as well as managing standing waves (This has not been done before to my limited knowledge) - I'm sadly not qualified to comment on the standing wave aspect of the design, I can however say that stiffening the chassis (The original 301 cast chassis thin and flexes with a large portion cut away for the motor) and damping it (cast ally rather resonates) does lead to definite improvements in playback in terms of: imaging, detail and separation - Possibly more I need further time with it in comparison to a standard 301.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/f298/furylovelolly/2B78D7E4_123F_4FFA_B12D_77FF045FE1AC.JPG?width=192 0&height=1080&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/furylovelolly/a/bd7742fd-65e8-4aa2-903b-ab82f7e3d746/p/857acf96-2f24-4764-a1cc-47b13d7b3a31)

It's beautifully made with very high precision (Anyone had 'fun' playing with lignum?) ...OK the colour or 'form' may not be up everyone's rue!

N.B: It really isn't aimed at the price conscious (No Dalby component is) Lots of ways to look a this type of high end, personally I'm glad it exists, I'm glad people strive for unobtainable perfection and further designs / forms / material choices etc (Even when I can't afford it!)

The other route many take would be the solid CNC chassis types. Audibly these can be an improvement (Stiffness and mass) even though mass alone stores energy.

The main benefit to me at least is that the unit's heritage remains intact. I'm sure less expensive options will crop up soon enough.

*The motor of my unit is decoupled in the Cusworth plinth - There is still a solid sonic improvement - The chassis isn't as lively with a Shindo platter and bearing (Heavy) wobbling around on it... A bugger to fit however with some tapping required and shortening of screws.

I'm not selling them (Currently no one is, but the above example is the basic version!) I was lucky to be sent one to play with.