wooden floors and vinyl player

njals_saga

So most every-time I walk by my vinyl player whilst it plays, vibrations from the movement on the wooden floors causes the record to skip.

Does anyone know of a solution for this? I don't know, some kind of padding under the cabinet or something.

Slaphead07

njals_saga wrote: »

So most every-time I walk by my vinyl player whilst it plays, vibrations from the movement on the wooden floors causes the record to skip.

Does anyone know of a solution for this? I don't know, some kind of padding under the cabinet or something.

There's no one simple answer. First I'd check that the stylus is at the right weight... that seems a bit light. Second, buy some rugs. Isolate the turntable by spikes or other isolation. Walk gentler.

cnocbui

Sorbothane is supposed to be the king of damping materials. You can get it in the form of insoles for sport shoes on eBay and elsewhere.

There are also specially made products for isolating audio equipment:

http://www.britishaudio.co.uk/isolation.htm

Slaphead07

cnocbui wrote: »

Sorbothane is supposed to be the king of damping materials. You can get it in the form of insoles for sport shoes on eBay and elsewhere.

A cheap fix is to buy some squash balls and halve them giving you four feet however.... IMHO turntables need more stable isolation than rubber. Think more like Nordost Pulsar Points or Ceraballs. No, they're not cheap.... but they work.

But first I'd get the setup on the deck checked, as I say, that needle seems too light and might not even be sitting correctly in the groove.

PaulieBoy

Mounted on a wall bracket is about the best method, it's what I have, you can drive a herd of elephants through the room and not a single skip.
http://www.rega.co.uk/html/stands.htm

Slaphead07

PaulieBoy wrote: »

Mounted on a wall bracket is about the best method, it's what I have, you can drive a herd of elephants through the room and not a single skip.
http://www.rega.co.uk/html/stands.htm

You are absolutely right and given that I use one myself I feel stupid that I didn't suggest one! A little extra isolation doesn't hurt either... sound waves from speakers cause vibrations too.

njals_saga

op here,
@slaphead07,
tracking force correct.
My post wasn't entirely accurate. I should say that when I walk by it does not skip, but rather when a certain someone who I live with stamps by like an elephant.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Think I will go the padding route rather than the wall mounting, although that looks awesome too.

cnocbui

Slaphead07 wrote: »

A cheap fix is to buy some squash balls and halve them giving you four feet however.... IMHO turntables need more stable isolation than rubber. Think more like Nordost Pulsar Points or Ceraballs. No, they're not cheap.... but they work.

But first I'd get the setup on the deck checked, as I say, that needle seems too light and might not even be sitting correctly in the groove.

So you think my recommendation was too expensive, so you suggest a cheap alternative, then declare your own suggestion is inadequate and so propose an alternative that is even more expensive than the one I originally suggested.

Have I missed anything?

Sorbothane is a synthetic viscoelastic urethane polymer used as a shock absorber and vibration damper....The material combines some of the properties of rubber, silicone, and other elastic polymers. It is considered to be a good vibration damping material, an acoustic insulator, and highly durable.


Originally used for shoe inserts, Sorbothane has many industrial applications from acoustic shielding to machine mounts. Sorbothane has been used to quiet personal computers by being packed around the hard drive and other noisy spinning components. Sorbothane dampens vibration transmission from vibrating hardware. (see Quiet PC) It has been used to isolate subwoofers from turntables.

Slaphead07

cnocbui wrote: »

So you think my recommendation was too expensive...

No.

cnocbui wrote: »

Have I missed anything?

Yep.

Slaphead07

njals_saga wrote: »

op here......
Thanks for all the suggestions. Think I will go the padding route rather than the wall mounting, although that looks awesome too.

I use a Townshend Seismic Sink under my CD player but they are really designed for turntables. (I may move it soon). It's basically an inner tube in an open metal case. Again not cheap but an easy and very effective solution. Often seen S/H on eBay.

Slaphead07

Some info on the (original) Seismic Sink. http://www.regonaudio.com/SeismicSink.html

Note the last line.... "Note: Max Townshend himself suggested to me that you could get a good bit of the Sink's effect by putting equipment up on soft squash balls. Cheap and effective, though not so effective nor convenient as the Seismic Sink. " :cool:

The Ritz

Mod Comment:

@cnocbui,

So you think my recommendation was too expensive, so you suggest a cheap alternative, then declare your own suggestion is inadequate and so propose an alternative that is even more expensive than the one I originally suggested.

Have I missed anything?

You don't have a monopoly on giving advice - picking an argument with someone on a thread here in this way is very unwelcome and does nothing to assist the OP. Please take the hint and don't do it again.

@Slaphead,

Thanks for your restrained clarification, no need to take this one any further.



Ritz.

PaulieBoy

Slaphead07 wrote: »

Some info on the (original) Seismic Sink. http://www.regonaudio.com/SeismicSink.html

Note the last line.... "Note: Max Townshend himself suggested to me that you could get a good bit of the Sink's effect by putting equipment up on soft squash balls. Cheap and effective, though not so effective nor convenient as the Seismic Sink. " :cool:

I'm not so sure about the 'soft squash balls' as a solution; you are relying on the deck being in perfect balance else it will not sit level. Ergo the second problem; how do you level half cut 'soft squash balls' ?
For proper operation and for the sake of your tasty records the deck must be level, else problems. Sitting on four soft balls is not going to give you perfect level.

I guess with a cheapo deck and some Joe Dolan records it might do :-)

Slaphead07

PaulieBoy wrote: »

I'm not so sure about the 'soft squash balls' as a solution; you are relying on the deck being in perfect balance else it will not sit level. Ergo the second problem; how do you level half cut 'soft squash balls' ?
For proper operation and for the sake of your tasty records the deck must be level, else problems. Sitting on four soft balls is not going to give you perfect level.

You're dead right which is why I suggest solid isolation rather than sorbathane... but if you wanted to go that route the squash balls are a cheap trial (under an MDF platter). Try them under amps or CD players for a surprise!

PS if you want more solid spheres fill the hollow halved balls with blu-tac. It makes them easier to level as well if you really wanted to go that route.

njals_saga

op here, thanks for all the suggestions. Thankfully I solved the problem before having to invest in any of the solutions offered.
It turned out the cause of the problem was that the transport screws under the turntable platter were locked into their transport position, thereby making the turntable rigid instead of springy. I've loosened them and all is well.

Slaphead07

njals_saga wrote: »

op here, thanks for all the suggestions. Thankfully I solved the problem before having to invest in any of the solutions offered.
It turned out the cause of the problem was that the transport screws under the turntable platter were locked into their transport position, thereby making the turntable rigid instead of springy. I've loosened them and all is well.

Nice one. If only every fix was as quick and cheap.