Well, it LOOKS like crap - the Sequel....


After a couple of weeks of experimentation, I have found the magic formula for a turntable stand for my Roksan Xerxes. Here goes - ahem...

20 tennis balls
20 ABS 2" to 1.5" adapters (beveled edges work well with the tennis balls)
5 pieces of MDF - 18" x 15" x 1"
Carpenters glue

The 20 ABS adapters are glued in a symmetrical pattern to the face of a piece of MDF. I glued three pieces of MDF together (an earlier experiment that failed miserably) and used blue tack - actually handy tack (cheaper and equally effective) - to be able to add and remove pieces of MDF as I wished. The magic number of MDF pieces seems to be 4 or 5, four pieces sounding a bit "sweeter", five pieces having more punch and dynamics and better imaging, in all a livelier presentation.

Pain in the ass though it has been, this stand project has been relatively inexpensive, and very worth it. Keep in mind that the tennis balls originally were meant to be sandwiched between two sheets of MDF with ABS adapters, but that sounded AWFUL, so now I have an extra turntable stand base.

The table is now sitting on a carpeted concrete floor, a layer of tennis balls, five sheets of MDF, and it's proprietary Roksan stand and is not likely to move for some time. It sounds so much better that I am actually thinking of trying to make or obtain a spare plinth, and buying (even better borrowing) a kickass cartridge to see if the Roksan is worth keeping for a few more years.

Just as an added note to Roksan owners - I had no idea how sensitive to stability or how truly capable the Artemis arm is. Those of you who think you are not getting the most out of your table/arm combo might want to give this a shot, the transformation has been a real ear-opener.

Now all I have to do is figure out a way to make it look better - it looks less like crap, but it still does look...

...like crap.
esoxhntr