Exotic turntables. Eye candy

Very cool pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Very nice!

Genesis

BTW the SP10 MK2 can be a very nice sounding table. What are you going to use as a plinth? Pls let me know how you like the sound.

One of the guys in my audio group is a fine furniture builder by trade. He and I came up with a design based on all the plinths we could find on line. Seems the consensus is the Technics needs a very heavy plinth and most favor Baltic Birch plywood.

Mine will be constructed from Baltic Birch layers plus one layer of military damper compound we found locally. The original use was for US Navy and it's job is damping. Also adding a layer of aluminum and next to lowest Birch sheet will be routed with a pin router and filled with lead damped with polyester.

The whole plinth will then be wrapped with Wenge, a very dense black African hardwood.

http://www.woodworkerssource.net/Merchant3/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=WS&Category_Code=Wenge

I will likely start another project thread to show it's progress, just as I have with my system, the Lenco project and the Ampex 351 project.

Right now I'm waiting on the SME arm I have on order and deciding on cartridge.

Albert, Yes, you're right. The SP10 needs a dense and heavy wooden plinth. Baltic birch or maple ply/layers are definitely best suited for the job. Yes, I have seen the Wenge in a wood mill and it is a very nice wood. Somehow, wood adds a nice harmonic texture to the music. I now have my eyes on a piece of cocobolo for my armboards.

Please let us on Audiogon know how your project goes.

Oregon, your Lenco looks cool! How does it sound?

Cheers to everyone!

Albert and Genesis:
I have a couple of questions regarding SP-10 plinths. I have been doing research prior to building a plinth for my SP-10 Mk2A.

My first question is why would a SP-10 need a dense and heavy (massive) wooden plinth? So far as I know, it is very smooth in operation (particularly with the brake removed) compared to rim drive tables which could benefit from mass. I've seen photos of studio SP-10s mounted in metal frames which don't appear to be all that massive, although those may not have offered optimal performance. Is everyone simply copying the idea from the Obsidian plinths offered by Technics?

Second, most information on plinth building comes from the Home Depot TT series where CLD is strongly recommended. But on the DirectDrive site an all Birch ply construction is favored (they don't discuss CLD options). Can either of you comment on benefits or negatives about including 2-3 layers of MDF in a CLD Birch ply sandwich? This assumes that mass is indeed beneficial.

Thanx for any input.