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How Good Is A Marble Slab at Deadening Vibration

I have a marbles slab that is approx. 42" X 16X 2". A left over insert from a coffee table. I would like to lay it on top of a plant stand table that is 50" X 18X 30" The slab weigh about 70 lbs. II think I have enough space laterally to position a Rega turntable, a Bel Canto line stage, and Rega Apollo CD player and a pair of Red Dragon monoblocks, that could easily be stack vertically if necessary.(Also could place them on the bottom shelf which has a slight V-shaped dip ...probably a run off channel. This would save me three feet of speaker cable on both channels is placed near the bottom)

The plant stand is made of wood and has fairly massive "L-shaped" legs. The table weight is about 40 pounds.

My thinking is that a marble slab should provide excellent isolation from vibration. The only drawback is the left side of table will only be a foot from the right speaker. So I would start the progression of components from right to left to increase the distance to the speaker in question. Would like opinions from members about the pros/cons of this set-up. Thanks, Jim
sunnyjim

Showing 9 responses by geoffkait

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I like bluestone slabs quite a bit, especially the 18x18" squares they have at a lot of Home Depots, TWO inches thick. The price is right, too.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Thick slab should be OK. If you don't like the sound of the marble slab when struck with a small hammer, I suggest not striking it with a hammer when the music is playing. The advantage of a thick slab is its stiffness - resistance to bending forces produced by seismic vibration. Besides, no harm in trying it as price of purchasing such a size and thickness marble slab is very high.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I use marble or ceramic tiles stacked to form slabs with specially designed tempered high carbon steel springs underneath, you know, your basic mass-on-spring isolation... simple elegant effective.

(Manufacturer warning)
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Is the bamboo grain vertical or horizontal?

:-)
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I suspect one will have much better results using slabs of marble, granite, etc. if he mounts the slab on cones and avoids the use of soft pliant materials like rubber and cork as those materials impede the rapid evacuation of energy out of the system. Damping the slab is better executed with Mpingo discs or similar devices that off load energy rapidly. When we try to Deaden vibration we often wind up trapping it instead. Tried and true mass-on-spring isolating devices usually improve upon such mundane devices as slabs of marble or granite on cones.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I built a mag lev system using neodymium magnets about 20 years ago. Since the opposing magnets have a strong proclivity to slide horizontally, it is an engineering challenge to prevent a path that vibration can travel up through from developing. Nevertheless...

Apologies for the use of three consecutive adverbs.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Hevac1 wrote,

I agree but with having limited space of a 1/2" spring isolation is either very expensive or not possible. There is also the WAF factor as make springs look nice without restriction of the spring is a hole different ball game."

I assume that space restriction doesn't apply to the component on top of the rack. I'm not very high on racks, have you considered mounting the components directly on the floor. I can appreciate WAF can sometimes override sonic considerations.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Act-u-ally, maple is much denser than bamboo. I'm not saying density is the overriding characteristic of value. Otherwise we'd all be using ebony.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
A 2" slab of marble will ring somewhat when struck with a small hammer or other implement. The trick is don't strike it when the music is playing. I's had marble slabs, Italian marble, at CES. All depends on how you support the slab and how you support the component. The advantages of marble are stiffness and hardness. I also have a soft spot for bluestone, a considerably less expensive alternative.
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