Damping Top of CDP


I just got a Music Hall CD25.2 for a second stereo system. With my other player, a Sony 222ES, I got a significant sound improvement by sticking a Bright Star Audio Little Rock 5 on top. I was thinking of doing the same for the Music Hall but wanted to consider less expensive alternatives.

Are those 3M sheets any good? How about that gel filled bag (Gutwire?) they sell at Music Direct? Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Tony
socprof
Put something heavy and that will pour like sand in a zip lock bag. Then put that into a second bag in case you get a leak. Can't get much cheaper than that.
i made one years ago by getting an old cigar box, filling it with shot and sand, then sealing it with glue. it works very well and never leaked.
agree w/ Herman!
what I have is a 12"X12" marble tile from Home Depot sitting on a sheet of cork. Can use granite-over-cork too. However, both are more expensive than sand in a ziploc bag.
Try scuba weight-belt weights. The two types I prefer are the loose lead in sealed bags or the solid lead that have a rubber-like coating. They are cheap and effective and I can't see that there is much difference between them and the audiophile stuff that costs much more.
I've used sand filled zip lock bags on top of my speakers with success. Also, just go to a gun shot and pick up a bag of lead. Another cheap tweak that will replace the feet on your player is to get the HVAC rubber/cork blocks. These are the same as what Mapleshade sells only for a lot lot less if you can find an HVAC dealer or supplier that has them.
An alternative is to try placing multiple smaller items on top of your Music Hall like lead shot filled Gumby action figures. If you pick something too heavy like that gi-mungous Golden Gate Bridge bolt Marco [Jax2] use to use it might over dampen the chassis and cause the sound to deaden. Using multiple smaller items allows you some adjustability. Just one Pokey might sound better than two Blockheads, or a Groov-Bee. Experiment!
I have used the Virmode.com "Virtual Mode De Bag!" successfully, and it only recently has been de-throned by the "Mini" Brilliant Pebbles from machinadynamica.com.
Both companies are quite independent-minded, and worth checking out for anyone who enjoys the joy of discovering a "tweak" that makes things sound better, not just different.
To get the full flavor of Virtual Mode's emphasis on being the most cost-effective source one must telephone for their full catalog.
Machina Dynamica is more into tweaks that border on the supernatural, and prices range from the most cost effective, up to the very most effective, regardless of price.
Don't forget the supporting structure/devices for your CDP box, which are available from Virtual Mode, Machina Dynamica, and many other sources, in a multitude of sizes, shapes, materials, and prices.
My little known "find" of a support product is Mi-Roller from Musical Industry at mihorn.com, which is one of the many competitors to the Aurios MIB (media isolation bearing), at a lower price point.
The choices are too numerous in the affordable price range to pick a single champion, but most seem to enhance the listening experience in one or more ways.
Get a Radio Shack project box.
They come in various sizes and fill them with pennies.
Not only does this provide the mass loading but the copper provides shielding.
I dampend my Arcam9 on the inside cover with a product called" BrownBread", this has dampening sticky side for attachment and aluminum on the other for heat absortion. it is a British prouduct and can be ordered from any dealer that sells any english produck like rega for instance, it cost me $26.00 Canadian, the 3M product sounds to me to be in the same vein.Good Luck Ernest.
I've used an old brick with a piece of bubble wrap under it and that seemed to work well, my version of the "majic brick". Experiment. Oh, and Gumbei, where do you find lead shot filled Gumby action figures, I've got to try those. SEMPER GUMBY (always flexible)
Some of the DVD player tweakers are using a peel and stick floor tile from Home Depot. Simply cut to fit and stick it on the inside top cover of the player.

I've never used this tweek, but it seems to be common with the neuvo tweeks over at AudioAsylum and other sites.

Enjoy,

TIC
I'd try a side of beef wrapped in butcher's paper. Fleshes out all the inner detail you can handle. In a month's time you'll have a kinetic audio sculpture, and the movement of the maggots will act to stabilize those nasty vibrations even further still. The magic "indicator-bone" lets you know it's time to replace it with another. If you can't spring for a good side of beef then my second choice would be some rolled up sod from the garden-supply store. I don't recommend pulling another bolt off the Golden Gate Bridge as my green buddy, The Gumbilator, suggests. I got mine pre Patriot-Act. You get caught wrenchin' out one of those puppies these days and your family will be relocated to Downtown, Buttfukt while they erase all their memories of you with a Dremel Tool. Believe me, premature ejaculation, hair loss and your consumer credit rating will cease to be your primary concerns, Keemosabee! Now if you're talking Brooklyn Bridge, well now, I can part with a little piece of that given the right price!

Marco
You don't mention whether the cdp is isolated. Ultimately, that will provide a greater improvement than beanbags, linoleum tile or pucks on top. There are plenty of threads on Agon dealing with the various platforms, blocks, cones or other devices that will decouple your cdp from your stand. Once you've isolated the player you can move on to the next level of tweaking.
leave the Brooklyn Bridge alone, I cross it when I go to work every day. I like the beef vibration control solution better. I may actually try it some day. Jax2 what do you recommend as acoustic room treatment I wonder....
Jax2 what do you recommend as acoustic room
treatment I wonder....

I use small children and house pets. If you live in a 'family-oriented'
neighborhood like me, they can frequently be found wandering the streets,
and/or on their way to or from school. I've been encouraged by fellow
audiophiles who've listened in my room to start selling my line of manacles
and gags for just that purpose. Ought'a put that Rives fellow right outta'
business if I ever do. Well, I guess you can still use their PARC device to
position the little rugrats! It's kind of expensive keeping the whole system
fed and maintained, but let me tell you, once you hear it you'll never want to
go back to 'pedestrian' room treatments. You need to get'em between 8-10
years old for optimum performance. Once they get older you just dump here
on the Gon' to some unsuspecting geek who doesn't know better. Oh, and
don't forget to cut air holes in those shipping boxes, and throw in a couple of
Twinkies™ if it's going to be more than a couple of days in transit. If you
have a bigger room the fat ones will serve you better, but are more expensive
to feed and keep. Cats hung up in the corners of the room make great bass-
busters, but make sure to take em down to use the litterbox on a regular
basis or you'll be sorry. Oh, and be patient on this stuff if you decide to try it
out; the break-in period is a killer! I'd recommend going on vacation and
leave the feeding and maintenance to a good friend or neighbor who won't
report you to the local authorities. Regardless, give it a good month before
you settle in and enjoy the new room!

Marco

PS I was born and raised in Brooklyn Heights. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Marco is right, the effectiveness of snack foods can't be underestimated when applied to audio component isolation and vibration control. I thread my interconnects through Hostess DogNutz® and place them wherever my cables might contact a wall or a power cable. Very effective at preventing unwanted vibration from entering my system and sweetens the sound too.

Marco fails to mention that the reason his Pet Isolator is so effective is because he's implemented the über high end Diesel™ upgrade.
Clio09: Have you ever read Pierre Sprey's sales spiel for "his" Mapleshade Iso-Blocks? He states that he "designed" the Iso-Blocks, which are nothing more than Wagner 2" and 4" mounting blocks, used by heating/colling (HVAC) contractors underneath furnaces.

But Pierre designed and developed them ... yeah right!

Jack

Jack,

Yes I heard that. I paid $10 for a set of 4. I can't remember what Mapleshade charges, but I thought it was $10 each. If you listen to Pierre you'd think he'd developed everything but the toaster.

Tony