Designing a new "minimal" plinth for my SP10 mk2

[stratokaster83]

Currently I'm in the process of designing a new plinth for my Technics SP10 mk2. I found a CNC cutting company in Dublin and will probably have them cut the layers for me.

I freely admit that I was inspired by "The Mule" designed by Steve (User510): https://www.theanalogdept.com/user510_sp10_mkii.htm

Basically, I want to achieve the following goals:

1) The plinth should look better than my current one (that's the easy part)
2) It should provide mounting space for 2 tonearms
3) The shelf footprint should be as small as possible, mostly because I want to experiment with different support platforms, and they can be very costly in large sizes! As designed, the distance between the contact points of the footers would be just 37x37 cm.

The total height of the plinth (without the footers) should be about 5 cm. I'm thinking about 3 layers of 18mm plywood which would just clear the bottom of the motor unit. Or maybe 2 layers of plywood and a layer of acrylic.

This would be the top and the bottom layer:



The middle layer should have mounting platforms for armboards extending from the right and the back, but I haven't quite settled on the final shape yet.

[Jonpw98]

Hi Pavel

Looks interesting...and a good excuse for a visit of Steve's website.

I was about to ask a question about where will the tonearms mount?....then I spotted your last line. I like this idea, you could have quick change "bolt/screw on" arm-boards like a TD124.

I was almost in Lenco / Garrard etc default mode and thinking it's just not going to be heavy enough....but it's not one of those turntables is it. It's a lovely smooth DD Technics  

Looking forward to seeing the final design.

Jonathan

[stratokaster83]

Thanks Jonathan.

Yes, the Technics doesn't need any vibration damping, and there are many users who feel that a small and lightweight plinth improves the overall presentation by making it more "energetic." I guess if it doesn't work, I can always use the Acoustand plinth which is currently hidden under my bed   

[itskeith]

Hi Pavel,

Will be watching with interest (and SP10 plinth building towards the end of the year)

[sachu888]

Watchine with interest. I am also looking forward to build a slim plinth for my Technics SP12.

Regards
Sachin

[ZM1080]

Thanks Jonathan.

Yes, the Technics doesn't need any vibration damping, and there are many users who feel that a small and lightweight plinth improves the overall presentation by making it more "energetic." I guess if it doesn't work, I can always use the Acoustand plinth which is currently hidden under my bed  

The Technics may not need a damped plinth, but certainly decoupling from below. The arm mount/s will need damping, though. And something to consider, a square plinth is the worse possible shape, as mode shapes (or resonances) are reinforced and new ones formed. And as ply has so little damping, this may be a problem with the plinth adding vibrations rather than taking them away!

The idea of a thin plinth is not to 'add energy' but quite the reverse, it is there to damp resonances, if made of suitable material/s (birch ply is not one of them!).

Having the top and bottom layers the same size is missing a trick, make them different sizes, and you spread the resonance frequencies, not reinforce them!

HTH