Optimum TT Height

I am 5'10" and have the top of the platter at 42". An important consideration having the platter at a height such that the light reflecting off the record allows you to see the spacing between tracks clearly. You have some flexibility to adjust a light and the platter height to achieve this goal, but the higher the platter the harder it is.

I'm 6' 1" and my platter is 51" above the floor. I find this very convenient for cueing, stylus examination, record sweeping, etc. Also, even though it (thankfully) is not done on a regular basis, when I do a cartridge install/alignment it is beneficial not needing to bend over so much. I've become spoiled by the convenience of this height and would not want to go back to anything much lower.

Some might be concerned about stability of a rack with such a high shelf but my shelf is wall mounted so no worries there. Then I have a modest sized sand box on the shelf with the table on that.

Hang your arms at your side and measure how far your elbows are from the floor. Around that height is what feels most comfortable to me. As long as your not having to bend of or reach high, you'll probably be ok.

Dave

Dcstep is thinking along my lines - ergonomic design.

For me, this ends up with record platter height just a bit lower - perhaps 4" below my elbows as I like a less acute angle when placing a record on a platter.

Think in terms of holding a record in front of you and placing it on a platter ... what feels most natural to you.

For me this ends up being the above, and for others this may be quite a bit higher. Handling a tonearm makes sense at this height for me too!

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Very interesting, Dcstep and Thom. I think I got lucky when I built my stand. I was thinking about the height since it can make or break cartridge setup ease. In the end my platter surface ended up at about 39" off the floor, which is about 5 or 6 inches below my elbows. This is working pretty well for me. But when my back starts complaining after a few minutes of bending to see the stylus/protractor, I think it would be even better a few inches higher.