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Concrete slabs as Turntable plinth ?

G

g8ina

Member
I'm finding conflicting comments on this subject. It seems to me that if I put a 2 inch thick concrete slab on the floor and sit my turntable on it with neoprene or Sorbothane washers inbetween, that *should* reduce airborne vibration, and then just leave the springs in the sub chassis to do the rest.

Or is it infinitely more complex than that ?

Belt driven TT, heavy glass platter (Manticore Mantra), Rega RB300 arm, AT120e cartridge.
 
A concrete slab will have very little effect on airborne vibration. Surrounding it with a wall of pillows on the other hand...

Coupling the deck to a large mass will attenuate low frequency transmitted vibration, more so than higher frequency.
 
g8ina said:
I'm finding conflicting comments on this subject. It seems to me that if I put a 2 inch thick concrete slab on the floor and sit my turntable on it with neoprene or Sorbothane washers inbetween, that *should* reduce airborne vibration, and then just leave the springs in the sub chassis to do the rest.

Or is it infinitely more complex than that ?

Belt driven TT, heavy glass platter (Manticore Mantra), Rega RB300 arm, AT120e cartridge.
Click to expand...

For what this is worth, 20 years ago I put my Planar 3 on a concrete paving slab as an experiment. It sounded outrageously good, at least with the Ramones. My mum wasn't very happy about it though.
 
Do you really want to be crouching on the floor every time you change an LP? Or, heaven forbid, a 12" or 7" single?
 
I put a cpl steel brackets on the wall just measured between my tt's rubber feet, pretty much a solid coupling to an outer load bearing brick wall. Never got around to adding a shelf. Massive upgrade. :)
 
This is the current setup, the Tannoy is a centre speaker from my 6.1 system and will be off while the TT is in use. The concrete slab will just sit under the TT.

14231318_10208482498872595_3720147574081032511_o.jpg
 
Seems to me that high-mass (slab) under low-mass (tt) is a good combo, in the same way that high-mass (slab) under high-mass (Technics 1210) isn't.

If your tt filters out vibrations <10hz via compliant feet, then try to filter out vibrations >10hz with a slab. Just a theory, mind...

Steve
 
I dug up some paving slabs from the back yard once and put them under the original Systemdek, fitted with a PU2. Messed the sound up and made it very prone to footfall jumping. So they were removed and used to fill a couple muddy holes in the backyard.
 
Good to see you playing Spandau Ballet - I've always loved that album.
Speaking of vibration, is that a tetratec air pump on top of the right-hand speaker?
 
g8ina said:
This is the current setup, the Tannoy is a centre speaker from my 6.1 system and will be off while the TT is in use. The concrete slab will just sit under the TT.

14231318_10208482498872595_3720147574081032511_o.jpg
Click to expand...

I get a nothing from that link......
access denied
 
There is someone in Germany making concrete plinths for TD-124s (link). Check the sellers other items to see some other designs. Rather cool in their own way, would look great if they could be polished-up to a dark sheen like a high-end concrete floor. I've no idea how suited they are to the task, I get the impression concrete is actually fairly resonant stuff, but the way the 124 sits would likely kill that. An interesting idea.
 
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your guess about concrete being rather lively is correct, although there is concrete and there is concrete. Maybe they have found a formulation that damps, and maybe not! Normal concrete is about as useful for plinth duty as most natural stone. :(
 
Helen Bach said:
your guess about concrete being rather lively is correct, although there is concrete and there is concrete. Maybe they have found a formulation that damps, and maybe not! Normal concrete is about as useful for plinth duty as most natural stone. :(
Click to expand...
Concrete As a floor (highly polished even with coloured glass chipings) Will always be very lively.
Plinths for TTs wont be.
They will just kill it stone dead.
 
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