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Dealing with Vibration on 2d Floor of Home

Happy almost-Spring, A'goners!  I haven't visited in a couple years, but I'm back to ask for your help. 

By necessity, my audio room is on the second floor of my home.  I struggle mightily with vibration from my own footfalls those of others on the second floor while my turntable is playing.  Even my careful footsteps away from the turntable to my listening chair cause the turntable arm to jump.  Likewise, "normal" footsteps of other family members in the hallway or adjoining rooms cause the arm to move.  

I'm currently using a "flexyrack" with heavy 2" thick solid maple shelves. 

A couple years ago I purcahsed a Symposium platform to place under the turntable, but that only mitigated the issue caused by faint, distant footfalls.  It is ineffective against closer or heavier footfalls.  

Shy of spending $$$$ on a state-of-the-art isolation rack, is there a solution for isolating the turntable without altering the sound?  

aggielaw
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,487 posts
 

 

The Townshend Audio Seismic line of products.

 

paradisecom
502 posts
 

I'd move to a wall mount or something custom suspended from the ceiling.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,693 posts
 

Wall Shelf!

rsf507
2,574 posts
 

I've tried some wall shelves and helped slightly. Have you played some records with good bass then placed your hand on the walls? They vibrate as well, even if you find studs to mount the shelf. 

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
2,446 posts
 

You want to brace the rack against a wall. Strongest one you can (external, preferably). You could also try wall mount (assuming TT isn’t too large) but I like the wall bracing because it’s easy and combines strength of both wall & floor. In that configuration, your turntable is no longer "cantilevered" into space in any way. Using foam or ribber shims to interface, just push the rack firmly against the wall. 

That will clean up the bulk of shockwaves (footfall) and subsonic energy. If you still have leftover feedback in the audible range, a Townshend podium or pods is the best reasonable solution to mop that up. For bass frequencies (the toughest to handle due to amplitude) it’s much more effective than constrained layer damping or polymer or bearing feet, imo. 

A freestanding tall narrow audiophile tower rack on a suspended floor is about the WORST way to run a turntable. Sadly, this is how many are run. It needs bracing. 

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