I've had good results with Vibrapods. $6 each. Some Audiogon dealer discounts for buying 12, 24, etc, with free shipping. |
Spiking speakers has always been a good start. I use Black Diamond Racing cones and pucks. Brass or titanium cones with protective brass disks is another option. The ball bearing isolation products cost more but are said to be quite effective. I will be testing a set this week-end on my speakers. You could write me to find out how it works out. |
The most often overlooked piece of the mechanical isolation puzzle is right up on top (of each component).
There are lots and lots of cones, blobs, platforms, spikes, discs, etc. out there, and most of them do a great job.
Don't forget to mass load the tops of your components, though. Common grey-concrete bricks with felt glued to the bottoms work very well. And they're CHEAP! |
Walker Audio Valid Points Tuning Kit |
I have tried a bunch and hands down the ultimate vibration control is the Sounds of Silence Vibraplane. Pretty expensive, but a good deal when you hear what it can do. |
Cones on everything. I wouldn't buy the Walker stuff. Too expensive. You can do as good, for significantly less. It's not a good idea top load anything. I know this is contrary to what many people think, but in the state of the art of resonance control theories; top loading will not do it. You want all those resonances to travel to the floor; not be absorbed. If only the bad resonances were absorbed that would be great, but it's not the case. There are plenty of good resonances that you want to hear. I can give you more information where to buy great cones. |
I have tried them all, and highly recommend Aurios MIBs, or Brass triple points. |
I also have tried many, and the Machina Dynamica Nimbus is the best I've found for turntables and CD players / transports. |
Not all the equipment resonate the same, so maybe no cones are THE cones. Find out what's wrong with your sound and then try the logical solutions. Usually the harder, sharper cones give you analytic sound; the softer cones render forgiving sound (or sluggish one). One more thing to notice, the vibration is not only on the chasis, but also on the transformer, the internal wiring, the PCB... What are you going to do with them? None I guess. So, don't work too hard, just do what you can do and willing to do. By the way, the position of the cones are also very tricky. I usually look for the spot by moving the cones around and concentrate listening to live recordings, when some of the instruments come alive then this must be a good spot for the cone. |
I am very impressed with my results from Aurios. I use the pro's under my 185lb/ea speakers and 60lb SCD-1. I just bought some 1.0's to put under my other components. Great stuff. |
Let it vibrate. You can't fight mother nature. However you can introduce a high speed condutive path for the Coloumb energy to exit. I have been using Audio Points and Sistrum products for nearly 10 yrs. These devices based on Coloumbs law of physics continue to amaze me and anyone of my friends who have tried them. I can testify they will make as much difference as changing a component. If you damp it you will kill it or alter the octaves above it or below. The idea is to naturally collect and let it exit in fast and orderly fashion. Uncompressed!!!!! Tom |
I agree with Tom. I use the same products and am as pleased as punch. They (Star Sound Technology) are, now, producing speaker stands that are the best I have ever heard. They are based on the same technology. I mentioned it in an earlier post. It's resonance transference. There are some resonances that you just don't want to lose.
Warren |
Different devices have different characteristics, so I recommend that you buy several different ones and experiment with combinations. Definitely put your speakers on stands or cones. After much trial and error, I have ended up with an air platform under my preamp, a sandbox under my turntable, brass cones under my cd player and amp, and vibrapods under my power supplies. In my HT, the DVD is on cones and an air platform. But a different combination might suit you and your gear better. You also don't need to spend a ton on it, so it can be a great value tweak. |
Sistrum and Audiopoints are based on physics and not conjecture. These devices are the only ones I am aware of that were simultaneously designed to evacuate, electrical, mechanical,as well as airborne disturbances. They do not dampen nor do they isolate. They are a high speed conductive path for the internal, as well as the externally generated noise to exit from the device they are placed under. Mixing and stirring will create a soup sandwich, but in my experience soup does not serve the music well. |
We have to be careful with out generalizations here. Vibration in a tonearm or headshell or cartridge should be damped. If you allow it to vibrate, it will eliminate part of your pickup capabilities, and impart unwanted resonant sounds. No load path can remove this vibration fast enough.
In general regarding components, damping and controlled vibrational paths can be used depending on the circumstance. I use hard cones under my TT, but I damp my headshell and cartridge. Understanding the nature of the vibrations, and their effect on the particular item, will determine whether load paths or damping should be used. There is no "catch-all" method. |
You got him. Maybe damping the tonearm and headshell to help with pickup. I'll give you that. But that's all. Theaudiotweak is dead on about everything else. |
What selected resonances are being dampened that will not interfere with dynamics, transient speed, or coherence..?You succeeded in re-tuning your arm and cartridge by shifting the resonances to a different frequency. They are still attached. |
