Best TT plinth material, cost no object

Thanks Albert, alias " Alley Cat," as I forgot about the posting . It's been three years since I began the table and it's still not done.

Ken

Buconerro,

Your comment regarding using a base designed for electron microscopes might seem out in left field but the thought also crossed my mind. A year or so ago I looked into devices designed by Minus K. It's their business to isolate electron microscopes and other sensitive devices from vibration. The theory behind their design was convincing enough that I asked them to build one for my table. It was built to isolate a 750 lb load from lateral and vertical vibrations lower than those I should encounter. When the beast is assembled I'll see how well it works.

Ken

Lewm,

That is one of the many questions my wife continues to ask me.

Since I began the project I've gone through a few changes that have ALL pushed off the date of completion. The last was a year ago when I decided to add a 50 lb lead disc to the platter. I located a foundry to cast it, a tool and die shop to machine it and then months to have Sota machine a longer vacuum spindle and then put it all together. The new platter is staring at me right now.

Between Albert and a good friend in our local audio group, who hosts the Kenwood L 07D website, I thought I'd look into a direct drive table. A year or so ago I found a Denon DN 308 on Audiogon and bought it. This table is beautiful, except for the mdf plinth which will have to bite the dust, and had I bought it before I started the monster I would've saved $$$.

I have no misgivings about finishing the table I began 3 years ago but the urgency has diminished, SLIGHTLY!

The bottom line is that it's fun to build things. Once the project is finished you need to find something else to build or just enjoy the project you just finished; how easy is that to do?

Ken

Oilmanmojo,

Before I had a lead platter cast I bought a Maplenoll table that was supposed to have a 35 lb platter. I bought it on Audiogon for $750 and thought I got a deal.
When I got it the platter weighed 8 lbs. It's all still in the box; one of these days I'll sell it.

Ken

Hi Lewm,

Howard and I are just a few minutes apart. As you may know, Howard has four L o7d tables set up and running with different cartridges that afford him the ability to match the music to the cartridge of choice. It's hard to beat a combination like that!.

I guess you and I are distant neighbors. I generally travel through MD four or five times a year. If I might, I'll email you the next time I'm in your area. If it's convenient maybe we could connect for an hour or two and compare notes. Conversely, if you ever get to Richmond please let me know as I'd enjoy a meeting. Maybe I'll even have the table done by then.

Ken

Oilmanmojo,,

Hi to Mr Mojo.

I've been stung twice on Maplenoll tables.

A few years ago a friend of mine in the UK, who has saved me many dollars on a number of tone arms and other gear, found an Ariadine on Audiogon for $2,500. It was listed as domestic sale only, 9 / 10 condition with factory shipping crates but pick up desired. I fronted the cash and drove from Richmond to Pa. to pick it up. The arm was bent due to a baseball glove having been dropped on it and there were no crates. I lugged the table , with the 50 lb platter, back home and built a fantastic crate for it. It took a full sheet of 3/4 inch plywood, $100 of ethafoam, and a day to build it. Fed Ex got it there for $450 including duty.

The seller was an FM finatic so I took along a Wiengard 12 element yagi, one of two I bought and never used, I gave it to him gratis, that was before I saw the damaged table and no crates.

James loved the table and reciprocated, in spades, the next time I needed another tone arm.

Giving negative feedback to an Audiogon member that never had, or probably never will, sell anything again is no consolation for getting a raw deal. God will get him for that!

Ken

Raul,

Being able to enlist the facilities and expertise of those in the scientific community is something that happens because of luck or money, maybe both.

There are a few tables that have been designed by those that have both, and more, of the above attributes. Forsell, Continuum, Grand Prix, and maybe Larry Denham at TTWeights. I'm sure I've missed a few.

However, for those of us clearly outside the league of the pros, we have access to the most cost effective brain trust in the business; Audiogon. The amount of information available on this web site is free and comes from many that have listened, fiddled, modified, evaluated and fiddled again. One has only to read the many threads and make an educated guess as to what path to follow. You gamble your bucks and report the results. If you don't lie about what you hear, it might help another member in his quest for something a little bit better. After all, don't we all think we have something to contribute that will make things sound a little bit better? If we try and it doesn't work, what can we always do, LIE!

Ken