New Maplenoll Ariadne owner needing advice

piedpiper: sorry it took me so long to get back to you, the pump is actually a rena air 400. It is made in France by Rena (aquarium pharmaceuticals) and I got it at Petsmart. It is the largest one this company makes. Unfortunately it does not have a spec sheet like an air compressor. I do know it puts up about 5 psig using both of the air nozzles and i have approx 300 ft of tubing run to the platter. Remember I also have the lighter platter and not the signature like you have so I do not know if 5 psig will be enough. but its cheap (60 bucks) and it works like a charm. Its designed to run continously so it should be pretty reliable. I have used it for over 1 year with no issues. It also allows me to use my junair compressor for the arm at the higher pressure. I do not know the flowrate but again it works fine with my platter. Sorry i could not be more specific with the specs. I know the pressure because i have a pressure gauge on the airline going to the platter

Thanks Oilman.

A better web site for the air filter/regulator unit, item 01118, is www.harborfreight.com

Threaders: I have been re-reading many of the 'Noll articles and an interviews with folks associated with air bearing tonearms and tables. Somewhere between page 1 of the re-read and today my "big picture" view of Ariadne's changed . The use of a stethoscope push me over the edge. The conclusion : These tables are noisey just like So-an-So argued. Why ? For its all in the micro-world; the noise of the motor, the sound of air pulsations ... you can't deny what a "stet" sends to your ears.

Certianly, the air bearings help but these tables just breathe way to much. Whats funny is the air-control system I built is pretty much dead quite @ 46 PSI. So, whats up ?

Perhaps,an answer is between the Web postings that claim the Athena's got it so right they just blew the Ari's away in the sound department ... Thats when a few things clicked. Could it be that those Ari's noises are associated with audio reflections related to the coupling to , or the interface of one sub-unit/part to another? The Ari's has hard surfaces, not lead or wood via The Athena . Its a fact ... All Ariadne's are covered in a hard surface that stuff sits on or is attached to or bolted together.

In conclusion, the Ari's are micro-noise machines in need of good isolation/damping. Noth'in new here. Piedpiper mused on that somewhat in the past. But, I now view the problem as significant enought (regardless of whats been already done)to warrant a re-build.

Before going any further, I want to return to the Air Control System. Its nearly dead silent so why is the table so noisey ? One guess (besides removing the motor)are the SOTA damping materals used in re-attaching the pliniums , tubes , regulators and air control units together , the table is actually void of that stuff. The other issue is the Ari has too many inherient clunks when one taps on the table. For example, the metal spacers that hold the air manifold in place are hollow an' noisey when tapped with a fingernail. The "Stet" send that clunk right to your ears. Why not replace them with 1+" wooden dowels w/drilled out centers enought for the bolts to pass thru , a thin coating of dampining goo painted top an bottom of the dowels ,as well as, the inserted bolts painted w/ goo as well. Or, just fill the open metal rings with dampining goo?

Now I'm facing a real challenge. Sometime soon I'll put into practice what which I feel will bring my 'Noll to new musical heights . Any new ideas appreciated. 'Nollers stay tuned.

Thanks Crem. Keep fighting the good fight. I'll be thinking about it as well. My guess is that there are too many conflicting theories to rely on any one for your direction so intuition and experimentation are likely to pay off better; and the proof is in the music, not in the tapping. Remember that evacuation of resonances can be more important than damping, at least in certain places. Determining which are which and how to best implement will be key. Removing the motor is big, and I still want to build a separate plinth for the arm as well. Good luck.