Quote:
The difference that can be obtained by placing the turntable on a light object is startling. It improves every aspect of the sound. There is no advantage, whatsoever, to placing a turntable on a massive object or isolation base. The misconception being that massive objects isolate a turntable from large amplitude vibrations due to their inertia. Although these objects move very small amounts in response to the energy that strikes them, they move at very, very low frequencies, well below the cut-off point of the suspension of any turntable. The result is that you directly couple the turntable to all manner of environmental noise, i.e. traffic outside and footfalls. Light objects do not resonate at these frequencies, and do not couple the turntable at these frequencies. Isolation bases with additional suspensions should be avoided. The additional suspension interacts with the suspension of the turntable, (when one moves, it induces a movement in the other suspension, which moves the first etc.) and the whole thing becomes unstable and begins to oscillate. For the same reason, flimsy, shaky surfaces should be avoided.
Indeed; this is precisely what I've experienced whenever I've used an LP12, and I've owned about five different versions of them since I got into 'proper' hi-fi first in 1982. They will not work properly plonked directly onto a concrete floor - no T/T will. The bit I've highlighted in bold is what happens to *any* turntable put on the floor, not just an LP12!