2. analog
  3. 169836-93252

Ok, what just happened? My turntable journey...thus far.

My experience with analog has not been especially gratifying.That is until now....

Last year I decided to spend what I thought was a good amount of money on a decent turn table, a Technics SL1210GR. It came with a Denon DL110 cartridge and I had a purchased a Consonance PM6 phono stage from a local dealer.

When I compared the sound to my digital front end I always thought the digital sounded vastly superior. Those ticks, pops, and surface noise would really ruin the experience of listening to music--for me.

Then I posted this thread: "How much difference does a phono preamp really make?"

It generated some good discussion and and I received some really good feedback. Based on that information, I decided to upgrade the Denon cart to a Audio Technica VM760SLC and the Consonance phono pre to a Herron VTPH-1. This was a significant upgrade in terms of sound quality but those dang ticks and pops!!! Still there. Still annoying.

For those wondering, I do have a RCM and am pretty meticulous about vinyl hygiene.

I was looking at my system today and I noticed I had those rubber/ cork anti-vibration pads under every component, EXCEPT my turntable. I have the larger 3" x 3" pads. They seem to be a little more squishy/ compressible than the smaller ones.

I decided to throw these underneath the stock feet of the Technics.

WOW....

None of the changes I made to my system have had a greater impact than throwing these pads under my TT. Not upgrading the cart, the phono stage, the mat from stock to Herbie’s. Nothing.

It greatly improved the sound quality, the separation between instruments, presented a blacker background. And I don’t know why, but it even greatly reduced the surface noise -- and the tick and pops seemed a lot less noticeable. I even threw on a 2-eye Columbia pressing of Miles’ "Nefertiti" from the 60’s that I knew was not the quietest, and it was VERY listenable.

Can anyone explain what is happening here?

I’m starting to think Millercarbon may be on to something regarding TT isolation via Townsend pods/ Nobsound springs! I may give the latter a try for 30 bucks. Who knows I may even buy some of that tape he was talking about!

This certainly can be a crazy - yet rewarding - hobby we have here.
Thanks for listening....
Joe

128x128audionoobie
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Isonoe is direct replacement of the stock Technics feet, it was originally designed for professional use (where the sound pressure and vibration are very high near the big sound system) and adopted by audiophiles, it was more efficient on OLD Technics SL1210 mk2 series (notorious for bass feedback problem in the clubs), actually NEW Technics GAE, G, GR series have an improved stock feet.

If you need a spring for Technics then do yourself a favor and use Isonoe (here is the manual). It’s a high quality product from the UK that does not look cheap on Technics.

I hope you understand that some of the most active posters about spring suspension on this forum and in this topic Do NOT have any Technics turntables, never tried them (or tried some basic models over 30 years ago). They use lightweight belt drives!

You will find various Technics turntables in my virtual system, including SP-10 mkII and my old upgraded SL1210 mkII which I have since 1995, with Isonoe feet since 2011.

P.S. Nobody uses springs under reference Technics DD such as SP-10R, SP-10 mk3 and SP-10 mk2. People use them in a massive plinths (no springs, never).





audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie OP
367 posts
 
Thanks Chakster. Beautiful photos of your systems.
lewm
13,208 posts
 
Also keep in mind what Atmasphere has written many times about the potential role of the phono stage in enhancing ticks and pops. I think the phenomenon he describes is very underrated as a cause. I own very large heavy turn tables that are isolated by feet that do not pass mechanical energy efficiently but never by springs or any sorbothane. I also feed the output of the turntables to any one of three high gain phono stages. I rarely if ever hear a tick or a pop, only on my most marginal and worn out LPs. In fact, ticks and pops rarely if ever have anything to do with footers or the method of suspension. They usually arise at the LP surface, enhanced by the electromechanical interaction of the cartridge with the phono, resulting in resonance at the frequencies of ticks and pops.
artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,986 posts
 
Source equipment always benefits from good footers. It is especially important for turntables. Id say that you need to address the stand upon which the TT sits also. Vibration is the enemy for all the system but especially source equipment.
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie OP
367 posts
 
@artemus_5  I never realized that until now. I have one of those Pangea Vulcan racks from Audio Advisor. 
More to discover