Use thin cork material glued between between maple wood layers.
Want to build a rack with sandwich layered dampening
Hi all,
I considering constructing a very basic, small, low two shelf rack to accommodate my somewhat compact components to replace my rather resonant Pangea rack. Lower, not as deep and a bit wider to accommodate access, but also keep it low to preserve stage between the speakers in my smallish listening room.
I’ve found some perfectly sized and precut maple (I think it’s maple will have double check). 3/4 to 1” boards that I’d like to sandwich together with screws, and place some sort of elastomer material between to control resonances. The legs would be basic but thick, and I’d probably just put spring isolators under them. Rack would be sitting on a raised hardwood floor.
My question: would using a sheet layer of sound absorbing butyl or some type of elastomer in between help or potentially harm sonics? Reason I’m asking, I’ve found sorbothane to actually have an adverse effect under components, with say stack audio pucks instead a purely delightful improvement. I know we’re talking about a different application, but still would like to get some experienced thoughts on anyone that has done - or purchased - something similar.
Big thanks in advance for anyone’s help!
John
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- 18 posts total
Some interesting responses and certainly more than one way to skin the cat (no cats were harmed during the writing of this post). The gatorboard I recommended was a material used by some of us back in the day and patterned off of the foam used by Symposium Acoustics' constrained layer products such as this one and this one. I have made platforms with that material sandwiched between two layers of MDF and trimmed in oak that still support some of my front end components along with Zoethecus Z-slabs, another constrained layer product that previously came with Zoethecus audio equipment racks (no longer in business). The Z-slabs utilize multiple layers of materials with the top surface being aluminum. |
Some more really great ideas! Of course, more to think about. Which is fine since I’ve been obsessing over this for some time. Just to clarify, I’ve also got spring isolators and other products under my components, but will try more of the Stack Audio products soon. @terry9 Great suggestions, hadn’t thought through the fact that many products that dissipate component cabinet energy use a variety of materials (and even metallic sand). I’m already using Stack audio Auva EQ’s under my pre and they far surpass anything else I’ve tried. Would make sense to do this for the shelves as well. And yes, now seeing that screws would negate these efforts almost entirely. @carlsbad2 I’ve been back and forth about exactly what you’ve suggested. Dissipation (constrained layering) vs resonance draining/tuning, or an effective ratio therein. Too much dampening seem to deaden sound as much as over damping a room. @dmk_calgary @brunomarcs @mitch2 That might be a good way to go. Build just a simple maple rack and customize platforms under components. Thank you all!
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- 18 posts total