Isolation platform advice for rega turntables.

Hi there. I currently have my Rega turntable standing on a glass/ metal Hifi rack. Is there a better platform I should be using? Wood, plastic, marble?

 

A light but rigid dedicated floor stand like a Sound Organisation, Audiotech or Archidee were best for Rega turntables back in the late 80's. Rega still make a wall shelf that works great if you have a solid wall.

 

What is the rack sitting on? Is it a floor that bounces/springy or solid? You want to stop footfalls and vibrations and internal smearing of the signal. A very good way is to get a 2,3, of 4 inch maple block and sit that on 4 vibration pads. The TT would sit on the maple block. This cost very little money as well. Maple Blocks can be had at Amazon and the vibration pads fom any heating and cooling store.

 

For the money, the Rega wall shelf does a great job.

 

Buy the Rega wall stand if you can use it. If not, try an Ikea lack table. 10 bucks US and it works.

 

Symposium Acoustics Segue ISO.

Game changer.

 

As long as the rack doesn't physically move or shake when someone walks by, you're good to go with your existing rack. If the rack does move when someone walks by, you need to mount the turntable on a purpose-built wall shelf. Several companies make them.

If you're concerned about isolating the Rega from airborne vibrations that are causing feedback or low frequency muddiness, try a solid wood isolator from Massif or one of the really heavy isolators made by HRS. I've used both, and I like the HRS best. Unfortunately, HRS isolators are stupidly, aggressively, abusively expensive. A Massif or HRS isolator can usually sit on the rack shelf you're turntable is on.

 

Ill second the maple board but sitting on a partially inflated bike tyre

 

My P9 sits on an IKEA shelf. I've been happy with that.

 

Hifi rack is on a concrete floor with 1/2 inch oak on top. It's not bouncy. You can walk past ok, without skipping issues.

 

There is some resonance from bass, that passes through the rack. Wall shelf isn't an option at the moment, no room.

 

Ginkgo Cloud

 

Seconded. I use a Gingko Mini Cloud under my RP1 and it works great.

 

I have a Cloud 14 under an RP6 in a second system. Made a lot of difference.

 

My Rega sits on a glass rack with wooden legs. I thought it sounded fine until i added a Torliyte platform. It is very light and has oak coned feet. I added large oak conned feet to the deck. FANTASTIC. Night and day. More precise, less glare, deeper tighter bass and overall more "real". Check them out.

 

Glass and metal is about the worst style of rack for a turntable. If the pillars of the stand are sand fillable, then fill them with play sand. It's cheap and it works wonders for controlling resonance. Replace the top glass platform entirely with a wood platform. Light and tight is better than thick and heavy. Plywood or MDF are good choices of material. The edges will need to be dressed to make it look sharp. Once this is done, the table will sound best sitting directly on top of the stand.
-Bill

 

I've tried most everything and ended up with HRS platforms with Nimbus pucks underneath. I use them under all audio components now.
Thick and heavy for foot fall problems.

 

Glass is about the worst thing for clearing up vibrations/smearing of sound. Bill is correct. If at all possible replace glass shelving of a new rack is not in order. Once you replace the glass shelf your TT sits on, I then would get a maple block upon some vibration pads....that will take care of any vibrations and smearing of sound you didn't realize was there, you will notice a clearer presentation of the music.....yes vibrations can travel through concrete.

 

I use the Rega wall shelf for mine and really like it. I could jump up and down on the floor right next to it and it still won't skip.

 

I'll third the recommendation about replacing the glass shelf. I have a metal/mdf rack and added a rubberwood platform with Vibrapods. It sits on a 11x14 area rug on top of a concrete floor.

 

One major difference rega has versus other brand names is that higher end rega are ligher than lower ends. Rega is also known to work well with ikea coffee tables. The reason is that rega tables are designed ti drain vibration away. It need coupling, not isolation. Thus, no ginko cloud, heavy metal, marble platform nor glass. Acrylic, with its non vibrating property also make poor choice.

However you can place rega on a maple block and isolate the block from the table, floor or rack. This is because the unwanted vibration gets absorbed by the maple block.

Rega is a non suspended light weighted tt with a reason.

 

I've had great luck with an Ikea butcher's block atop Herbie's Tenderfeet. Cheap and effective, and not bad looking too I might add.

 

Maple block is hard to come by in England. I have some English oak or Mdf, any good? Maybe with sorbathene feet?

 

MDF is good, although I'd compare the two, sorbathene I'm not sure I've not had good experience trying it. In fact I've just checked and they've gone, I was thinking I'd send them to you but someone else must have got in first.

 

My P3 sits atop an Ikea-wannabe from Target with no problems whatsoever, but the floor is terrazzo on slab.