Raven One Motor Noise Problem

Thank you all for being so forthright...this really helps.

What's important is how the damn thing sounds, and the motor noise is barely audible at this point. I've been nit-picking, worrying, prodding, and I haven't even heard the table with my new Tron Seven and Shilabe.

If the platform is wrong I will hear it. Let you know when that happens and many thanks.

Kennythekey - I use to have a Target wall mount unit and if I remember correctly there were metal standoffs that screw into the metal frame of the Target. There are then pointed ends of standoffs that sit against stainless steel insets on the standard MDF shelf. From your post it appears you have replaced the MDF with slate. If this is correct, then one question immediately comes to mind - do you still have the standoffs screwed into the Target frame and then have the slate placed on top of the spiked end?

I was always having problems with the standoffs with my Target stand causing vibration of the shelf when my turntable was running at 33 RPM since the TT motor caused sympathetic vibration of the shelf. I ended up removing the standoffs and using sorbothane between my shelf and the Target wall mount and the shelf no longer vibrated.

From what you say I do not believe there is a motor problem. 33RPM would present one resonant frequency and 45 RPM another. From the sounds of your post it seems there is an issue with the Target/slate/standoffs resulting in a resonant frequency that is presenting itself as a “noisy motor” at 33RPM.

I would suggest experimenting with the Target and slate shelf (without the standoffs) to address the issue and leave the remainder of the Raven set-up alone - since Thomas put significant engineering work into the Raven design over many years to get the best music to your ears. (-:

Thanks for your input Dg_bond. I feel that this may be the case as well with one exception. I replaced the Target screws with brass audio points that are inverted so same deal...they point up.

I'm still using the Target screws but as the studs for the audio points. This allows me to level the slate shelf with the audio points so I don't have to use the Stillpoint feet.

I have no right to talk physics but it just seems like my design is flawed even though I ran it by a couple of people in-the-know and they thought I'd be just fine. For example, it would seem that I'm trapping energy in the slate shelf and it's resonating.

Anyway, if I abandon the audio points I would like to find a leveling solution with whatever dampening material I use.

With the help from others, I have resolved the so-called noise problem in my Raven One. Actually, this was not the Raven's problem at all.

After putting an MDF shelf under my existing slate shelf that the Raven sits on, the motor is dead quiet...not a peep.

The problem was caused by the creation of standing waves due to my platform configuration. I will figure out a new leveling system and do away with the inverted audio points.

Thanks to all!

Nice to hear of the problem resolution.

Now that's sorted, can you tell us a bit more about the Miyajima Shilabe cartridge you'd mentioned many a moon ago? What arm did you decide on in the end?