As my turntable is getting better, I am starting to think that my stand is becoming a liability. Very 1970s, it is nicely made, with what looks like walnut veneer inside and out, glass doors in the front and wheels on the bottom that make it very convenient to move. However, except for the walnut veneer, I am sure all those other things are passing vibrations through to my table. As I listen in the living room, the WAF has to be pretty high.
Anyone have any recommendations for a real nice solid rack that I can mount my equipment in, while being solid enough to support a turntable? Would love a wall mount for it, but the building owners would not go for it....

I believe you are correct about vibration having a negative effect on your TT. Have you tried any isolation devices?

A wall mount on a load bearing wall is supposed to be the best way to isolate the TT. As long as you screw it into a stud (wood)!

I've heard good things about Boltz racks. But I think they could be pricy.

This is what I use - I built it myself!

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/flexye.html

My TT cabinet is very heavy made from 1.25" thick MDF with 3/4" thick MDF shelves that the bottom shelf holds approx 80 albums. The top is 3/4" MDF with 3/4" Oak on top of that. The whole thing is on 4 inline skate wheels very HD.

On top of the cabinet I'm putting a 48lb cement pillow that will be supported with 12 1" diameter super balls (in holes cut into the Oak top layer) then I plan on using target arrow points to attach my TT (a Pro-Ject 1.2) to the pillow This then gives me a huge mass that is isolated from the huge mass of the cabinet that then sits on the floor.

Just how I'm doing it.

I just bought one of these cause the wife says it matches better. Not thrilled with its styling but I will say its extremely stout and does look better to me then a threaded rod rack. Plus its modular meaning you can add or remove more shelves.

http://www.audio-video-furniture.com/Sanus-AFAB-ACCURATE-AUDIO-STAND.htm

Oh yeah it supports my Sota no problem on the top

I just bought one of these cause the wife says it matches better. Not thrilled with its styling but I will say its extremely stout and does look better to me then a threaded rod rack. Plus its modular meaning you can add or remove more shelves.

http://www.audio-video-furniture.com/Sanus-AFAB-ACCURATE-AUDIO-STAND.htm

Oh yeah it supports my Sota no problem on the top

Looks pretty solid. Do you add anything under your Sota to keep the vibrations away?
Price is definately really good.

My TT cabinet is very heavy made from 1.25" thick MDF with 3/4" thick MDF shelves that the bottom shelf holds approx 80 albums. The top is 3/4" MDF with 3/4" Oak on top of that. The whole thing is on 4 inline skate wheels very HD.

On top of the cabinet I'm putting a 48lb cement pillow that will be supported with 12 1" diameter super balls (in holes cut into the Oak top layer) then I plan on using target arrow points to attach my TT (a Pro-Ject 1.2) to the pillow This then gives me a huge mass that is isolated from the huge mass of the cabinet that then sits on the floor.

Just how I'm doing it.

Wow!
That is definately one way to keep the turntable happy. Hoping you will post some pics when it is all done. Should be very impressive!

You might consider adding a marble/Granite slab to your current rack, even isolate it the way Mark did. I'd think 1" scrap from a counter stonemason, (Possibly a sink cut out?) would do just fine.

Looks pretty solid. Do you add anything under your Sota to keep the vibrations away?
Price is definately really good.

Nope my table isolates well enough on its own. For your Ariston I would use a granite base beneath it.

The Arcici Lead Balloon (now in unleaded form) is a tried-and-true iso stand. I had one for years and loved it, but my current listening room has what is apparently a wooden trampoline for a floor, so I now use a Target wall stand instead.

Nope my table isolates well enough on its own. For your Ariston I would use a granite base beneath it.

I believe it! That is a monster of a table. I saw one in a store in Toronto recently. Never really got how big it is.

The most solid racks I've seen, are the Synergy "modular" racks from Salamander Designs. Not cheap, but the most rugged, strong, acoustically dead construction I've worked with.

Plus, being modular, you can mount shelves in them wherever you need (infinitely adjustable shelf height locations), get various combinations of side panels and doors, and even expand/modify the rack architecture, if needed.

Here's their web site. We've been carrying these products for years, and have been steadily satisfied with them, in all respects:

http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/

Regards,
Gordon.

The Arcici Lead Balloon (now in unleaded form) is a tried-and-true iso stand.

I've got an original Lead Balloon, GREAT table stand.

I have both a Synergy and a Billy Bags rack. I have turntables on both.

The 'Bags is super duty but a bit ugly. The Synergy is both strong and a very nice piece of furniture. Either would work for you, but neither are cheap. They do not provide extra isolation for a TT, just a strong stand.

A wall mount on a load bearing wall is supposed to be the best way to isolate the TT. As long as you screw it into a stud (wood)!

In my books it is the ONLY way to go in a room whose floor is not rock solid (like a concrete basement floor).

Floor joists flex, plus they can transmit vibration. Worse yet, they move in the same direction of travel as your stylus (up and down).

Get it on a shelf firmly attached to the wall: you'll never look back.

You could use a nice shelf that matches your cabinet's finish, and fasten it to the wall so that it's just over the top of your existing cabinet and it will look like it's part of it. Simple, fun to do, and the kids will love it.

I'm a big supporter of the Target TT-1 wall stand. Solid and nice to look at as well. Can be found used in the $100 range.

Mike

Ideally guys, I would have a wall mounted shelf for my turntable. Only problem is that the building I live in would not go for that. Even hanging pictures on the wall is somewhat iffy, so they would freak if I bolted it to the wall. If they found out.... :)
That is why I need to do a good floor standing rack. Not the best possibility, but the best I can do for right now. And you guys have sure given me some great tips!
Thanks

Ideally guys, I would have a wall mounted shelf for my turntable. Only problem is that the building I live in would not go for that. Even hanging pictures on the wall is somewhat iffy, so they would freak if I bolted it to the wall. If they found out.... :)

So, you're in an apartment then? Concrete floors? Sorry, I missed that part. Simplest thing to do first is to get your TT as far away from the speakers as you can.

Or if you have access to woodworking tools, make something yourself. Cabinets aren't rocket surgery, you can even use the old hardware if you want to put glass in again...

So, you're in an apartment then? Concrete floors? Sorry, I missed that part. Simplest thing to do first is to get your TT as far away from the speakers as you can.

Or if you have access to woodworking tools, make something yourself. Cabinets aren't rocket surgery, you can even use the old hardware if you want to put glass in again...

You just nailed all of my problems. The speakers are just a few feet away. Cannot imagine how I could move them further. Hard to build something where I am too. That is the quandry!
Only thing going for it is that the building is about 50 years old and VERY solid!

Just a quick note: Normal wood could carry a lot of vibration. It would be better to do MDF or steel or something like that. I built my own wooden stereo rack once. When I decided to build the DIY rack (see my previous post), there was a noticible sound improvement.

Of course, to call me a "carpenter" of any sort would make all carpenters go on strike in protest! :D

While I haven't tried out the big dollar racks, the pair of Zoethecus 4 shelve units I use are both very solid and allow isolation of each shelf to a degree along with numerous shelf types from both Zoethecus and many other brands that can be used for specific components. I use a Z-slab under my Scoutmaster. The Z-slab is very inert and as far as I can tell with my playing around with a stethoscope transfer very, very little energy from the separate TT motor to the rest of the TT. They certainly aren't cheap, propbably more expensive that the other ones people have presented by some magnitude but they are furniture grade, beautiful units which certainly do their job well.

Zoethecus Racks (http://www.zoethecus.com/acis.htm)

http://www.liberty-connect.com/customers/jkernohan/Scoutmaster.jpg

Speaking of slabs.... I know someone who uses a wood butcher block. It's also very sense.

I'm thinking of building a "sand box" isolation device to see how it works.

Bigerik - are you as confused as I am now? ;)

Incidentally, the next time I'm down your way I might drop off a few superballs - very cheap isolation device.

Speaking of slabs.... I know someone who uses a wood butcher block. It's also very sense.

I'm thinking of building a "sand box" isolation device to see how it works.

Bigerik - are you as confused as I am now? ;)

Incidentally, the next time I'm down your way I might drop off a few superballs - very cheap isolation device.

If I could build one with lots of pretty wood on the outside, the wife might even go for that. Probably cheap too! :)
Superballs would be interesting. Love to try the cheap stuff now that the basics are in place.

You might consider adding a marble/Granite slab to your current rack, even isolate it the way Mark did. I'd think 1" scrap from a counter stonemason, (Possibly a sink cut out?) would do just fine.


OOOOOO . . . . . Now I am the kind of cheap skate that loves this idea.

Thanks!

So, I re-read your original post, and it sounds like basically, you are happy with the looks of your cab, but are really only concerned about vibration transmission. So, what are your possible routes to go, then?

Do you just say, hey, this is an Ariston, with the best suspension, good isolation. Fahgeddabowdit and have a beer while you liston to some good music.

Or, spend the big bucks and get a beautiful stand, of course, allowing your wife input first.

Perhaps look into further mods for the TT's cab?

I hung TTs from the ceilings in the '70s because of wood floors, people dancing around out and bouncing the arm -- used nice or cheap chain, and a sturdy piece of MDF with eye-bolts at each corner for a base. Surprisingly steady and isolated.

wow dude and don't forget to get your old lady to macrame a hanger out of hemp rope for it far out lol

yamahammer -- made me grin. Those were different times.

Probably making the most sense to keep what I have right now, and just try to put some isolation between the TT and the stand. Seems to be the safest, and cheapest, way to go.
Will update as I go...

So, I re-read your original post, and it sounds like basically, you are happy with the looks of your cab, but are really only concerned about vibration transmission. So, what are your possible routes to go, then?

Do you just say, hey, this is an Ariston, with the best suspension, good isolation. Fahgeddabowdit and have a beer while you liston to some good music.

Or, spend the big bucks and get a beautiful stand, of course, allowing your wife input first.

Perhaps look into further mods for the TT's cab?

I hung TTs from the ceilings in the '70s because of wood floors, people dancing around out and bouncing the arm -- used nice or cheap chain, and a sturdy piece of MDF with eye-bolts at each corner for a base. Surprisingly steady and isolated.

Amen!!! That was the best way to isolate the TT. And everyone with half a brain did it.