I think I am going to attempt to make turntatbles

Well I will probably start with a plinth and the guts out of my fisher direct driver first to be honest... Then I will move onward and upward... This being my first attempt... I suppose I will teach myself some design 101 on the cheap using what I got first... Once I can get that good sounding I will progress.. I have alot to learn and this ought to be fun at the very least.

i will definitely post pics along the way...

I realize it's involved; and that it may not make sense financially... Well that is unless you plan on selling your creation (which we do). This is the start and I realize the wheel could be being reinvented a little bit; But construction has began on the first plinth and I am excited. The first order of business is for me to take the guts of a VERY inferior table and make it sound very much so better. Then they will slowly but surely be swapped out with more custom pieces. This is a learning process... but I learn quickly... hopefully in a few months I will have some results to share.

Gregm,

While that is an awesome idea for the levitating platter, would this not interfere with cartridge pickup? I definitely am going to try this as I have done a many of levitation projects in the past with tesla coils and etc...

How about using a thing sheet magnet under the platter and then shield it with aluminum... much like magnetically shielding a transducer? my idea is to use some sort of less powerful magnetic field underneath the platter to levitate it against another magnet point downward... so pole differential... in theory the repelling action should float it... then there would be a layer of shielding and the opposing forces of the magnets with their backs to the vinyl should not create any undue fields... i would just have to fashion a skirt for the bottom of the platter out of aluminum as well... ooh i have an idea... have to go sketch this out in autocad right quick... bbl

Well I love a challenge and as an engineer I am really proficient in both calculus and physics... I drew out my plans today while I should have been working (ha ha ha). So its going to work something like a speaker does when it moves the voicecoil within the magnet and will have a regulated power supply to the electomagnet... lots of trial and error I presume... Also going to attempt to make this a direct drive idea... (I know I know lots of magnetic fields fighting each other... most have a good shielding plan)... BUT.. This is the kicker... VTA can theoretically be adjusted one of two ways... Raise and lower the arm or the platter... See where I'm going... Electronically adjustable VTA. On the fly!!! Also when the turntable powers of the platter will rest in a groove in the plinth. I'm running with this idea and there are going to be lots of pitfalls; curse words; and hopefully a supreme result... A turntable with 0 resonance except that made by the stylus and what little the direct drive motor makes. Good thing I used to build and play with tesla coils as a kid :D