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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
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,923 posts
 
asahitoro, even if you go with maple or butcher block, consider getting two pieces and placing a thin sheet of constrained layer damping of your choice between them. That will mitigate the resonance found in all materials, including wood. Actually, especially wood---that's why they make drums and guitars out of it! Another thing to do is put the grain of the wood in the two pieces 90 degrees opposed to each other; one with the grain front-to-back, the other side-to-side. That will increase the stiffness of the assembled shelf.
asahitoro OP
244 posts
 
Thanks again,

I'm not trying to be cheap but I only have $275 into the turntable so I don't want to over do it. I'm sure there's point of diminishing gains for the the Pro-Ject and what it's capable of.  I'm thinking $100 max on this platform.  I can get a 3" BBA maple block for under that. I already have spikes and it comes with 4 'Anti Vibration Pads' to try as well. I can get a 1.75" thick piece of walnut from them for the same as a 3" piece of maple. Stick with 3" of maple?
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,923 posts
 
A sheet of 3/4"/19mm 13-ply Baltic Birch plywood (it is available in both 4’ x 6’ and 5’ x 5’ sheets) will cost you only $50 or so. Cut two pieces to size and glue them together. MUCH stiffer that the twice-as-thick 3" thick piece of maple, and more non-resonant. While some people like the sonic signature of Maple, remember, it is stiffness and a lack of a sonic signature we want in a support platform, not a pleasing coloration. IMO, of course.
asahitoro OP
244 posts
 
I’m setting up a turntable in another room and am going to get another block. How important is the thickness and wood type given my choices at the same basic price point? I can get a 1.5"-1.75" thick piece of end cut walnut for the same as a 3" end cut piece of maple. I’ll be putting Herbie’s grungebuster Dots underneath.

Thanks.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,923 posts
 
As maple and walnut are the same density, the thicker maple is better value and at twice the thickness, more effective at damping etc.
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