2. analog
  3. 1240876006

Turntable cones/spikes or shock absorbing feet?

How about both?

I've dorked around with my turntable (SL1210) feet various ways over the two years. Recently I tried something that turned into a real keeper:

I had been using the Parts-Express solid brass Dayton speaker cones as the threads fit the Technics. They were seated directly on a butcher block turntable and were noticeably better than what I'd had before.

What I tried was taking a set of "floor savers"--those flat metal discs with an indentation in the center for protecting floors and shelves from spikes--and placing the cone points on the floor savers, and placed the floor savers on top of a set of weight-matched Vibrapods.

Voila! This made everything better--no tradeoffs. Lower noise floor, better imaging, better dynamics at both ends, better inner detail.

The problem is that it's hard to come across floor savers of sufficient diameter to perch on the suspension doughnut of the Vibrapod.

But there's another way: Herbie's (maker of the Way Excellent TT mats) makes these cone/spike grounding bases, which combine floor savers of various sizes with an underlayer of his dBNeutralizer(tm) pad.

The Vibrapod website also mentions this type of arrangement, but as I said, the challenge is finding a floorsaver big enough to use with Vibrpods.
johnnyb53
johnnyb53 OP
3,510 posts
 
Sorry to bump my own thread, but has anyone here used the Soundcare SuperSpikes? For an audiophile product, the baseline product is reasonable ($67.50 for a set of four). You can get a self-adhesive model to go under components, or threaded versions in M6 or M8, or 1/4" or 5/16" threads. Those thread sizes fit most speakers that are supplied with threaded spikes, and M6 is a drop-in replacement for Technics SL12x0 feet. A nice alternative to the more expensive Isonoe Footers or Mapleshade Threaded Heavyfeet.

They are very widely and positively reviewed. The design uses a hardened steel spike clad in a vibration damping zinc foot, terminated in a spike point that goes into a steel receiver, all encased in a scratch-resistant plastic foot. Rated up to about 880 lbs. so I guess they could even be used on Wilsons.

So this strikes me as a bit of a hybrid, and could be made into more of one with a Vibrapod or Foculpod under each foot.
cytocycle
1,043 posts
 
The only problem with the soundcare superspikes for the Technics is the fact that the base of the Technics table flexes where the M6 screw goes in, so you need a spike with a larger diameter or you need to shim with washers to make a base.

Unfortunately I have no experience with the Soundcare product but have also been interested in it because of the lower cost.
johnnyb53 OP
3,510 posts
 
05-16-09: Cytocycle
Unfortunately I have no experience with the Soundcare product but have also been interested in it because of the lower cost.
I have an audio buddy who installed some SuperSpikes on his SL1210 M5G. I'll write him and ask what he thinks of them.
drewmb1's avatar
drewmb1
67 posts
 
Johnyb53 wrote "Sound isolation tip from a dance club DJ installer " on 07-10-08.
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1215744749&read&3&4&
I use a modified version in that I use gel wrist pads ALONG with the original leveling feet on my turntable. This has worked out incredibly well. Rock solid platform with excellent sound.
johnnyb53 OP
3,510 posts
 
I use gel wrist pads ALONG with the original leveling feet on my turntable.
Where have you positioned the gel wrist pads?
More to discover