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So my stereo console project is close to finished. I got the speaker enclosures all done and finish wise, its done. Using a temporary amp until Tom and I finish up the preamp, but so far I am incredibly pleased.

The issues I am having is the turntable in it. It is a garrard changer turntable. When going to hook it up, there are RCA's coming off of it, but no ground that I can find anywhere. I hooked it up to the Integrated Amp I am using temporarily and it works, but the sound is not great. Lot of static, and the changer is kind of a pain. The spindle is crazy tall, and as Tom explained to me, most likely the changer spindle.

I am not wanting to sink any more money than I have to for this project. Am considering getting the Orbit basic Turntable. From the reviews I have read its considered the best budget turntable for 179$.

Only thing I am concerned about is isolation. This console now puts out a lot of sound, and I am worried the bass will reek havoc on a turntable. Are there some dirt cheap kind of isolation methods I can employ to make sure this thing would be isolated properly?

Thanks

Jeff

Cheapest way is to make a box out of MDF, fill it with sand, and use sorbothane feet underneath. The more mass in the base and the lower the durometer of the sorbothane the lower the resonant frequency. Once you are significantly below the arm/cartridge resonance you are effectively totally isolated from base transmitted vibrations.

Tom

That seems simple enough. Thanks Tom!

In this application, there's not much to be gained by using MDF instead of plywood, and plywood is a lot easier to work with & easier on your tools...

Some, but a very few, of those old changers are actually pretty decent turntables if you do a little work on them. Which one do you have?

Roscoe

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I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

Roscoe,

Its a Garrard, but other than that, I don't know anything else about it. The lack of a ground worried me as well, as I thought you needed to have one for it to work properly.

I will take some pictures tonight and put them up

Most of the changers that don't suck are Garrards You should be able to find a screw somewhere on the bottom of the changer chassis to hook up a ground wire to...

Roscoe

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I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

I mentioned MDF because it is easier to work with IF you have a plate joiner. It is also easier to finish. Plywood or even old skids will work if it will not be visible. The main thing is to have a box that will hold the sand.

Tom

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Walt