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Minus k Technology BM-8 Isolation Platform

Just wondering if anyone out there is using one of these to isolate their turntable. It is a passive design using what the company calls negative stiffness isolators.  Very clever design. You really have to see a picture of the isolator    https://www.minusk.com/products/bm8-vibration-isolation-platforms-bench-tops-isolators.html
It looks to me given the specification that you could isolate any turntable with one of these as well if not better than SME, Basis and SOTA  do with their designs. It is not much to look at and at $3000 it is not exactly cheap but it would be a miracle for someone with foot fall and feed back problems. I personally think equipment racks are unattractive and will not have one in my living room. My equipment is hidden in an antique armoire. I'm thinking about replacing my old suspended turntable with a new one and this platform would give me a lot more flexibility and choice.  Just wondering if they really work👩‍🦳
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looscannon
lewm
13,325 posts
 
In my opinion, minus K or the Vibraplane are superior to any of the built in suspensions in the turntables that you named. But realize that you should not use an independently suspended turntable with an outboard suspension system like the minus K or the Vibraplane. If you do that, antagonistic effects can be had. You need to use an unsuspended turntable with a minus K or Vibraplane.
rsf507
2,350 posts
 
The Vibraplane uses slip plate technology as well as air bladders per the manufacturer.
mikelavigne
2,200 posts
 
the big issues with a Minus K for a turntable are;

(1) the turntable design needs to have it’s weight evenly distributed on the footers.....so it can be centered. some turntables have more weight to the back for instance. it needs balance to ’float’ and decouple.

(2) the floor needs to be solid below the rack. if it’s moving around then you cannot stabilize the Minus K and it will be ’nervous’....reducing the performance.

a vibra-plane, or even better a Stacore, can work with a floor not solid. they are passive air bladder type devices and while not as effective as a Minus K, are not as needy for stability.
varyat's avatar
varyat
145 posts
 
Or you can do what Mark Dohmann has done with his turntables and actually engineer the table around a Minus K suspension.....
spiritofmusic
828 posts
 
Mike, you're right in your observations. My rim drive tt is asymmetrically loaded, and in my short, frustrating trial with it, I absolutely struggled to sort this. Additionally I needed to mass load the MK to get close to it's limit, and of the three slabs I used, I could "hear" them clearly. 
No go for me.
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