NickofWimbledon
pfm Member
You can get a Target wall shelf for less than £40 on eBay. For SQ, it can be beaten, but not by a large amount. Very similar shelves from Rega and Pro-ject appear about equally good, and are also cheap. That may well be all you need.
After quite bit of experimentation...
The SRM isolation platform on top of that Target shelf gives an LP12 better-sounding support than I have heard elsewhere, including the Quadraspire shelf with the bronze bits, Quadraspire rack and top-of-a-Fraim. The 2-part SRM platform costs just less than £200.
For an LP12, adding the SRM baseboard instead or as well as their isolation platform is a similarly worthwhile step versus a naked bottom. We did not compare it to the equivalent c. £100 Linn metal base (or the Stack option), but I reckon it is noticeably better than a c.£200 Tramp 2 on a 'light and rigid' support - Tramps aim to help in less ideal situations (like the top of a sideboard) and do it well IMHO.
The SRM baseboard costs about £150. Both base and platform are made of acrylic (black or clear), with spikes and minimal compliance from a tiny amount of what looks like Sorbothane.
With this combination, I was able to stop using granite and HRS feet (cutting weight on the wall a lot) while improving sound quality a little.
For an LP12, I am confident that Target plus SRM platform beats the best Quadraspire shelf I have heard (with bamboo and bronze spikes), which costs nearly £500. That Quadraspire option is a good deal better than a straight Target stand off eBay with its plain MDF shelf, but the gap is really not huge (none of the differences here are), and certainly doesn't sit well with a price difference of more than 10 times.
Mind you, the Quadraspire will look suit a lot of room better visually. Also, I am not picking Quadraspire here - I reckon Target (or Rega or Pro-ject or Vulcan) plus SRM platform is likely to beat most or all of the higher-priced shelves for SQ with an LP12.
I have not tried the equivalent Stack Audio baseboard and platform combination (or any of the other options available on the internet), but I see no reason why that will not also do an excellent job with a supposedly modest shelf and an LP12.
After quite bit of experimentation...
The SRM isolation platform on top of that Target shelf gives an LP12 better-sounding support than I have heard elsewhere, including the Quadraspire shelf with the bronze bits, Quadraspire rack and top-of-a-Fraim. The 2-part SRM platform costs just less than £200.
For an LP12, adding the SRM baseboard instead or as well as their isolation platform is a similarly worthwhile step versus a naked bottom. We did not compare it to the equivalent c. £100 Linn metal base (or the Stack option), but I reckon it is noticeably better than a c.£200 Tramp 2 on a 'light and rigid' support - Tramps aim to help in less ideal situations (like the top of a sideboard) and do it well IMHO.
The SRM baseboard costs about £150. Both base and platform are made of acrylic (black or clear), with spikes and minimal compliance from a tiny amount of what looks like Sorbothane.
With this combination, I was able to stop using granite and HRS feet (cutting weight on the wall a lot) while improving sound quality a little.
For an LP12, I am confident that Target plus SRM platform beats the best Quadraspire shelf I have heard (with bamboo and bronze spikes), which costs nearly £500. That Quadraspire option is a good deal better than a straight Target stand off eBay with its plain MDF shelf, but the gap is really not huge (none of the differences here are), and certainly doesn't sit well with a price difference of more than 10 times.
Mind you, the Quadraspire will look suit a lot of room better visually. Also, I am not picking Quadraspire here - I reckon Target (or Rega or Pro-ject or Vulcan) plus SRM platform is likely to beat most or all of the higher-priced shelves for SQ with an LP12.
I have not tried the equivalent Stack Audio baseboard and platform combination (or any of the other options available on the internet), but I see no reason why that will not also do an excellent job with a supposedly modest shelf and an LP12.