Turntable on a $5k budget?

Everything I've read so far leads me to believe that suspended tables are more forgiving of vibrations in the room. Is that not so? Like I said, my floor is not a concrete slab. Now I am confused.

It all depends on the design solution for each approach, the suspended design and the high-mass non-suspended design.

Turntables from Avid, Basis Audio, Michell, etc. have efficient design principle/implementation and floor vibration should not pose a big problem for their designs. That means that you probably don't need to invest on a platform to go under the table, although my experience with suspended turntables is that a well designed platform always helps.

In a high-mass design, vibrations are mostly absorbed by the mass itself. This doesn't mean that all high-mass turntables are good at deadening resonance. The materials and their dampening characteristics have to be carefully chosen.

I personally don't feel confident saying that high-mass non-suspended designs are better with vibrations than suspended ones, or viceversa. It will always depend on the particular design.

I had a suspended turntable a few years ago, which I always felt it was lite in the bass area. I changed my whole analogue rig for a high-mass non-suspended turntable and I'm getting great bass, mid-range and highs, all with great stability. But because I changed the entire setup, including tonearm, cartridge and phono preamp all at once, I cannot say for sure that the suspended turntable alone was responsible for the lite bass.

There are great turntables on either side of gamut, so you should look at all the features that a particular turntable has to offer. IMO, speed stability is extremely important, so I recommend you look at a turntable that has a motor controller with speed adjustments.

Best,

iSanchez

Flyski, that is why I responded. Not wanting to get into a discussion of the merits of design but my experience has been that my suspended table was very prone to vibrations. As an aside, as a modification for said table when I removed the springs entirely not only did it sound better but I no longer had to exhort people to walk softly around it. Same setup, same table no springs. 30 Years ago while living in a NYC loft with beautiful but shaky wood floors I had a turntable that was not suspended and it was not an issue despite to wild and crazy times.

You should pick the table on it's sound and aesthetic merits. Either way you will find a way to make it work although you may want to mount the suspended from a shelf attached to the wall to really isolate it.

I hope others will include their experience in this matter.

I have never had any problem with any of the 3, SOTA suspended tables I've owned. I currently own a new NOVA.

I have locked down the springs on a Star Saphire I had owned and really did not notice a drop or improvement in sound quality.

A suspended shelf is a good idea in any case BUT NOTE that a standard 2x4-constructed wall vibrates to a greater or lesser degree depending upon it's location within the home. (Ever notice that some wall-hung pictures are always moving?)

The suspended shelf needs to be one of a higher quality that is designed for minimizing the effect of the table being cantilevered, especially if it is only being anchored to two wall studs and the table is a heavy one such as a SOTA with isolation spikes. Otherwise the weight of the table magnifies the wall vibrations and creates oscillation of the cantilerered shelf carrying the heavy turntable. In some cases this has the potential for creating vibration that will feed through the cart and perhaps annoy a more discerning audiophile.

Personally I don't see the need to introduce a shelf into one's system unless your floor is incredibly bouncy.

Fly,

I agree w/JBaussie that non-suspended high mass tables should be fine regarding footfall. I've had no troubles ever on my suspended wood floors with VPI and Nottingham non-suspended tables, and I'm confident that all the ones you mention above should perform just as well in that regard. Cheers,

Spencer

Dear Flyski: Suspended/non suspended TTs.

With all respect IMHO if you want to listening ( seating in a chair7couch ) music why you or any one can/could so worry about that TT subject design?.

If you want to listening your records at the same time that you are " jumping " or something similar then you have to woorry! do you listen in this way?

It is important the suspended/non suspended subject on analog performance?, certainly is but there are many other factors that IMHO are more important than that one and only if you have some very special " stage " that really affects mainly to the suspension TT subject then you have to think seriously about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.