By Juan C. Ayllon Since selling my living edge turntable isolation platform this last year, I've had a gnawing desire to find a replacement that would go better with our modern minimalist family/ A/V room. Now our rule is that when I'm not using it, the turntable has to be tucked away in our BDI Corridor media console (so as not to ruin its aesthetic lines with the extra clutter), but even so, simply placing my VPI Prime Scout turntable directly atop AV RoomService Equipment Vibration Protector pads -- which works well to isolate it -- always felt a bit chintzy. I have always felt that a better solution would be to place the deck on a heavy platform that, in turn, would be supported by the EVPs. The big catch was that I really didn't want to spend much money on them. I spent a lot of money this year in upgrading my speakers and media cabinet, so I didn't have a lot of discretionary funds to spend on audio accessories. If I could keep my cost under $50 (and preferably, $35), I'd be happy, I told myself. Doing some research, I periodically called marble, granite and stone countertop fabricators for a scrap 18"x 24" piece of soapstone or marble inexpensively but was disappointed with the results. Granite, which was in high abundance, had a ringing problem at certain frequencies, while soapstone was spectacular, but very expensive. For example, a soapstone piece (which would be ideal) would run me around $250 form a local reseller, and prices were comparable elsewhere, if I could find it. I started looking more at marble. I'd heard $250 and $100 several times, but that was more than I wanted to spend. For all intensive purposes, quartz seemed doable, but finding something anywhere in my price range eluded me. Then several nights ago, I was up late watching YouTube videos and saw one that advertised showing us how to build a turntable isolation platform for under $10. The still lead picture of their sample looked attractive, so I hit "Play." Then, this guy with a European accent went dumpster diving behind a countertop maker, found a properly sized piece, snagged it, and took it home, where, goggled up with safety glasses, he cut it to shape with a rotary saw blade mounted on his wireless drill. The results were pretty cool, but I imagined myself trying that, then having the blade catch, then skitter off and send me to the emergency room with a deep and costly wound. No thanks! Still, what if I got an inexpensive piece from a countertop builder and had them or someone else cut it for me? I made a few calls, but the cheapest I could get something my size was $100. I started rethinking the heavy stone option yesterday and reached out to a reclaimed lumber reseller where I'd purchased my living edge platform. He didn't have anything in my budge, but he did have some leftover butcher block at a store where he worked nearby that he could cut down to size for $50. I almost went for it. However, something told me to hold off. Fast forward to 8:00 AM this morning. I thought, "I'm on vacation. Why don't I make a few calls to marble and stone fabricators and see if I can't find something? It's worth a try." So, I called a half dozen marble and stone countertop makers and fabricators in the Kenosha, Wisconsin area, and when the customer service quoted me $100, I mentioned that I was looking for something less expensive, she suggested that I could check their dumpster out back for some scrap pieces that had been thrown out. My mind flashed back to the YouTube video of the dumpster diver and I said, "Sure! That would be great!" "Just don't climb in; we don't allow that for safety reasons," she said. I agreed. En route, I enthused, "Wouldn't it be great if I found something I really liked?" Breathing a small prayer for this little trinket, I reminded myself that, either way, it's an adventure. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, yada, yada, yada... Forty-five minutes later, I arrived at the shop, said, "hello", and walked back to a large, 18' x 8' x 4..5' steel dumpster piled high with of various lengths and sizes of granite, quartz, stone, and broken wooden pallets. Most of the quartz and granite sections were odd shaped and broken. Walking around the dumpster, the bottoms of my walking shoes were covered in a gray slurry of crushed stone and mud. Finding a discarded baby car seat, I used it as a stepping stool to see and reach items better. Looking in, I saw that some of the larger, more desirable pieces were tucked under overhanging pallets and other broken parts, so I had to pull out the undesirable ones, push at the pallet, and retrieve the heavy stone item, and measure it with my measuring tape that I'd tucked into my coat pocket. After about 15 minutes, I found one the right size. It had some odd cuts in it, but I thought it might work if I could get them to cut one end off and trim the other side a smidgen. I brought it inside and asked if their shop could trim the piece I'd found, and the receptionist said that the workers were out on a job, but should be back sometime today. A few minutes later, a laborer pulled into the lot, walked in, and listened as I made my request. He said that he could do it, but when I asked for the cost, the receptionist called the owner for a quote. "Unfortunately, it will cost you $100," she said, frowning. "Thanks, but that's more than I was wanting to spend," I said. As I turned to walk out, the laborer said, "There's in the back that we are throwing out, if you want to have a look." He waved me towards the back of the warehouse, behind some cutting machinery, leaning against the wall, were an assortment of various sizes of quartz. The receptionist, who'd followed us, measured the selections that I was interested in, and one attractive, white colored rectangular sheet narrowly met my requirements: it was 16" x 28". I recalled that my turntable was roughly 15" x 19" (and roughly 1 1/2" thick), so that could work! Total cost: Zero dollars. Fantastic! I thanked the two of them for all their help, said goodbye, and hoisting up my newfound treasure, took it out to my car. ,As I approached the I-94 Highway, I remembered that an old favorite antique store was just on the other side of the underpass, so I drove over. Looking like an oversized barn, the Rustic Dairyland Antique Mall was a place I'd made many purchases, and it had been several years since I'd been there last. A clerk greeted me as I walked in, and the hunt began. "Wow," I thought spying all the knickknacks , "This is a hoarder's dream!" However, as I walked past numerous stalls, I found several displays featuring vinyl records. Flipping through hundreds of albums, I settled upon three -- Lyle Mays (the accomplished pianist of Pat Metheny Group fame), David Sanborn's Straight Through the Heart, and Glen Campbell: Hey Little One. Twenty-four dollars and fifty cents later, sporting a broad grin, I loaded my loot into the car, picked up groceries for tonight's dinner, and headed home. Then spraying my new turntable isolation platform with Glass Plus and wiping it down with paper towels, I was very pleased with its appearance. Looks like I'll be playing a little vinyl later on today.
Either way, it's been quite the little adventure today, and a wonderful way to spend a day off!
2 Comments
Dan Starr
3/8/2023 05:43:47 pm
Juan, somehow I had missed this story, it enjoyed reading it tonight. I also use the AVP absorbers on my turntable, and also under my Electrocompaniet integrated and phono stage. I like them! In a previous home, we had very limited space, so I commandeered a hallway closet to build shelves to keep my gear. The best part of it was using 3/4 birch plywood and drawer sliders so I could slide my turntable out for access. Worked well and I did not sacrifice sound. Trust this finds you well and enjoying a well-earned retirement. Best - Dan
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Juan C Ayllon
3/8/2023 07:37:34 pm
Hi Dan,
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Juan C. AyllonA writer, artist, educator and owner of Prairie Audio Man Cave, he lives with his wife, Isabel (AKA Belle), and their Goldendoodle, Liam, enjoys listening to high fidelity music and all things hi-fi at their home in the greater Chicagoland area.. Archives
March 2024
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