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wall rack and different shelf materials under TT

Yesterday I swapped a 3/4"x16"x16" walnut cutting board (very nicely custom made and priced from ebay memeber hardwood-lumber-co, not affiliated) under my Pro-ject Xpression III table with an Ortofon MC-3 turbo, speedbox and tube phono box II. The natural unoiled walnut matches my rack better than maple, even though the maple can run more dense, but just a bit more. I used to have a 1/4"x15"x15" porcelain tile piece under my table and the first impressions follow:

- walnut: more relaxed and little warmer sound, bass a little more subdued like when you put a pillow in a bass drum in the drum kit.

- porcelain: more accurate, a little brighter and a touch more bass slam.

I am going to do further listening with both to see which one wins out. There are the factory isolation cones under my turntable and the wall rack is steel bolted to the house studs. I also just got some Electro-Harmonix golds that I am going to roll into the tube phono box II.

Will keep everyone posted...

BTW, I got a 3/4"x10"x16" maple and cherry cutting board for the kitchen and total was $57 including shipping.
sbrownnw
chayro
1,801 posts
 
I don't know if all turntables respond to the shelf materials, but my Linn was extremely sensitive to it. I used it on a wallshelf and I found that a 1/2" Corian shelf sounded better than both the Neuance platform or the standard wood. Even my Linn dealer was surprised at how different it sounded with different shelf materials. It's nice to be able to tune the table to your tastes.
timeltel's avatar
timeltel
794 posts
 
An alternate: Totally Bamboo "Big Kahuna" 18 x 24" cutting board, 2 1/4" thick.

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/totally-bamboo/big-kahuna-bamboo-chopping-block-cutting-board-p15445?gc

An ebay "big kahuna cutting board" search will turn one up, free shipping.

There are other vendors, no association.

Weighs about 20lbs. Mine is an older offering without the provided feet. Bedded in a sand box, sand is double-bagged in six zip-lock bags. With a Pio "Exclusive" PL-70L-11 a tightening of bass response is noticed.

Peace,
ohnofiasco
49 posts
 
My rack has a 4" thick maple top shelf that used to really effected my old Wilson Benesch Full Circle's low end response and brought out the highs. It was a lot cleaner than on the floor but lacked a little emotion and softness, which I like.

My new Well Tempered Labs Amadeus with its squash ball feet doesnt really seem to care what its on all that much, as long as its level of course, ha.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I have two turntables on a common but nice TV stand.
The shelves are tempered glass, with a sand filled steel frame.
Under the Rega is an old VPI sprung TT shelf (which originally had a Rega Planar 3 on it) . Which in turn rests on rubber feet which rest on patio bricks, with rubber padding glued under them.
The other TT is a Kuzma Stabi with Stogi S arm. It is on a wood flooring sample I found two of with one inch thick exotic Brazilian hardwoods 14" by 14" or so, heavy as can be, like Teakwood, glued to a thin board. Knock on it, and dullish thud, like teak.
Very flat, perfect. (i sure would like a whole floor made of that stuff.)
That board rests on same rubber bottle stoppers, on top of the same sort of patio bricks with rubber padding.
The shelving unit is 15 feet from the speakers... And behind left of my listening position.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
The Linn is a special case;I have a Star Sound Sistrum rack that is very heavy but the Linn sounds better sitting on a very old Russ Andrews Torlite stand which sits on top of another stand. Rube Goldberg but it works well. Linn advises that a lightweight stand works best and my experience supports this. The VPI, on the other hand , does very well on the Star Sound as does the Basis 2001. I was a Star Sound dealer but the rack is no longer made so this is not a commercial for it.
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