What can I improve in my turntable setup?

Hey just to add to the options list I suspended my vpi tnt off a dowel unto another dowel with rubber bands. And I am very pleased it seems to have helped but this is just the beginning I intend to do even more e.g. instead of wooden dowels maybe heavy steel rods 1 " in diameter to add mass. I may also play with springs rather than just rubber bands I may even try using both, since this is just the beginning of this project it may take a while before I can come to a conclusive and will post the end results if worthy of mentioning.

Rotary 914, you need to tell us some more so that we can help you.

Are you happy with how your system sounds using another source - e.g. cd or tuner?

Have you experimented with speaker positions? Moving them a few feet further towards or away from your listening position can make a huge difference in sound. Also, I've found that having dissimilar materials on opposite surfaces helps i.e. a bare wall behind the speakers with a bookcase full of books on the opposite side of the room.

What happens to the sound when you clap your hands in differnt places in the room? If there's a pronounced echo then you would need to dampen it down with more soft, absorbent materials.

If your turntable sounded good in your previous room then it's unlikely that you will get that sound back in the new one just by tweaking the set up of the arm and cart.

Is the new room size significantly larger or smaller than before?

From what you have said, I don't think your problem is acoustic isolation but you could check by putting the cart on a record with the platter stationary, turn the amp up to a loud listening level and then gently tap the floor and the concrete block to hear what happens.

If you just moved into a new house then you have no clue of how anything should sound in the room you're in. The turntable might sound perfect, but the room won't let you hear it...

I'd try a set of high-quality headphones with the turntable to see how they sound. Then maybe I'd take some test tone measurements in your room to see if there are any major dips or peaks in the room response that may be influincing the type of sound you're hearing. Maybe try the speakers on a different wall to see if the acoustics improve.

It always takes me quite a while to experiment and make incremental improvements whenever I change rooms. Never, ever have I installed a system in a new room and had it sound fantastic on the first try (although I suppose that could happen in a fairy tale or once in a very great long time).

So it's not necessarily your lack of proper turntable setup. There are many other factors to consider. And you haven't provided only a scant few details for us to work with. How can we help you complete the puzzle with so many crucial pieces missing?

Have you had any success with any other sound source(s) (CD, for example?) sounding wonderful in this particular system?

Most definitely, pay attention to the room. Spend some time working with speaker placement. Start reading as much as you can find on DIY acoustic tweaks and treatments. If you look at the FAQ page over at www.audioasylum.com you'll find a link to Jon Risch's webpage that has alot of good information on effective treatments you can make that will improve the sound in your listening room. Bass traps would be a good place to start. Once you get the room right you will be surprised how much more you hear from your setup.

The first thing to insure is that the cartridge and arm are set up correctly. There are a number of tools that can aid this ranging from free (the stuff that came with the arm or cartridge) all the way to extremely expensive. The Wally Tracker, is that the whole set, or just one of the many individual tools?

Anyway, one of the less expensive options is the Mobile Fidelity GeoDisc. This does not have a set up device for VTA. If your Wally tool does that, forget what I said. All of these tools are intended to get you darn close to where you should be, the last fraction of an inch will be done by ear.

There are several books that can be very helpful too. "Good Sound" by Laura Dearborn, or "The Complete Guide To High-End Audio" by Robert Harley are helpful.

As far as tracking force goes, always track on the heavy side of the manufacturers recommendation. This is much less likely to damage your LPs.

There are some very devisive arguements about isolation as opposed to dampening. This will probably come up soon, from one camp or the other. The reason I bring it up, is you have nothing seperating your turntable from whatever vibrations will be present. Don't try to fool yourself into thinking they aren't there, or that whatever is there is soo small that it is not affecting your system. Think about how small the vibrations are in the groove of your LPs. Any vibration will affect the sound!

There is also the issue of 'airborne' vibration. They will also affect the turntables ability to accurately reproduce what is on the LP. Wall mounted shelves can be good if a person has a very springy floor. This is not the case in your room. Check into ways to seperate your table from vibrations.

Do you have any other tuning devices in the room?