How good is the Obsidian plinth of Technics SP10 ?

Nothing really wrong with the Obsidian base. Many love it. BTW it is very heavy plastic composite not solid rock or glass. It is extremely dense, heavy, and well damped and has no obvious resonance--it feels more like rock than anything else. Many other companies experimented with weighted plastic composites, including Sony, Pioneer, and Kenwood. I have never seen anything from those companies better than the Obsidian base. Of course, if you worship your turntable, there is no limit to what you could spend on an Ultimate Plinth, and at some point with vast weight and technology you might make something better. But for the cost, you couldn't do significantly better than the Obsidian. I mean at the original price and current resale prices, which weren't outrageous when I got mine last year. The artisan designers of new super bases charge way more, of course, and I have not heard them. A simple birch plinth is not going to be better than the Obsidian unless the birch plinth is huger than huge.

The SL10 (SP10,Obsidian,EPA arm,dustcover) package got a bad name after a review in Hifi News claiming they had gotten feedback. Well, yes, they put speaker right next to turntable on the same table and cranked it to the max. The LP12 did better on this test. But it was unrealistic test, and with better feet or a suspension base for the SL10 it would likely have done better than the LP12 since virtually every part of the SL10 is well damped, except the little feet aren't very isolating for a big heavy table. For some reason, the reviewers thought the base was actual Obsidian, and they falsely blamed that, creating a meme that lasted through the 80's. However everyone now knows that if the SL10 has any serious problem, it's in the feet--which are fine if table is perched on an isolating stand.

Hi Pani, Try Foxtan and Otomon (?) via ebay but also
Raul. Those AT pneumatic footers he recommended. As I
understand he is selling some of his carts so he may be
willing to sell his AT footers. There is btw a bigger version
then the AT 636 but to me those 636 look better with
Obsidian plinth.

Nandric, Typically, I shy away from such commentary but my friend, such naive and defensive comments to my post above literally bleed of inexperience. Posting emotional knee jerk reactions and defensive posturing ruins forums. Politely speaking, when an individual with direct experience shares their insights on a given topic, obviously you have every right to personally disagree with any sentiments expressed. However, before trying to discredit and blatantly claim this person has no idea, you may want to know who you are talking to first. In this case, your comments were directed towards someone who has owned and listened to more Sp10 based plinths than you can ever realize.

Hi Chris 74, well there are many 'things' that I can't
imagine. Say the number of particles or the speed of light.
Even some more to the earth things. Like, for example, why
should anyone buy a 4-5 K plinth for an $1000 SP-10 TT?
Not to mention the arguments like 'the inherent body,
weight', etc., which are as expressions inscrutable to me
in this context.
To recommend such plinths is of course your privilege but
to judge this recommendation as nonsense is my.

I recently got a TECHNICS SL-1000MK3D - SP10-MK3 SH-10B5 Plinth. and have just installed a Thales Simplicity II tonearm.  Surperb sounding table on my diy compression spring platform.  

  I feel there is nothing wrong with the plinth as its very well damped. The feet however, I feel they might be able to be inproved?

  How do you get the feet off the SH-10B5 plinth?   I have tried unscrew the feet, however they will not budge and I don't want to break them.