Turntables

A turntable/record player is analog device which plays vinyl records.

In the case of turntables - the plinth of the turntable (its base), is not supposed to flex, resonate, or vibrate while it supports the motor, platter, and tonearm. This is where a few points come to mind that one should take care to pay special attention to when considering the purchase of a good quality turntable. Design decisions for audio equipment such as the turntable should be based on physics, and not the "this seems like a good idea" approach.

The best-sounding solution has been to use a turntable with a very firm suspension and heavy plinth. The plinth is also exposed to sound coming through the air. The most likely range of tones it will pick up from the air are those in the voice-range, because those wavelengths 'fit' the plinth in size and are of the same tone that many common materials prefer to receive from the air. The solution could be a plinth made from materials exceptionally dead in that middle-tone range.

A suspension under the plinth can isolate it from shelf and floor vibrations, allowing less vibration to come up through, or there could be no suspension at all, which would keep the turntable plinth from rocking when the stylus hits a loud passage or a drum beat.

Tonearms are simple devices but very complicated in design. A tonearm must must support the phono cartridge with no flexing or bearing rattle, all this while letting the cartridge move across the record, and up and down with virtually no friction. Under no circumstances should it allow the cartridge to torsionally rotate about its axis.

Then in comes the platter - the platter musty firmly support the record/LP. Platters are usually heavy or have weights around the edge to enforce the flywheel effect. Platters and record mats are chosen to assist in the damping of higher frequency vinyl vibrations.