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Help! New TT skipping badly....

Recently bought a used VPI Scout with JMW arm  9 in.  Set up on shelf om my SolidSteel rack where I have always had a TT. Could barely breathe without arm skipping. If I walk anywhere near rack, skips. Floor is carpeted over hardwood, quite solid, never had issue with Clear Audio or Rega table. Took to Audio Connection and had completely gone over and adjusted. Better but still bad. Put cork /sorbathane blocks on shelf and put 3 inch solid maple slab on top of that. No change. removed top shelf and put the cork/ sorb. blocks directly on frame, then maple slab. still skips. everything is dead nuts level, and as stated, floor is firm. Went in basement and put a brace between floor joists, nada. Tomorrow I was thinking of taking rack down and removing spiked feet. Odds this helps? I know some will suggest wall mount, but I don't want to spend anymore money if I can avoid it.As I said, Ive had other TTs in exact spot and you could dance with never a problem. Any input would be greatly appreciated.As I said TT was recently gone over and is set up correctly. Thanks
winoguy17
turntablemat's avatar
turntablemat
36 posts
 
Hey @winoguy17 Mat from VPI here. If you haven't already, send over an email and some pictures of your setup, we can help diagnose and get you figured out. I will say our current feet/isolation is a major improvement over our older models. I always like to see pictures, especially when used, so I know what we are looking at. The Scout never really had an issue like that but if there are third party feet or something we are all missing who knows! Regardless, we are always here to try and help :)
winoguy17 OP
1,083 posts
 
  Wow, thanks Matt. I (hopefully) sent some pics.
yeti42's avatar
yeti42
287 posts
 
Maybe something as simple as a butchers block will absorb enough vibration to make a difference, that’s not much money unless you go for a fancy one aimed at audiophiles.
 My current deck is basically ply wood on rigid cones with an arm, motor and bearing built in, it didn’t skip or feedback when on a rack (by then Naim Fraim Lite) only a foot from a large speaker on a wooden floor, before I moved last year.

The original Townshend seismic sink was basically a wheebarrow inner tube in a box with a loose lid. I used one under a mk2 Rock for a while. you balanced the deck on it so it was level (which meant it wasn’t centred) but as it gradually lost air it didn’t sink evenly. With the damping trough and a Rega arm it was just about OK, better than the sorbothane feet onto the rack sound wise but when I switched to a Unipivot arm it had to go.  By then Townshend had his damped springs and did a conversion for the mk2 to replace the sorbothane, My Rock used to sit on an Origin Live Skyline basic platform, which was pretty rigid, but the floor under it was wood. I couldn’t use a Manticore Mantra (a poor, or maybe thinking, mans LP12) on it without skipping.

If you set the VPI up yourself be aware that the tracking force will read high if measured above record height but a professional should know that.
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