2. analog
  3. 167964-1502

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
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 
How far can you move away from the turntable before it skips, assuming you put the stylus in the groove while standing right next to the rack? Does it change with direction left or right? Mark that spot on the floor and check to see if other areas are unaffected.  You may have a weak floor/joist area near the rack where the floor settled unevenly with the weight of your equipment.  Try the turntable at the other end of the room, maybe?
bubba12's avatar
bubba12
443 posts
 
Switch back to the other brands. Simple.
winoguy17 OP
1,149 posts
 
Chakster, TT is setup properly. what's odd is I can drum my fingers on mable slab while playing, it's fine. I can drum my fingers on plinth of table while playing, fine. Just can't walk past without skipping. Floor is very solid and rack very stable, so I guess it has to be the floor.  So my next question is, does anyone think removing spikes from rack will do anything? Pain in the ass but I will probably break it down and try this tomorrow. Appreciate your responses, minus bubba12.
ghdprentice
7,217 posts
 
Yes, the floor… that is it. The standard solution is a wall mounted shelf. People in apartments and upstairs the world over have been doing this for decades. Don’t get wrapped up in conversations about suspended tables and other stuff.

I had an AR turntable with a suspension forty years ago and it skipped with footfalls (suspended wood floor), although I could wrap hard on the table or cover and it would not skip. I owned a VPI Aries for over twenty years and it never skipped (concrete under the flooring).
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Already provided two solutions- three, if you want to count springs under the rack. Which you seem to not have read anything I posted. One more try.

The problem is not the floor. If the floor was so unstable then you would have had problems with those other tables. The problem is the frequency of vibration going up the rack into the table is right in a range this particular table is unable to handle.  

The solution is springs. Thanks.

More to discover