Hi All,
A while ago I was looking for a better Dual turntable for a console. Thanks to another ARF member I ended up with a nice Dual 1009. Just after I bought it but before it arrived in the mail. A Dual 1019 I was really looking for became available closer to home. So I had to get that one too.

So now what to do with a Dual without a plinth? I am not a good wood worker so I decided to make a concrete plinth.

Here are some pictures of the process. It turned out quite nice. I used the cutout in the wooden console as a template and made some adjustments as making holes in concrete is difficult. In future I would make the centre form out of smaller pieces butted together and screwed to make removal easier. Total cost: $6 for a bag of concrete, scrap 3/4" plywood and a few hours of labour.

When I poured the concrete it was 32C outside so I covered it with plastic to stop it drying out to fast. Should have waited until it had set a bit more. That caused a bit of unevenness in the base. It will sit on a small piece of recessed wood so the unevenness is not too critical, as it will be levelled using adjustable legs. (still have to get those)

Here it is.

Sorry, but, it looks like a Dual on a brick... ugly.
Overkill too.
I never saw a heavy-assed Dual in need of such "support".

Audiophools stuff.

Yep, not everyones cup of tea but I like it. Thats all that matters!

That puppy won't be transmitting any vibrations in the floor thru the system, that's for sure! Always neat to see good old American ingenuity at work!

And I was worried I was spending too much time over at Audiokarma and Vinylengine. I'm with ReapirTech on this one. To each his own I guess.

The trouble is - these Duals are quite heavy units to start with.
Having a heavy steel deck AND a heavy cast aluminum platter.
I've owned several Duals though the years and know well they're quite immune to external vibration.

A mounting "plinth" of brick or even solid cast steel isn't worth the time or effort.
It won't make a difference.

If ANY transmitted vibration is to be worried about at all, it's the airborn bass transmitted to the record surface itself.
And if that's a worry, the OP can busy himself with making a concrete box to fit over the whole chassis, but it would make record-changing a big messy bother.
So WHY bother?........ just turn the music down, and save your hearing.

I think it looks rather cool

Know what is a bigger waste of time then making a concrete plinth?...complaining about someone making a concrete plinth...

dneprrider, I think it looks kinda cool...not my cup of tea but looks better finished then I thought it would. I bet it is a heck of a conversation piece when folks come over. Without stuff like this on the forum, this because a very boring place. Keep up the interesting work!

T

Variety is the spice of life. My Father is bringing a nice slab of Purpleheart wood (that he got many years ago when working in Guyana) over this summer, and together we'll make another plinth out of that wood. Now that should look really nice too. It's fun to build things and perhaps give an idea or two to others to try and be a bit creative. I like to display and use my electronics so this is just another way to keep things from becoming stale around the house.

I think this can be a very lucrative idea...

For the nuts that buy gold plated, oxygen free copper line cords for $1000

this could be the ticket to make money, might have to insert steel rebar in the cement though...for strength

Maybe inbed the cement in plastic or something exotic

Of course, make up a good line of BS

Red up on some audio magazines, see what the latest buzz words are

Kenwood made a neat turntable in the 70's or 80's with a man-made marble plinth, so why not? Personally, I would have added color to the concrete to make it more attractive, but to each their own. It could still be painted whatever color you want it to be, I suppose. Nice job!

I will just add that I would paint the Concrete so it doesn't look like it belongs in the tool shed.

I'd probably tile it with mirror tiles, like a disco ball

You had an idea & successfully followed it through, so for that I congratulate you. And at least it didn't cost you 100's of $$ like the marble & granite pliths I've seen sell for Garrard 301's.
Overkill or not, I think it's great to experiment, and if you have the time & materials, then why not?

I've got a late 70's Sansui SR-929 direct drive quartz locked turntable. The base is a concrete resin mix, finished in ebony gloss black. It weighs in at around 38 lbs.

That is nice. Now I think I will make another in black concrete and see how it turns out.

Awesome! That is definitely an industrial look that would look great in a loft with brick walls. Nice job! Of course I would paint it to match my decor!

Edison made at least a couple of Diamond Disc machines out of concrete as test cases.
I have a real lite 78 turntable that picked up vibrations from the floor (wood).
I got a thick piece of granite made the size of the table it is on and, problem solved.
Looks great.
Jerry F Bacon-Dallas,Tx