Isolation Feet for Laptop

@ghdprentice 

My background is computers and electronics. From an engineering standpoint, the only advantage a streamer has is that it is a closed system. It still uses IC chips, solid state drives for storage and pulls in AC to convert to DC, then uses logic chips to convert digital packets into analog waves. It also has to use the OSI layer to process those internet streams. Another advantage over my system is better conductive ports than say, your average USB 3.0 port. Like balanced XLRs which I cannot use. *shrug* Unless someone can point out a very specific and proprietary technology only found in a streamer, then I am going to default to basic computer logic and construction which isn't much different than my system.  I'm not running Windows Media player on 96bit mp3 files through a Pentium 4 in Windows 95. 😅

Besides, I don't want to rely on only streaming.  The providers of "high end" "high resolution" audio are cheating customers by up-scaling 44.1 mastered audio to 96Kz or 192Kz or higher.  Very few studios are releasing straight from master high-resolution files.  I have a TIDAL and QOBUZ subscription and have determined both platforms do it.

Honestly, if people took me and my setup seriously, instead of applying tropes to what they "think" it should sound like, then I wouldn't need to borrow a streamer. However, I did check out a few streamers at Nebraska Furniture Mart in their Audiophile room. Their top end was the Arcam ST60 Streamer.  I didn't hear enough difference in what my system outputs. Even through their Bower's & Wilkins, running through an Audioquest Niagara 7000 and easily $50,000 worth of Audioquest top-end power and speaker cables.

In fact, it was at that point that I knew my system was on the right track and that what I wanted to do was very possible.  It's just I have to get all the pieces.

@mewsickbuff 

OMG!!  I got the OREA isolation feet in and put on my sub.  What a HUGE difference! I expected tighter bass and I got that, but what I didn't expect was that it affected my actual main speakers too. I have hardwood floors and the HD6 are mounted on a metal speaker stands with spikes (I know, spikes are NOT ideal for hardwood floors.  So, I have neoprene sheets under them.).  Apparently, the vibration from the sub was traveling up the spikes and through the stands and causing reflection on the tweeter, which is EXTREMELY sensitive to any vibration. It's a 1" soft dome, but acts like an electrostatic in its vibration sensitivity. The clarity picked up and the soundstage became more pinpoint.

So now I have high hopes for my incoming GAIA isolation feet for the stands. :D 

I suppose we all follow a different path on our journey to audio quality.

The only isolation I use in my current system except for rubber feet on various components are paving blocks I purchased at the local Home Depot, i use them under my speakers. I think the cost was 0.89 each.

I used a laptop as source into a Schiit DAC for quite some time, but the idea to remove the laptop from the equation seemed to be the best step I could take on this journey. 

I wanted a streamer, but couldn't afford the one I wanted, decided to go the raspberry pi route. I now have a raspberry pi 4gig with rune audio (not related to roon), a 1TB ssd storing flacs and it is connected to my Denafrips DAC via a decent USB cable, then the next step in my system is a passive XLR preamp then XLR into Bryston mono amps. then onto Von Schweikert speakers. this cobbled up system is near audio heaven for my ears, I don't see myself changing anything any time soon. Well, except perhaps selling a cd transport I have not turned on for almost a year.

Logically you have a valid point.  To stay consistent you must ask if the vibration isolators are NOT necessarily beneficial to the rest of the system.  In fact, do you notice it?  They may not be, and I am not intimidated by those who claim they do. 

You are talking about acoustically isolating a computer. Have you considered MAGNETIC isolation?  The CPU STREAMS OUT tons of 3 GHz white noise.  You should measure it.  There is HUGE RF there.  Let alone 5G and the RF in your house.  Do you think isolating your cables from micro-vibrations holds a candle to the voltage induced by these devices?  Or even a lowly DA converter.   

No.

You would be smarter to cut some thick steel plate and shield it all.  I reduced my TT noise -20 dB that way.  I get over -100 dB S/N from my MC cartridge.  Unheard of?  You bet. 

Now do I "believe" in acoustic shielding?  It has its place.  Far behind others. 

I may have missed something - you are doing all this for a $700 pair of speakers?

Your sense of humor is spectacular