IMHO the real reason that a tripod (vs a 'quadpod') is better is that it is just easier and faster to obtain set up and a horizontal plane. If you think it is actually 'better', try sitting something on it which is not balanced weight wise and see how unstable a tripod can actually be, or have somebody or a pet, bump into it. Learning leasons don't always come cheap. :-)
Tripods as turntable or component base?
Perhaps one of you who is into photography or owns a camera store can try this experiment. Since the tripod is the most stable base (ask any photographer or physicist), has anyone experimented with using them as component bases? All the best turntables and many other components now have 3 legs instead of 4 for that reason. One school of thought says heavy tables for turntables are better (less amplitude of motion for given energy input); others say not (energy storage, pickup of airborne sound energy). The people who used to market Linn specifically recommend flimsy tables (!) but they were fruitcakes. How about taking three tripods, setting up one under each foot? A cheap experiment if you have the tripods... Your colleague in science, hifigeezer