Isolation platforms for idler drive tables

bgupton

New Member
Sep 23, 2014
109
13
0
San Francisco, CA
It's becoming apparent that the next gremlin I need to solve for is isolating my Garrard 301 (Artisan Fidelity Statement build with two arms, approximately 24" x 18" and 65 pounds) from my rack and (if possible) as much internally produced vibrations from the motor and air bourne vibrations.

Lots of threads to dig thru here, but I'm curious about isolation platforms specifically for the challenges that idler driven tables present with the (perhaps) higher levels of noise/vibration that their powerful motors produce.

Of the various isolation platforms out there (active & passive), which should be at the top of my list and why?

How do these different types of isolation platforms deal with noise/vibration produced by the table's motor?
 

audioblazer

Member Sponsor
May 13, 2010
765
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Malaysia
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Recently I heard a demo of Vertere rack of which the top platform is a modified minus K platform . It's improved the performance in all department . So try out minus K .
 

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Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
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It's becoming apparent that the next gremlin I need to solve for is isolating my Garrard 301 (Artisan Fidelity Statement build with two arms, approximately 24" x 18" and 65 pounds) from my rack and (if possible) as much internally produced vibrations from the motor and air bourne vibrations.

Lots of threads to dig thru here, but I'm curious about isolation platforms specifically for the challenges that idler driven tables present with the (perhaps) higher levels of noise/vibration that their powerful motors produce.

Of the various isolation platforms out there (active & passive), which should be at the top of my list and why?

How do these different types of isolation platforms deal with noise/vibration produced by the table's motor?

If the motor is integrated into the plinth itself, I am not sure how a platform will drain this energy specifically away from the platter / arm board etc unless there was a special drain in the bottom of the table. The active or passive platforms will surely protect your idler from vibrations coming into the rack (and thence tt). I think you would need a different tt design such as arm tower completely separate to the motor / platter chassis. That being said, I am sure your turntable will benefit massively from an active or passive platform as you have no suspension in your turntable.
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,522
10,688
3,515
USA
The Herzan active isolation platform and the Wave Kinetics platform designed for the NVS turntable purportedly reduce airborne vibrations and also those generated internally by the turntable itself, but I have not been able to find any explanations about how they are able to achieve this.

The challenge with idler drive tables would seem to be vibrations to the platter from the drive wheel and motor vibrations getting to the armboard via the plinth. I don't know how these can be reduced by an isolation platform placed below the table.

One approach, as seen with some belt drive tables, is to design the table in a way so that motor vibrations are isolated from the platter and armboard by physically separating them with a rubber belt and suspension or other method and then designing drainage paths down and out through the table support structure and into some mass below the table. Then this can all rest on top of an active or passive isolation platform which isolates floor borne vibrations.

Have you asked Artisan Fidelity?
 

Stacore

Industry Expert
Feb 23, 2017
641
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180
Gdańsk, Poland
stacore.pl
It's becoming apparent that the next gremlin I need to solve for is isolating my Garrard 301 (Artisan Fidelity Statement build with two arms, approximately 24" x 18" and 65 pounds) from my rack and (if possible) as much internally produced vibrations from the motor and air bourne vibrations.

Lots of threads to dig thru here, but I'm curious about isolation platforms specifically for the challenges that idler driven tables present with the (perhaps) higher levels of noise/vibration that their powerful motors produce.

Of the various isolation platforms out there (active & passive), which should be at the top of my list and why?

How do these different types of isolation platforms deal with noise/vibration produced by the table's motor?

Not sure if the author is still interested in the topic but if I may add my 2 cents:
1) External platforms deal with airborne and structural (e.g. travelling through the building structure and the rack) vibrations. No active/passive/whatever playform will address the internal vibrations -- it's "too far away".
2) If you feel you have a problem with the internal vibrations (e.g. you hear on a silent track the motor, the characteristic tack-tack-tack-... sound)
you should look at your plinth. Its the plinth which is quite critical with idlers and it should "ground" the vibrations. I have only experience with heavy plinths (use slate on my EMT930 as more vivid then wood albeit transmitting a tad more of the motor mechanical noise).

Cheers,
jarek
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,602
5,411
1,278
E. England
Jarek, I run a rim drive high torque tt w air bearing linear tracking arm
Currently on a flexing suspended timber floor in an attic space 6m X 15m overall span
I'm considering a UK-based lab grade company that do an air rolling diaphragm shelf at reasonable cost, Speirs Robertson, but I'm intrigued by your claims your shelves are optimised for audio use
I've emailed you and asked Jaroslaw for thoughts, feel free to PM me here
 

Believe High Fidelity

[Industry Expert]
Nov 19, 2015
1,665
318
355
Hutto TX
ibelieveinhifi.com
It's becoming apparent that the next gremlin I need to solve for is isolating my Garrard 301 (Artisan Fidelity Statement build with two arms, approximately 24" x 18" and 65 pounds) from my rack and (if possible) as much internally produced vibrations from the motor and air bourne vibrations.

Lots of threads to dig thru here, but I'm curious about isolation platforms specifically for the challenges that idler driven tables present with the (perhaps) higher levels of noise/vibration that their powerful motors produce.

Of the various isolation platforms out there (active & passive), which should be at the top of my list and why?

How do these different types of isolation platforms deal with noise/vibration produced by the table's motor?

Just started a separate thread on an offering you may want to consider given its design was developed using Idler drive TT as basis. We are offering introductory pricing to WBF members

Torqueo-Releases-Isolation-Platforms
 

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