A Copernican View of the Turntable System

Ct0517,

It would seem that our experiences defy the theory. As a certain phiilosopher once said, in that case, the theory needs revision/refinement.

An old Chinese saying: black cat or white cat, the right cat catches the mouse!

Hi T_bone,
I realise that you, and many others are perhaps trying to rationalize what we 'arm-pod' folk report, against what your instincts and learnings tell you and all I can really say is that until one actually tries a well developed 'pod'.......it's all just 'words'.
But I'm looking forward to your own experiments :^)

Regarding your problems with 'feedback' and my lack of any discernible angst in that region.......I must say that I have always had my turntables mounted on a shelf cantilevered from a solid masonry wall.
The fact that you state that..."even when my P3 is well away from my speakers"....... leads me to suspect that it is structure-borne feedback you are experiencing rather than air-borne?
Could you perhaps describe how your P3 is supported?

T_bone. How could anyone of impecable taste listen to their turntable with the lid down :-)
Even with my lp12 music sounds much better with the lid up, or better still off. Never even thought of playing the exclusive P3 with the lid down.
But seriously, a great thread that makes cd /digital even more boring

T_bone,
Re-reading your post above.......

That said, if I implement pods, I will seek to couple the pod and the motor to a single rigid surface, and then isolate that rigid substructure.

I believe that I have done just that by coupling (or de-coupling) the motor and pods to the very same 32mm laminated (stressed-skin) rigid shelf structure which is isolated from the floor and walls by cantilevered metal brackets.
Your statement and that of Jonathan's are not quite the same?

Dear Travis, Once you couple a high mass arm pod to the plinth you likely have a very good set-up. That's what I would do if I ever build an outboard pod. I never would argue that basing a tonearm firmly in a stabilizing high mass is not a good thing. Look at those optional weights made by M-S and SAEC to stabilize the vertical shaft of their tonearms where it passes through the mounting board. That seems like sound engineering to me. I have made some brass pieces like that (to go under a mounting platform) for my DV505 and I plan to do it for the Reed and/or Triplanar.