New TT ideas please

"Luck Brand" no. His name is "Dollar Brand."

Sorry, that was a mis-type. I might have even put Lucky Strike in the state I was in this am... Thanks

Pauly,

Sorry for not explaining the Newton reference in my usual mind-numbing detail. Still, let's keep Michael Moore out of this. I don't know what kind of tables he likes and you probably don't either.

The problem I've noticed with suspended tables (again, not including the more expensive ones, which I haven't heard) had nothing to do with floor- or air-borne vibrations. It resulted from the suspension allowing plinth movements in reaction to cantilever excursions and arm movements. This sapped energy from the cartridge, slewed and slowed transients, muddied bass, etc. Sorry, but that's what I've heard. More than once.

Just yesterday I received this email from a friend who just received one of Thom's tables (switching from an Oracle, actually):

Toms bang more. Kick drums hold their decay but the low end and transient response is lightning fast especially for such a massive table.

I chuckled at that last, since it is the precisely his new table's mass and stability which give his arm a stable platform, which allows the cartridge to perform better.

Hatari,

I have a friend with a Clearaudio Master Ref (I think, the one with three motors and three rubber belts). He replaced all three with one Teres motor and one non-stretchy belt, and reported better pace and cleaner, faster transients.

Acrylic? Any stucture (platter, plinth, whatever) made from a single, homogenous material is going to resonate more than an identical structure made of a mix of different materials. Materials boundaries break up and reflect energies, so more materials can result in more energy dissipation. Different materials also absorb and release energies at different frequencies. With proper implementation all the above is to the good, since it will lower the noise floor of the table. Acrylic is used because it's easy to machine and relatively cheap - and many people like its looks. Teres used to offer all-acrylic plinths and platters. They stopped because they couldn't get the performance they were seeking.

The only weakness I can think of in a Redpoint (which I haven't heard) is that floating arm pod. Puts you at risk of unintended and possibly major cartridge realignments, possibly without noticing. ;-) If you can deal with that, I'd say give one a listen. Having a dealer near is a huge benefit, better than all the internet chats in the world!

Best,
Doug

Hatari,
Dougdeacon has hit- what I'm talking about- on the head. The Lenco is a fabulous machine in every respect to timber, rhythm, pace, tapping your feet, lovely clear highs, seperation of instruments, nuance of voice and feeling. It seems to do evrything right.
The Lenco platter is 8 pounds of machined aluminum, and, as opposed to belt drives, is engaged when an idler wheel comes in contact with it and a spindle which is spinning at a high torque provided by the small, powerful Swiss motor. Vibration of this motor should be absorbed ny tthe plinth design and materials.
Dougdeacon has the words to articulate what it is that makes this table a WORLD CLASS player, when properly plinthed and armed. Your Koetsu just might fall in love.

Doug,
I am sorry I cannot agree with your assesment of suspended tables. Basis units will give you plenty of slam and low end. I have also found them to be quick, nimble and very natural sounding. I have owned both fixed and suspended and the Basis has ended up being the best. I think maybe it might be the bearing on the table and the arm.