Turntable and subwoofer living together in peace and happiness


Unfortunately I got readdicted to audiophile disease a few years ago. I amassed a new system via the used market: Rotel Rb991, NAD c658, Rega Planar 3 w/motor upgrade, tonearm rewire, upgraded arm counter balance, Hana ML, Clear Audio Basic+, B&W 805 Matrix, B&W ASW800 subwoofer, Kimbers all around.

My issue has been subwoofer integration. I get rumblely feedback from the subwoofer as soon as I drop the needle into the lead in groove. With digital playback this is not an issue. Thinking that the turntable was picking up vibration from the floor and cabinet, I built an isolation platform that consists of a 6 inch deep box made of Peruvian Walnut filled with 50lbs of sand and topped with a 1/2 inch granite all of which sitds on Sorbothane spiked feet. I thought i had the subwoofer was far enough away. 

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated. 

horn13
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The first thing that struck me looking at your photo is the wood floor.  Wood floors are notorious for transmitting vibrations.  Is the floor spungy at all?  If so can you brace it from underneath to make it firmer?  That would help.  Also, underneath the speakers I have found Isoacoustics Gaia isolators are very helpful.  I also used them underneath my TT, but whatever you choose, some sort of isolators directly under the TT would help in addition to what you have already done.

Get thee a Preamp with a rumble filter; Low Cut Off Filter, they were designed for exactly your problem.

I have to use mine in my Vintage Preamp when playing my Shure V15VxMR that tracks at 1 gm, and it is mounted on a ’too heavy’ arm best for medium compliance cartridges. When a big warp hits, a light tracker, with a too heavy arm may even get yanked up out of the groove.

Wood floors, mine are like a Flexible Flyer, my final solution, (after all the weight of your stand is level/down, no forward weight when the floor flexes), is a set of isolation blocks 

 

My light trackers, I have to tip toe away, you develop the skill of just getting your lifter started down, and get out. Steve at VAS is going to change the fluid in my Vintage JVC Victor UA-7082 arm lift that drops too quickly.

btw, are you sure your arm and cartridge compliance are good together?