What's in a plinth...

We have created a new plinth made from a rather interesting material - paper.

The content is 70% recycled paper and 30% thermoset polymer.

 

 

 

The paper is dipped into the polymer, stacked in layers and cured under high pressure and temperature. This creates a material almost identical in resonant character to ebony wood but with greater consistency.

 

How can I say this with any credibility?

I don't have to - it is has become the de facto replacement for tone wood in musical instruments. Despite a heavy tradition and prejudice for wood in this realm the result of blind testings with musicians and recording engineers has shown this material to be consistently chosen over ebony for its sound quality. 

 

 

 

The sonic result in vinyl playback is not only that of ample foundation but also excellent acceleration of transients (Brio) and true resolution (Timbre). By this it is meant that not only detail but also tone characteristics of wood, brass and vocals, etc... are better represented. With this material the nature of the instruments as well as the humanity of a performance are more readily perceivable.

 

 

 

Stone, plastics, and other wood materials have not had the same balanced spectrum of performance. The combination of rigidity, harness, dampening, and mass creates the vibrational characteristics of a plinth. Here the material is quite rigid and strong as is demonstrated by its use in airplane propellers. It is layered with varying density and so posses intrinsic constrained layer dampening.

There are cons to any material and here the primary disadvantage is cost. This material costs as much or more than ebony wood itself. On the upside however is its consistency, environmentally friendliness (it does not suffer the conservation issues of ebony) and it is easy to mill.

 

 

 

After a decade of experimentation with MDF, HDF, Panzerholz, maple wood and slate, and then two years in developing a stone mix with super hardened concrete under the tutelage of J.C. Verdier, to excellent effect, it was not easy to find something better. Although I played guitars featuring this material over the years the cost for something as large as a turntable plinth was difficult to accept for testing. Intuition often leads out of the comfort zone - if we listen to it. While the Verdier "Granito" plinth easily bettered slate, maple wood and even stainless steel combined with slate the new material goes a step further into something more musically correct. In short is has maintained a similar foundation to the "Granito" is possesses considerably greater Brio and Timbre. It is also quite attractive.

 

Email for pricing and availability.