Turntable Isolation

My wood floors, over a crawl space, are springy: as the last measure, I put these under my JVC TT 's adjustable feet, solves it enough for me to get far enough away before the music starts: vibration no longer an issue. There will be no dancing in front of the TT!.

I ended up wrapping my edges with black tape, don't even notice them

Thank you

What's your budget?  The Minus K (or similar) is probably the best isolation device to prevent footfalls from affecting play.  The cheaper options are hit and miss as a lot depends on the your rack, listening area etc.  More info at minusk.com

Suspended floors are a different thing from a cement floor. Turntables with outstanding isolation are still subject to problems from footfalls on a suspended floor. For a nearly hundred years the answer is wall mounted shelves. They are made to get the turntable off the trampoline (floor)

Budget < 1000

As a cheap method, and one that served other quite well, as means to avoid the impact on the Vinyl Source, where footfall is a Problem.

A Wall shelf can offer a lot, without too much hassle to mount it and still able to utilise additional footers to further tidy things up. 

I cant do a wall shelf.

Maybe not a conventional design Wall Shelf. 

I'm sure a Shelf can be added but might need to be a suspended platform?? 

Reach out to Norm Varney @ AV Roomservice. His EVPs are reasonable and well regarded. I use them under my subs and they are very, very effective. They’ll work under components as well. At least check them out.

This cured my source of noise/vibration

LInk To ZaZen

I live in a 100 year old home & always a problem with footfall.  I installed Granite wall brackets I purchased from Amazon & a custom Corian shelf to support my GAE.

Another vote for Ginko Cloud. 

When Idler Drive Damping become a buzz topic, Squash Balls and Half Squash Balls become a regular used footer, as well as a concealed part in some of the Commercial available Plinths.

What was learned as time went on, was that a spent of its energy Squash Ball was for many DIYers chosen as the better option, it is worthwhile visiting a local squash court and seeing if a batch of spent balls can be picked up.

These can be used as a comparison to a new squash ball, and will again be a much cheaper option that going immediately for something like the Ginko Cloud, which is seemingly using a version of a method that had popularity in the 90's and 00's.

Townshend Isolation platform. You will not find anything better. 

I bought a 2 1/4" thick, Maple cutting board from Market place for 60 dollars. I then bought rubber feet for it from home depot. The pucks you put under furniture.  I think they were under 10 dollars. It reduced my problem significantly.  Good luck!

"Townshend Isolation platform. You will not find anything better." Yep!

I have the same issue, and haven't yet, but will be getting a pangea wall mount for about 200.00. From what I've read it fixes the problem. 

I’m thinking of going with the Townsend

Isonoe feet. They're like a 4x4 offroad suspension for your turntable. Isonoe feet

I have a Townsend under my Sota and nothing can make it skip.  Expensive solution though.

@travisg: If you go with the Townshend, know that a set of 4 Seismic Pods is much cheaper than the Seismic Platform. Place the Pods under a shelf of your choosing (Baltic Birch plywood makes a great shelf) to save some $. 

+1 elliottbnewcombjr

These rubber/cork/rubber sandwiches come in at least 2 sizes.  I use the large ones under my VPI Classic II, which rests on a record cabinet.  Very happy with results.  I have never wanted for more...

Do remember, all that are offering a suggestion of useful footer types, that a 1000 Budget is Burning a Hole in a Pocket

Magnetic levitation is the way to go.  Not that difficult to setup nowadays; the new ultra strong magnets are not that expensive. 

Then just a couple steel plates and you are in business.  A little foam or something on the sides to keep the suspension aligned...  Abso;ute 100% isolation.

if you have a little Japanese garden, a sandbox, and put the TT in the middle of it, would that solve all the vibration issues?

@grislybutter I believe that method lets only Good Vibrations through....though you have to do the concentric circles with a tiny rake in the right direction.

I second that Townshend isolation platform is probably the best I have the Townshend podiums underneath my speakers and it was like I had upgraded to more expensive electronics the improvement was unbelievable.

@dogberry so if I stay outside of the box, and I let Brian Wilson do the raking, I should be good?

Ordered a Townshend platform. Got a good price on the largest size. 

Another thumbs up for the Townshend platforms. The Symposium Segue ISO shelf was the one that finally eliminated footfall issues for my Xerxes tt and eventually led me to Townshend. My next purchase was the Townshend  Podiums for my speakers and was such a revelation. Now also have their Platform under the cdp. I think you will be amazed by the isolation for your table. 

I had the same issue with a turntable in the bedroom. Putting a record on a walking around would make it skip.not the mention the impact on the sound quality too. After trying many things I bought a couple of heavy duty brackets online and 20 sq inch by 1.5 inch plywood board to make my own bracket. This thing can handle about 75 lbs. much better than the so many commercial brackets I reviewed. Works a charm even when I dance to rock music now! Now I have also added isopucks to the bottom of the table; however I don’t think they are adding much more to what I already had with the wall mounted brackets.

There are only two platforms that will work reliably, the MinusK and the Vibraplane. This assumes that your equipment rack or cabinet is laterally stable. Movement straight up and down is easy for the tonearm to handle. Lateral or sideways deflections are always a serious problem. When you walk on your floor it does not deflect straight up and down. It forms an arc which causes the rack or cabinet to sway. No turntable, not even a good suspended one can handle that. With a bad floor the first thing you do is keep the rack as short as possible like coffee table height. This decreases the distance the top of the rack will sway. Wall racks usually help but you say that is out of the question. Your budget puts the MinusK and Vibraplane out of the running. The turntables best able to handle a bad floor will be the Basis Inspiration, the SMEs and the suspended Sotas. You are more than likely wasting your money with the Townsend. I think you should probably get the turntable closer to the floor and make sure the rack is very sturdy without any tendency to rack. After that start saving for a good suspended turntable, The Sota Sapphire comes to mind. The reason the above turntables are best is because the chassis is suspended by the springs. This is a way more stable situation than the chassis sitting on the springs which can actually make the problem worse. I have seen the Sapphire successfully quell some pretty severe footfall problems. This is also another good reason to avoid longer tonearms. In the meanwhile I would practice your tip toeing. I forgot about one solution, suspending the turntable from the ceiling. You hang a shelf from the ceiling via 4 chains, 3 with turnbuckles for level adjustment. The holes for hooks in the ceiling can be easily patched. This is also an extremely cost effective solution. Chains, hooks, shelves and elbow grease might cost you a whopping $50.00. This also assumes there is nobody walking around upstairs. 

Or build a plywood box at least 6 inches deep and wide enough and long enough to accommodate your TT with a few inches to spare on all 4 sides. Then fill it with beach sand. Then sit your TT on a slab of wood, any wood, that is resting on the surface of the sand. If that doesn’t kill your problem, put springs under the sandbox.

Thx for all the recommendations. The Townsend will be here Monday. 

Magnetic levitation is the way to go. Not that difficult to setup nowadays; the new ultra strong magnets are not that expensive.

Then just a couple steel plates and you are in business. A little foam or something on the sides to keep the suspension aligned... Abso;ute 100% isolation.

that isn’t correct. First of all, your design means there is some physical contact between the plates, if not the top goes shooting off to the side.

The other thing is it is not a magic carpet suspended in air. There is a force from the lower magnets pushing up on the ones on the top plate. Shake the bottom and the top reacts. It is NOT 100% isolation. it may be damped, but it is absolutely not 100% isolated.

and lastly, there is the question of leveling it. If the load on top is not symmetrical it will tilt. Not good for a turntable.

Solid Tech - feet of silence will solve your problems- worth every penny!

@polkalover I am a advocate of Solid Tech 'Feet of Silence'.

I have these as footers that superseded all others used on a particular weight of TT. Those who I have loaned these to but wished for a little more weight to be supported have fabricated their own suspension platforms based on the design/SME Design.

I have heard these DIY Version in use against the users previous footers and their DIY Types of suspension platforms, and am totally convinced that everything the   ' 'Feet of Silence'  can create as a sonic improvement/attraction is present. .

If a Densified Wood was used as the Platform I am certain these DIY versions will have been a further improved design.  

If your problem is a floor that moves when you walk, get yourself a turntable wall-mount.  Because you have a VPI Signature 21, I'd recommend going to a local shop that does metal fabrication and have one made for you.  Those VPI tables are very heavy.  

You'll need to get a handyman to attach it to your wall with lag screws into studs.  This will need to be an extremely sturdy platform due to the weight of your table.  Keeping in mind that this is a $10k table with a cartridge to match, spending a few hundred bucks shouldn't be a big deal.  You want to get this right.

A wall mount completely isolates you from anything your floor is doing.

Going a bit further than what @elliottbnewcombjr recommended, you can go with Mapleshade’s complete vibration control system.  A bit much visually, but I have found it to be effective, both in protecting from footfalls and cleaning up the treble at higher listening volumes.  Also considerably cheaper than the Townshend or some other solutions.

https://shop.mapleshadestore.com/Vibration-Control-Systems_c_23.html

kn

My gear sits out in the middle of my room, no walls around it. 

Travisg,

You will enjoy the Townsend.  I have a bunch of those cork/rubber blocks.  They are OK...but in a different league.  And I also have the maglev platter on my table and it's all on a Salamander rack.  A bit of overkill.

Happy Listening

@elevick have you tried Mapleshade’s complete vibration control system with the wooden platform and the brass footers along with the cork/rubber blocks?  I am not suggesting that the blocks alone are adequate.  Not that a VPI table really needs more mass, but the wood platform adds significant mass in between the blocks and turntable feet/brass footers that helps reduce vibration coming from both the table and from the floor/room.  It is also both less expensive and less elegant than the Townshend platform, which is within the OP’s budget.  But some folks may like the quaint funkiness of the Mapleshade design.

kn

So the Townshend platform did not solve the footfall issue. Back to square one  

I hate to say I told you so. Sorry about that. I guess I did not comment until after you had ordered the Townsend. All those feet thingies are also garbage. To properly isolate a turntable the suspension needs to be tuned below 3 hz, three bounces every second. That is so slow you can count it. 

Try this experiment. Put the turntable on the floor. If the footfall problem improves at all a shorter more stable rack will also improve the problem. Then down the line you can either replace the floor or get a Sota Sapphire, Nova or Cosmos. Easy choice I think. Hanging the turntable is another viable solution. People laugh at it, but it will reliable vanquish the footfall problem. All you need is a drill and a ladder. Get a big butcher block carving board, 8 hooks, chains and turnbuckles. 

Knownothing, I haven't played with the Mapleshade system.  I'm sure it's in the same price realm as a Townsend but a lot bulkier and way flashier looking.  Those cork & rubber blocks are ok but most of mine sit unused.

Mijostyn-Hanging a table, really?  Swinging in the wind...  You would love my Sota, bring a bowling ball and pins.  See if you can get it to skip.  I dare you.

Similar issues in my home. I had a VPI Classic 2. The footfall issues weren’t as pronounced as most other tables I tried, but still there. I now have a Sota Sapphire and zero footfall issues.

My Technics SL-1200 MK2 is also a champ at ignoring footfalls after upgrading the feet with Mnpctech feet. You might look into one of the newer Technics models.

Townshend does not solve the footfall problem, but eliminated vibrations and improved the sound incredibly. To solve the footfall problem (which interestingly enough, the Townshend platform created due to some wave interference), I had to put the table (which is very light, a Rega P8) on a wall mounted shelf as Max Townshend told me I would have to. RIP - he was a great guy to talk to, kind of like a mad scientist who said you can have worse sound with no footfalls or tip toe with his platform, or put his platform on top of a wall shelf for the best of everything. If you can't do a wall shelf, you're stuck with tiptoeing or buying a more expensive table, or putting up with it (not a great option). 

That's why Rega sells a wall shelf BTW. I got the project one which was way less expensive.

@elevick I used an original Sapphire for 40 years and a Cosmos now. I am well familiar with the stability of these turntables. The hammer demonstration always amazes people. 

Hanging the turntable works great as long as the ceiling does not double as the upstairs floor. If the shelf and turntable are heavy enough it is much harder to get it swinging. If you have a good arm swinging will not bother it at all, it might make you dizzy. 

It seems we have a bunch of Sota users here. Some of us know a good turntable when we see one:-)