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Help! Tweaking My Lovan Rack for new Big A**ed Transrotor Turntable!

Folks, some input would be mighty appreciated.

I’ve been using a hand-me-down (though very nice!) Micro Seiki dd-40 turntable for a number of years and finally got the upgrade itch (it helps the upgrade itch when your cartridge is going on 30 years old, and sounding like it!).

I went down the rabbit hole and picked up a Transrotor Fat Bob S turntable, with an Acoustic Solid 12" arm and a Benz Micro Ebony cartridge. All with only about 30 hours of use at a great price. Yay!

Though I have considered getting rid of my old Lovan Classic rack for a new custom jobby, I’m pretty much spent out and I think I’ll have to make do for now, working with the Lovan.

The Fat Bob turntable is 55 lbs of solid aluminum and built like Thor’s hammer.

I figure this will finally get me to fill my Lovan stands for a bit more rigidity - probably with rice. The stand is the old 3 legged triangular shaped bass, which means the thin MDF shelves can feel like they sit sort of precariously on top. But the stand itself feels quite solid.

I want to incorporate a wood platform base, as many do, because I really love the look of a nice wood slab.

At first I thought maybe I’d have 3 spikes drilled in to the bottom corners of the wood base to directly couple it to the rest of the Lovan frame, vs resting it on the top mdf shelf. But I’m not sure that’s really necessary. And I’d like to incorporate some isolation as well, I think. So I’m thinking of just laying it on the top shelf, with something in between.

My first thought is to place a Symposium Segue shelf between the top of the Lovan shelf and the wood base.

Other than that...I’m flummoxed as to all the other choices...roller blocks? Symposium Fat Padz? Vibrapods? Herbie’s Tendersoft footers? Voo-Doo Isopods?  What should I put between the wood platform base and my Lovan shelf?

Any comments of suggestions on the direction I’m going?

Thanks!

(BTW, I’m an resolutely NOT a DIY/Handy-man type, so I’m not trying to go to heroic efforts, wishing this to be as painless as possible).
prof
prof OP
3,529 posts
 
Thanks for the input, folks.

I've read that loading sand is more finicky than rice into the Lovan, especially insofar as the Lovan pipes don't have a really tight seal and something as fine as sand spills out unless you go to further lengths to seal them up.

The Townshend Seismic Pods actually look just the ticket!  They look like they'd provide the type of isolation I'm wanting (for now) and they are adjustable which would help with leveling the platform.  Only problem is I can't find dimensions for the things ANYWHERE.  Including on the manufacturer's site.  How can a manufacturer not include such obviously relevant information as the dimensions of a product that people are going to try and fit under various types of shelves and equipment????
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,248 posts
 
Right, prof?! I wanted to find out how tall the Seismic Pods are, and neither the U.S. Townshend distributor nor any Townshend retailer could tell me. Lame! I just bought a used pair here on Audiogon---when they get to me I’ll post the Pods’ dimensions.
prof OP
3,529 posts
 
bdp24,

Oh, so YOU bought those used ones!  In my research I saw that add.

I did find someone who owned them, answering a question about their dimensions.  He said of the height:  between 65mm, and when fully compressed 40mm.

That should work for me.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,248 posts
 
Ha prof, beat ya to 'em! The set I got are rated for 8lbs. apiece, so I can try them under both my tube phono and line amps, and Townshend Rock table. If they're as good as they're supposed to be, I'll get some more---a set for the SACD player and tube pre's, at least. Sources first, then tube amplification. Some people have found them to be most beneficial under speakers, but that can get expensive if you have subs. New, a set of Pods is about $375, for it runs about $1500 for speakers and subs. I'm one quarter Irish, so you know how I feel about that ;-).
prof OP
3,529 posts
 

Good for you!  I'd need the higher rated ones anyway as they'll carry somewhere around 84 pounds above them.

I don't bother placing anything under the rest of my sources these days, so a one time expenditure for under the turntable (as I find it more plausible a turntable will actually benefit from a proper surface), is fine with me.
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