Turntable Leveling

[MikeT.]

Hello fellow HFH members!

Aside from playing cards or business cards (which I'm using now), does anyone have a recommendation for a millimeter thick shim that might insert under the legs of my Rega P2 to make a fine adjustment of the front/back/side levels? I've been trying to avoid more expensive devices which would have to replace the current feet since a knuckle rap test on the surface of my "rack" doesn't translate at all to the stylus of my Denon DL103. My "rack" is the top of an antique buffet which is more inert and dead than almost anything I've ever used, even a real rack.

Thanks, in advance!

 

[theflattire]

I just use cardboard.
If you need something nice or permanent, I got some G10, the stuff they use for knife scales, it comes in different thicknesses. Maybe get some 1/16" or 1/32" or so.
Cut them in circles for under the feet?

 

[MikeT.]

I was hoping someone would reinforce my business card theory but the knife scales idea is brilliant!

 

[Spinner45]

Delrin shims?

 

[MikeT.]

Delrin shims?

You think they make Delrin shims 1mm thick? I’ll check right now. Great suggestion. I’m using a Delrin shim in my tone arm.

 

[Mike414]

My leveling shims of choice are those free sample kitchen laminate pieces you can get at the home improvement stores. Approx. 2" x 2 3/4", about 1mm thick and easily stacked to the desired thickness. So many colors and patterns to choose from.

 

[mhardy6647]

I mean -- There's always the nuclear option: dynamically balanced arm
Leveling be d@mned!

Dual 1019 p3 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

inverted tt by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

 

[JohnVF]

I mean -- There's always the nuclear option: dynamically balanced arm
Leveling be d@mned!

Dual 1019 p3 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

inverted tt by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

You know, I have the upside turntable in the other room. Just not...upside down. It could certainly open up some space.....hmm.....

Now where is that record clamp?

 

[mhardy6647]

You know, I have the upside turntable in the other room. Just not...upside down. It could certainly open up some space.....hmm.....

Now where is that record clamp?

I think some special consideration may be required to keep the platter in place. 🙀

EDIT: I do find it amusing that DUAL (or whoever was responsible for the English manual) saw fit to include party tricks in the owners manual. 😎

 

[JohnVF]

I think some special consideration may be required to keep the platter in place. 🙀

EDIT: I do find it amusing that DUAL (or whoever was responsible for the English manual) saw fit to include party tricks in the owners manual. 😎

As somebody who, in my youth, would routinely play 45s by just centering them best I could in lieu of having an adaptor, I appreciate the party-tricks. Though my turntable tracked them ok like that.

 

[mhardy6647]

As somebody who, in my youth, would routinely play 45s by just centering them best I could in lieu of having an adaptor, I appreciate the party-tricks. Though my turntable tracked them ok like that.

You are not alone, ol' son.

 

[Wntrmute2]

Mcmaster-Carr Why limit yourself to metric thicknesses?

 

[240sx4u]

What's laying around? Use that. You could also level the cabinet instead if you want to make an ordeal of it.

 

[MikeT.]

My leveling shims of choice are those free sample kitchen laminate pieces you can get at the home improvement stores. Approx. 2" x 2 3/4", about 1mm thick and easily stacked to the desired thickness. So many colors and patterns to choose from.

Now why didn’t I think of that! Thanks @Mike414 !

 

[mpholland]

If you are a perfectionist you could always buy a feeler gauge set and some tin snips and make shims in any thickness you desire down to the .001 inch. Brass shim stock sheets are also available down to .001" which is thinner than paper.

 

[MikeT.]

What's laying around? Use that. You could also level the cabinet instead if you want to make an ordeal of it.

I’ve actually tried to level the cabinet but it weighs, well, a LOT. Getting a VERY HEAVY cabinet up by one or two millimeters, a quarter of an inch, whatever small unit of measurement one chooses to use, the carpet and padding decompresses slightly upwards and by the time you get ANYTHING under just one of the legs (there’s six), lowering it, and accounting for carpet and padding recompression, well, you’re sweaty and weak. By this time, the actual amount of leveling required has changed.

Can you tell it wasn’t a rewarding experience? But you described it more accurately as an ordeal @240sx4u

Kitchen laminate samples might just work. In rummaging through my “hifi storage closet” I found a sheet of Herbie’s Grungebuster 1mm foam. Hmmm, maybe but I hold out more hope for the laminate samples.

 

[JohnVF]

Future spendy fix?

Funk Firm: Boing Isolation Feet For Rega Turntables - 3 FeetFor Rega Turntables *LOC_E1

Buy Funk Firm: Boing Isolation Feet For Rega Turntables - 3 Feet at TurntableLab.com, a Better Music Store Experience since 1999.

www.turntablelab.com

 

[Rudy]

The turntable is fine. It's the house that needs leveling! 😮

Future spendy fix?

Any feet with those threads would work, I'd think. IIRC, though, the Rega design insisted on being lightweight, and having non-isolation feet, so the energy would dissipate. Or something.

Honestly, I'd still rather have isolation feet. I have a dual isolation system for my TT rig right now, and it works quite well.

 

[MikeT.]

The turntable is fine. It's the house that needs leveling! 😮

Any feet with those threads would work, I'd think. IIRC, though, the Rega design insisted on being lightweight, and having non-isolation feet, so the energy would dissipate. Or something.

The Rega “or something “ is so true. I really like the Rega tonearms, the P2 was a purchase meant to ease me back into vinyl. If I decide to upgrade, the RB330 tonearm, the one on the P3 and P6, is a drop-in replacement. I just don’t like their double-brace technology which does “something”.

 

[Rudy]

My "something" is only my way of saying I read about their turntable philosophy so long ago that I've forgotten all the details. 😁

Back when I was using a Linn knockoff (turntable), if I'd not already owned a Grace 707-II, I probably would have gone for one of the Rega arms, as those were popular back in the 80s.