Build a nice sandbox and sit the TT on top of that. Or get a nice thick maple board and float it on a bunch of squash balls. Any extra isolation will pay off sonically and you will be able to raise the height at the same time.
Enjoy,
Bob |
You're going about this the wrong way. What you need to do is to make it look as ugly as possible. That way your wife will give her approval for you to get a new rack. Increase her committment by showing her a few pictures of racks she likes and let her make the final choice. When you buy, tell her it was "on sale". After you buy, reward her by suggesting she buy some new pairs of shoes...just because. It's only money. How long have you been married anyway...why don't you know these tactics? :) |
Excellent advice Markphd. I copied your tactics into "Word" for future reference! |
Any platform you place your tt on will affect it's sound. Therefore, you should choose that platform on it's sonic interface with your rig, not on it's 'height potential'. If you have a mate who's willing to allow your hobby gear into-well, I'm not sure which room, but presumably not a specific 'music room'-then I'd appreciate that fact, and realize that bending or crouching, if necessary, is the price to be paid. Seems a pretty small price.
When she starts demanding that you sit on the toilet when you take a leak, that's the time to put your foot down. Until then, a little give-and-take is key. |
I am still laughing at some of the comments, particularly from Markphd and Johnbrown! All comments thus far are truly appreciated, and being made to laugh is always a good thing! Let me assure you all that I would rather kneel to use the turntable than do anything that would compromise its excellent sonics.
This system is in our LR, which has evolved into a combination stereo/living/music practice room. I only have space for the one rack, and my wife's objection to a higher rack is that the higher the rack, the less of a view is possible through the windows behind. (The window drapes are closed only when the stereo is in use.) No amount of shoes, jewelry, etc is going to get her to budge on this one.
Another solution I considered was to install the Ayre/DPS in my secondary system and install that system's TT (Basis Signature 2500/Vector IV/Lyra Titan 1) in the LR. That table with its calibrator base would largely resolve the height issue. But after A/B-ing the two tables, as good as the Basis is, I strongly prefer the Ayre/DPS, and the LR system is the better of my two systems.
Don Better of Don Better Audio will be installing the Ayre/DPS next Wednesday. We will know more about any negatives associated with its low profile once it's installed.
Please keep the ideas coming! Practical and humorous comments are equally welcome! |
Have you considered placing your tt on a wall shelf? You will get isolation and any height you want. |
Peterayer:
Thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately a wall shelf is not an option. There is no available wall space in this room for a turntable! Frankly, it is amazing to me that the room is sonically so good despite everything that is in the room in addition to the stereo system!
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As suggested above, you will almost certainly need some kind of isolation from a Bags rack. I use a sandbox (made by BrightStar, on a Bags rack) which is cost effective and works reasonbly well, but only raises the height 1 5/8". |
Is it possible to put your rig on the bottom shelf? That is how I have mine set up and I really like sitting on the floor to put on vinyl. It's comfortable (stable)to brush the record, drop the needle, hit it with the Onzow etc. |
Srwooten:
Bottom shelf is not an option for me. Because of other gear, too tight L-C-R, and because I will need a Gingko Claravu acrylic cover, not enough vertical clearance to lift and remove the cover.
At this point I am leaning toward a wood-based elevation system, either from Box or Timbernation.
Does anyone have any recommendations for other companies besides Box and Timbernation for a wood elevation/isolation system?
Thanks again for all of the responses so far! |
I heard that Ayre/DPS turntable in Feb. at a local high end store's dealer open house. Its overall presentation reminds me a lot of a 3x as expensive SME rig. |
Johnnyb53:
Thanks for your comment. And I agree. IMHO, I found the Ayre/DPS overall to be pretty even with the top of the line SME and the top of the line Spiral Groove.
The auditioning I did of the Ayre/DPS was with the standard tonearm that the Ayre/DPS comes with. You/others may already know this but if not . . .
. . . William Bauer of DPS takes a stock Rega 250 tonearm, guts it, HIGHLY modifies it, and that is the tonearm that comes with the table. So it was intriguing/startling to me that the Ayre/DPS with an obviously modest tonearm compared so favorably with the SME and SG, both of which were set up with far, far better tonearms (insofar as $ directly translates into better performance, which we all know is not always the case). I considered but decided against having the Ayre/DPS prepped for a better tonearm since it already sounds so great with the standard tonearm. I can always switch to another tonearm down the road. The one that is most interesting to me at this point is not yet commercially available. According to Don Better, Mr. Bauer is developing his own tonearm for the Ayre/DPS. When it becomes available, those who purchased the Ayre/DPS with the basic modified Rega 250 tonearm can get 100 percent of their money back for that tonearm against the purchase of Mr. Bauer's new tonearm. The cutout requirement for his new tonearm will be exactly the same as for the modified Rega 250, so it will essentially be plug and play. I definitely plan to audition his new tonearm when it comes out.
Of course, and now getting back to the original thread topic, I still don't know if I will be kneeling, bending, whatever in front of the Ayre/DPS when I use it! ;->
My wife has suggested genuflecting (sp?) and offering alms before each use.
Sigh . . . |
I knew from the open house that the std. arm on the Ayre/DPS is a modified RB250. I was mightily impressed. At the previous year's open house I had heard a SME 30 with Series V tonearm, and it was remarkable how much the Ayre/DPS had that same surefooted, yet deeply natural and relaxed presentation. Very involving and musical. I don't know how they wring that much performance from an RB250, but as you said, I saw no reason to look further.
They were demoing with a Lyra Helikon. Excellent match. Most of the open house was featuring digital sources, including some 24/96, which is significantly better than Redbook. Yet, there was a group of us that huddled in the Ayre room spinning vinyl until the open house closed down. That Ayre/DPS is really hard to turn off! And we weren't just listening to 180g audiophile re-pressings. We had a lot of fun listening to some of those $10 Original Jazz Classics as well. |
Johnnyb53:
I have listened to the Ayre/DPS with the two top of the line Dynavector and EMT cartridges. I chose the 2nd best EMT cartridge pretty much for the same reason I went with the modified RB250 - more than good enough (incredible, actually) performance for the $. That pretty much sums up the way I feel about the Ayre/DPS as well!
Prior to selecting the Ayre/DPS/EMT combo, I was learning pretty heavily in favor of the much less expensive Well Tempered Amadeus. That is really a remarkable turntable and tremendous sonic value for the $. But in the end, the things you heard with the Ayre/DPS - natural, relaxed, involving, musical, hard to turn off - I found all of these to be quite a bit more evident with the Ayre/DPS than they were with the Amadeus.
However, there were two things I liked better about the Amadeus - the tonearm (a thing of beauty, visually and sonically) and the bass response (marginally better than that of the Ayre/DPS). |
Symposium ultra shelf will look great and improve sound !! |
Ebm:
Thanks for letting me know about Symposium! Just started researching their web site. So far I like what I see and read! Do you have one or more of these shelves, or have you heard them on someone else's system? I am interested in them for both the TT and for an amp stand.
Thanks in advance for any more information you can share! |
I use a DPS 3 on a HRS isolation base that sits on a wooden shelf... Great isolation, very solid and lively performance, highly recommendable.
You might want to look into this, as it will add about 3" to the height of the table and provide valuable additional (tuned) acoustic isolation enhancing (and quite audibly at that!) the performance of your table. |
Kgallagh,
Thanks for the suggestion. Right now my two leading choices are HRS and Box.
But the jury is still out . . . . |
I have symposium under my TW RAVEN AC1 turntable also under both my line cond one super shelf one ULTRA . I would get ULTRA for your turntable remember you get what you pay for for me SYMPOSIUM IS THE BEST! Peter of symposium will give you GOOD HONEST advice!! |
Let me add to the yeas for Symposium. I use Rollerblock Jrs. under my VPI Super Scoutmaster;then on top of a Super plattform.The isolation aspect helped clear up a low-level feedback of bass due to proximity to my subwoofers and the drainage tightened,quickened and better focused the whole range.
To underscore Ebms' remarks that "Peter of symposium will give you GOOD HONEST advice!!" I agree wholeheartedly!! |
Thanks to all that responded. I have decided to go with the HRS Isolation Base, which I should have in place by early next week. Even more than the height increase (3 inches), I am obviously looking forward to the sonic improvements! |
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Thanks to all of you who offered guidance/suggestions. The humorous comments were also appreciated! I have been enjoying my new HRS M3 Isolation Base for the past two days. In my system it is proving to be a very useful addition. Overall I am hearing a lot more musical detail, which is now presented in an even more relaxed, natural (musical?) manner. The noise floor, which was previously negligible, is now inaudible to my ears. (Yes, I do still have normal hearing! ;-> ) Imaging is significantly improved in terms of both musical instrument focus and resolution. Aside from sonics, it is one heck of a nice looking base!
It will take some discipline on my part to resist the temptation to get another one of these for my new Nagra PSA! |
4musica44107, you might want to check out the excellent new review of the DPS turntable by Art Dudley in Stereophile. It's been time that the DPS is getting a bit more spotlight - it's an incredible table. |
Restock - Let me offer a belated thanks for the heads up about the Stereophile review. I have since heard the Ayre/DPS with Mr. Bauer's new tonearm specifically designed for his table. It is a unipivot design and a thing of beauty, both sonically and visually. After we get thru next month with Uncle Sam, I fully intend to get one! Man, I just love that turntable!!! |
