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Springs under turntable

I picked up a set of springs for $35 on Amazon. I intended to use them under a preamp but one thing led to another and I tried them under the turntable. Now, this is no mean feat. It’s a Garrard 401 in a 60pound 50mm slate plinth. The spring device is interesting. It’s sold under the Nobsound brand and is made up of two 45mm wide solid billets of aluminum endcaps with recesses to fit up to seven small springs. It’s very well made. You can add or remove springs depending on the weight distribution. I had to do this with a level and it only took a few minutes. They look good. I did not fit them for floor isolation as I have concrete. I played a few tracks before fitting, and played the same tracks after fitting. Improvement in bass definition, speed, air, inner detail, more space around instruments, nicer timbre and color. Pleasant surprise for little money.
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noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,470 posts
 
Forgetting isolation from footfalls for the moment and concentrating on SQ and detail retrieval.
WHAT is going on?!
After a very short listen yesterday, I've given this an hour or so and played a few favs. Zappa, Watermelon and Green Rosetta. Cohen, LYM, CH and FBR. Fairport C. My Girl, Wooden Wand DS.
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noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,470 posts
 
@bdp24 I've always found you can hear rubber and soggy damping. I've always been a cones and rigidity man. These springs are very interesting. 
noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,470 posts
 
Chuck, added bunch of springs under the phono. Info overload!!
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,222 posts
 
Goners know I am a big fan of suspended turntables. I will never own anything else. There are two big issues. First, the resonance frequency has to be below 3 Hz both vertical and horizontal. If you get to close to the tonearm’s resonance frequency fun things will happen. Next, a mass placed on top of a spring is unstable. Not only will it bounce vertically but it will wobble side to side and if the mass is large enough it will fall right over. This tends to be the case when you get the resonance frequency low where it should be. When you hang a mass from a spring the pull of gravity always returns the mass to vertical, a much more stable situation. So, the best way to do this is too hang a platform from three or four springs and place the turntable on the platform. Or, you could buy a MinusK platform or you could buy a SOTA, SME or Dohmann turntable. Isolation is critical for turntables and a properly sprung turntable is much quieter and impervious to almost anything. You should be able to hammer on or kick your equipment stand and not hear a thing. All of the above tables will do this and if you are clever you can get the same results. You can dampen the springs by inserting foam rubber into them.
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