New Maplenoll Ariadne owner needing advice

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.

Thanks for the advice : I agree "the proof is in the music,not in tapping". Be assured I shall experiment as to which resonances need to be evacuated and those that can be damped, as well as, those better left alone.

The areas I intend to focus upon are: The manifold & supports,the addition of a micro thin perforated interface between the top bearing plate and the lead platter , a small micro-fine mesh screen insert that covers but not obstructs the offset air induction-hole built into the inside the bottom plate; the use of high temperature-solvent resistant thread dampener rather than super gluing some parts/screws , the isolation of motor resonances using soft gel compounds ; a removable insert that slides into the 7" tonearm that can be adjusted as to length & will not alter arm's mass while reducing resonance and lastly using metal tape to block potential RFI exposure where the RCA jacks had once exited out the Table.

When I determine if any of these ideas work I shall post the results. Any and all ideas appreciated.

Another tweak that Bob Dilger told me about way back when is to turn a piece of balsa wood so to fit snugly inside the air bearing tube to dampen resonances there. One could do the same for the arm tube itself. I never did either. Another is to put all connections, splitters, valves, plenums, filters, etc, upstream of the bulk of the air tubing so that air turbulence resonances are smoothed out by the time they reach the arm. The platter is not so sensitive to this. I'm sure we can do much better than the stock Hurst motor, not to mention adding electronics to minimize resonances.