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Home grown turntable platform/base?

I picked up a used Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable for the family room. We are not big into vinyl, mostly listen to digital, but my 16yo daughter has shown an interest in getting some records. I’m getting excited about her interest in vinyl and audio. What is a good platform material to use? Wood? Granite? Should I add sorbothane and/or spikes underneath? I’m not looking to spend a lot but feel I should have some decent isolation for it. The turntable currently sits on a hollow shelf. It’s where it has to be so I need to make this work.

Thanks for any input.
asahitoro
noromance's avatar
noromance
10,012 posts
 
Footfalls are when footsteps cause the suspended floor to transmit vibration to the turntable. It can be pretty bad causing skips or thumping. I’d recommend a 3/4 to 1 inch thick block of granite (not marble and not tiles) on spikes or cones or springs or ball bearings as above. It will tighten the bass and make the music sound cleaner and faster. You can try a sheet of 22ply under or instead too and compare.
asahitoro OP
244 posts
 
Thanks noromance,

I don’t see me having a footfall problem as the main floor we walk on is concrete. This is a raised shelf/ledge that was built into the wall when the house was built. So go spikes over the Herbie’s Tenderfoots? I could get a hold of a piece of granite like that but would it be too heavy for the Tenderfoots with the turntable anyway?
noromance's avatar
noromance
10,012 posts
 
@asahitoro Good. I have concrete too. The thing to remember is that, as a basic rule, the harder and less compliant the support, the faster, more dynamic and more detailed the sound becomes. However, you can swing it too far and make the sound a little, um, sterile. Marble and glass can do that. Soft woods go the other direction with the sound becoming softer. It seems ridiculous but it is true. Some argue that low frequency resonances need to be attenuated using damping but, to be honest, I have not found it to be a big deal. Hollow shelves or cabinets are a no-no. Try a 16"18" piece of granite from a fabricator. Stand the granite on 3 points - brass, or something. Ensure all is level. Let us know what you end up doing.
asahitoro OP
244 posts
 
Awesome advice @noromance. Thanks again to you and everyone else. I'll post what I end up with.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
+1 on thick butcher block. Even better, Mapleshade makes some great thick solid maple plinths.
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