How to Use a Torpedo Level for Mounting a Turntable

Mounting the table at a slanted angle can cause skipping and excessive record wear by unbalancing the tonearm.

Turntables use precision, low-friction motors to drive the platter, and the proper operation of the tonearm is dependent on balancing a small weight against the mass of the arm assembly. All these features require a stable, flat surface to function correctly. To aid this, some turntables now include a small spirit level built into the surface of the body. If yours does not have this feature, an ordinary torpedo level from a hardware store can do the same job. Ideally, you'll need two torpedo levels, no more than 6 inches long, or one torpedo level with two vials, set at right angles to each other.

Instructions

1. Screw the rotating feet all the way in to the turntable, so they are all at their lowest setting. Wipe down the surface on which you plan to set the turntable. The feet will need minimal friction to rotate without nudging the turntable. Ensure that the surface is free of any dust that could work its way into the threads on the rotating feet and that obstructions do not prevent the edges of the turntable to move up and down.

2. Place the levels on the platter in an "L" shape --- one running along the bottom edge nearest to you, and one parallel to the side. They should be as close as possible to the edge of the turntable case, and as a result, only the very center of the level will be sitting on the platter.

3. Check the bubble in the level running along the front edge. If it is outside the lines in the middle of the tube, rotate the right turntable foot clockwise to raise the near-right corner. Set the feet so the bubble rests in the center of the tube, between the lines.

4. Move around to the next level on the side of the turntable and repeat the process with the feet. As you look at the turntable from this angle, adjust the right turntable foot, which would have been the left foot when viewed from your last position. When the bubble sits between the lines, invert the "L" shape you made on the platter, placing the levels parallel to the rear edge, and the far side edge.

5. Repeat the whole process, working around the turntable in a clockwise direction, adjusting the right-side foot each time. You will probably have to make two or three complete circuits of all the feet, as each minor adjustment throws out the three other feet until the discrepancy between them is reduced.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the overall height of the turntable as low as possible. The feet should be as close to fully screwed-in as possible. This aids stability and reduces vibrations. Replacement feet are available in a variety of materials to improve this isolation effect.

References

• Turntable Werks: Turntable Werks

Resources

• SymposiumUSA : Ultra Analog