When considering producing a TT that will support a Tonearm/Tonearms of choice.
There is the likelihood that a Custom Design Plinth will be selected for the role.
The additional consideration will be the material selected to be used to produce the Plinth.
There are many options from a Singular Material through to a Composite, and then there is the Quantity of Tiers of materials and the configuration of the Tiers used to produce the structure.
Each Custom-Built Plinth can have an impact on the SQ, for the better or worse, also one Plinth Design has the capability to allow a certain Tonearm Type to perform for the better and another Tonearm Design can be negatively affected. It is basically down to how a Tonearm mechanically couples with energies transferred through the Plinth.
Alternatively, there is the option to use a Standalone Pod/ Pods to mount Tonearm/ Tonearms on.
My experience has been to limit myself to the use of One Tonearm only. This has been the practice for many years with fixed headshell designs.
Today, I use a Tonearm with a detachable headshell, which has made the ease of experiencing Cartridges much simpler to achieve.
Additionally, as I am involved in a social activity with HiFi, the Cart’ mounted on a Detachable Headshell is an easy and secure transport to a home with a similar mount method on a used Tonearm.
As for a Multi Input Phonostage I had the option of this when I had my Valve Phon’ built, the builder had a Phon’ of almost identical design to my one, with a Four Input Option.
I chose not to go for this method, as I am happy to use different owned Phon’s, to add a something different to a presentation. I feel today this has been the better choice for myself.
I have been a user of Bespoke Plinth on various TT, I prefer a design that rigidly couples the Tonearm to the Plinth, on my own designs, no Base Plates are used.
My first Bespoke Plinth has been produced from Slabs of Granite, that the final configuration added up to being a 9 Stone Granite Plinth, which was used to mount a Garrard 401 with a SME IV.
This after many years usage was swapped for a PTP Solid 9 with a Audiomod’s Series Five Micrometer, mounted on a Lamination of Corian, which is a Composite Stone, again quite a heavy assembly.
I have used lighter Plinths, where Lead Metal is used with Plywood/Chipboard on Laminate Plinths.
The most recent plinth material learnt off and one that is to be used, which is another lightweight design, is Densified Wood.
This is a material that has been able to make a very good impression when used with the same TT and Tonearm I am using.
I had first moved over to Light Weight Plinth Designs using a compressed 1-inch Plywood Board as Plinth, with a weight of approx’ 900Kg per m3.
It is reported that the Plywood that has an increased compression has a useful Damping Factor and has good dissipation properties, all scientific explanation can be found at Qualia Labs web page.
The introduction to an alternative 1-Inch Plywood Board Material and one that has made the most positive impression, is from a material that is approx’ 1400Kg per m3. This is probably the densest of the Densified Wood to be found today.
For myself, the experiences of past have evolved to the preferred order, which is to have one Tonearm, with easy to exchange Cartridge Options, hence a removable headshell. The rigidity of the Coupling of the Headshell is of importance, and a loose bog-standard connection can create a SQ issue.
The TT and Tonearm interface is as important a consideration as the other coupling connections being made but is the one that will most likely be the hardest to acquire valuable direction on. Note: many TT > Tonearm Couplings are produced using a Material that can have changing properties throughout the seasons, to the point where an interfaces critical dimension point is compromised. Materials that are stable and influence the maintaining of the Set-Up Geometry are desirable.
Phon’s are easy to exchange and having the option to have increased experiences of a Phon’ is an attractor, one Input suffices for my needs.
I have worked with and sought out demonstrations of others work using different Plinth Materials and configurations for a structure for many years.
Recent learning has shown there is a material available, that is able to make a very positive impression and to myself has become an attractor.
I have experience of seeing others migrate to densified wood plinths; some who have been quite set in their commitment to their earlier plinth designs in use, their curiosity about this material and introducing it to their set up, proved to be a correct choice.
I have been demonstrated a Densified Wood in use as a Plinth on various occasions. On one occasion, with same Model TT’s. One with Densified Wood as a Plinth and the other using a Marine Plywood. The result being the Densified Wood has left a very positive impression, which has been encouraging to the point I have acquired my own material. It has been used as a Sub Plinth to date, which has also proven to create a positive impression.
The owner of the Marine Plywood Plinth referred to now has a Densified Wood Plinth and is without doubt the improvement has been very noticeable.
I have a Plinth produced from this material but am not at present able to use it on my system.
