+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 6 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 52

Thread: Best isolating feet for turntable plinth?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Sep 2012

    Location: London

    Posts: 434
    I'm Nick.

    Default Best isolating feet for turntable plinth?

    Popular choices here? What are you using on your TT plinth, if anything?

    Seems like a lot of options on offer, everyone claiming their products isolate effectively. Some are very expensive but of course that doesn't mean they work better or that cheaper products are not as effective.

    Been looking at:

    Townshend Seismic Pods and/or Seismic platform. The platform is very pricey, almost as much as a set of 4 Stillpoint Ultras, even a set of 4 pods not that cheap. Effective but also pretty fugly. Seems that quite a few people here like and use them.

    Soundeck SDS - 3mm thick constrained layer damping steel pads.

    Sorbothane Hemispheres.

    Stillpoint Ultra SS - hi-tech and smart looking but horribly expensive. Heard that they isolate on the horizontal plane but couple on the vertical? Not sure.

    Vibrapads - cheap as chips, no idea how effective they are.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Dec 2017

    Location: Manchester

    Posts: 359
    I'm John.

    Default

    I've just borrowed a set of ultrapoints off a mate and they are amazing. Got them under my valve amp though not my turntable.

    Incidentally I've taken to placing my N.A. Spacedeck directly on the rack and not using a plinth at all. I have used the standard plinth which was ok and a granite one which was awful so now don't bother with one at all.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 2,814
    I'm Hugo.

    Default

    Stillpoints are amazing for hard coupling equipment to an isolation platform such as a Townshend Seismic Platform (I use old Stillpoints OEM footers on my SL-1200GR which sits on a Seismic Platform). Stillpoints don't 'isolate' but rather channel vibrations effectively into a suitable structure that can absorb those vibrations in an ordered manner. Whether Stillpoints are worth the price is another matter altogether, but used intelligently they are without doubt effective as long as people don't assume that they isolate. They don't do that any more than a metal cone would.

    You don't achieve isolation without having some sort of springy compliance, whether it comes from stable and damped springs like the Townshend products, or rubbery polymers. For total isolaton across a truly broad range of frequencies, you simply cannot beat a correctly specified spring support. Sorbothane etc will only give isolation over a restricted frequency range and typically very little at low frequencies, which matters for turntables.

    Are Townshend Seismic Platforms fugly? I don't think so and while they do certainly lack bling of any sort, they are almost invisible when in use, being so thin seen from the front:


  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

    Default

    A few others to consider::

    Solid air audio magnetic isolation feet.

    Clearaudio Magix isolation feet.

    Funk Firm Kinetic cradle.

    Funk Firm Boing.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 2,814
    I'm Hugo.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Crackles View Post
    I've just borrowed a set of ultrapoints off a mate and they are amazing. Got them under my valve amp though not my turntable.

    Incidentally I've taken to placing my N.A. Spacedeck directly on the rack and not using a plinth at all. I have used the standard plinth which was ok and a granite one which was awful so now don't bother with one at all.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
    You should try placing the Spacedeck (without its plinth) on a Townshend Seismic Platform - you will be amazed at the improvement in resolution. Townshend will make up platforms to suit specific applications and send them out for free home trial.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

    Default

    Track Audio Isolation Spikes turntable version.
    Regards Neil

  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2008

    Location: Suffolk, UK

    Posts: 1,473
    I'm Paul.

    Default

    I think that due to their nature turntables will sound different with any sort of change in support. Whether the sound is technically better or just a sound that is preferable may not actually be the same thing. My thoughts are that you either have to go for large amounts of mass using solid materials or you can use compliant materials like rubber or springs but to be technically correct the support has to be designed properly to match the mass of the turntable and the frequencies of interest. Subjective preference aside this is why some people will rave about a particular support product and other people will never use them again.

    I used to think that a lot of the hifi support products were overpriced (as most hifi stuff is). Laboratory and industrial Isolation and dampening platforms have been available many years and these unlike many hifi products have been designed properly (with calculations and testing based on real science and everything). These can be more expensive than the hifi platforms!

    I’ve not used Townshend products but looking at there products at shows it does seem like they do actually use proper engineering to design their products and they are a UK manufacturer who you could probably call up and get some good advice from so that you don’t have to perform shotgun trials.
    ~Paul~

  8. #8
    Join Date: Aug 2018

    Location: London Knightsbridge

    Posts: 414
    I'm Nari.

    Default

    I have tried and played with countless amounts of feet under various turntables and alot depends on the particular turntable and its construction. I wont go into detail here but my conclusions down too, I generally dont get along with still points very much they tend to harden the sound and lean towards a more precise clinical presentation of corse its turntable dependent. I recently borrowed the Kodo turntable that has the big still points under the turntable and power supply, I had some large Harmonix feet around and replaced the still points and the difference was huge. I have recently purchased some Dalby feet for one of my turntables and the sound in credible but at a stupid price. I basically like the sound of wood it seems far more gentle sounding than steel or aluminium. If I were looking at spending still point money I would consider Harmonix as they make a range of nice sounding feet that are highly musical. At a more sensible level the townshend feet are amazingly good value in the scheme of over priced hifi and hard to beet no aggression at all and very musical sounding and the platforms are fantastic I use the podium under my speakers and boy do they work.

    There is anouther nice sounding foot out there that LFD produce for there components and not bad looking they are based on soilid brass nikel plated with a sorbothane like isolation pad they worked very well under my shindo garrard much more cohesive than the large type 6 still points I have here just more human sounding. I find hard materials sound hard generally. I agree still points can work with something else like the townshend platform but also depends on the particular component. The harmonix large 202zx foot sounds far nice in my opinion if you like a warmer presentation the still points are cleaner but can be a bit too hard for my ears. Again its all down to apllication. Than we go into the wonderful world of shun mook and dalby who to my ears have some really amazing feet but at crazy prices. I personally would look at the townshend platform with the lfd foot on top if I were using a garrard or a 124 as from what I have heard they compliment very well and not stupidly over priced.

    The world of Hifi can get really crazy and there are just so many isolation products obviously one can get really carried away they are mind boggling products out there like the Minus K and the Herzan ts 140 then we have the classic vibraplane and the tmc Isolation platforms all injecting some magic in many ways. Products like the seismic sink introduce some of this majic to a wider audience and are fuss free good honest bits of kit that do offer great performance. if I had the energy I could write pages on all the various feet and platforms I have gone through and where they work best.

    Maybe the best thing would be to get your garrard and have a listen and decide what kind of presentation you are trying to achieve ie something a bit warmer or a something a bit faster and cleaner. Or you could start of with something safe like the townshend platform for main isolation and try adding other feet in between the turntable and platform latter on to tune things further.

    I tend to first get the main isolation sorted they try adding other products for a bit of Majic.
    Last edited by Vrajbasi; 05-10-2018 at 07:05.
    Most important and used Walker Black Diamond Etsuro Gold, Micro Seiki 8000mk2 Kondo special V12 Tiger Eye, Fidelity Research FR 66 Shindo spu, EMT 927, sme 312 aluminium. Fidelity research fr66, Sme 3012 mk1, Sme V, Ikeda 407 IT Sme Model 30/2/Dynavector 507 Kodo Beat Turntable Airtangent 10B modified Fidelity fr66s Etsuro Cartridge . Kondo Gakuoh Mk1 powers G70 Pre,Audio Tekne TFA-8695PCS pre Audio Tekne TEA 8695 Phono. Lfd Battery Phono Stage heavily custom rebuilt by Dr Richard Bews, Tharx Phono Stage. Lfd Master Dual Biamp power amp, Lfd Anniversary master preamp. Shindo Latour Field Coil. Rockport Cygnus Biamped, Voigt Domestic Corner Horns/ Feastex Fildcoils. LFD Custom silver Ribbons. LFD Diamond Vipor Mk2 interconnects, Lfd Golden Cobra interconnect. Koetsu blue lace mono special order, Koetsu burma jade mono special order.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

    Default Best isolating feet for turntable plinth?

    I use an acrylic base with 4x large Bright Star IsoNodes. Works well for me. Effectively decouples it from the cabinet. Can stamp around with no driver pumping.

    However, a better upgrade was buying a 2.5m RCA cable for my phono stage and moving the TT out of my (open plan) living room and into the dining room alcove. It was previously right near a speaker.
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Sep 2012

    Location: London

    Posts: 434
    I'm Nick.

    Default

    Thanks so far everyone - perhaps I should add a bit more detail to my OP.
    I'm interested in isolation feet for a heavy, high mass wooden plinth that will house a Garrard 401. The reason is to de-couple and isolate the TT from environmental vibration e.g. the speakers, footsteps in the room, passing traffic, washing machines etc etc anything that could feedback into the TT, tonearm and cartridge. The plinth would be standing on a heavy MDF built-in sideboard that is attached to both the wall and floor (engineered wooden floor).

    At the moment the plinth itself has no feet, which also leaves me the option to leave the feet off entirely and place the plinth flat directly onto an isolating platform like the Townshend. If I have understood correctly the increased surface area in contact with the platform can be of benefit to the isolation.
    I could also attach some kind of coupling feet to the plinth e.g. spikes and then stand it on a platform. Or I could fit some isolating feet (eg Townshend pods) under the plinth and stand it directly on the sideboard, no platform.

    Hugo - thanks for your thoughts, I've seen you recommend the Townshend platform elsewhere on here. (It's a pricey option for me as the TT + plinth will weigh-in over 35kg and the high-weight spec pods + platform is over £700 total.) Would you recommend placing the plinth directly onto the platform or putting some kind of hard feet or spikes inbetween? On the subject of looks, the platform is quite elegant, it's the pods I think look a bit fugly... unfortunately remind me of those cheap little pod speakers people attach to their laptops.
    Thanks also for the clear info about the Stillpoints - I was not aware at all that they do in fact couple, and indeed as far as I could tell on their own website they seem to be claiming that the Stillpoints isolate.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 6 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •