Which speakers to isolate first?


Folks, I have a pair of Electrostatic panels and separate subwoofers, all on Sound Anchor stands.  I recently moved into a new home that has a wood subfloor (old room was on a concrete slab), so I am considering floor isolation options.  My question, is which speakers to prioritize - the subwoofers or the panels?  Or neither...

Many Thanks.  

mvanwoert

Showing 2 responses by cd318

@mvanwoert 

I would start with the subs.

At first sight that might seem odd advice because it's known that our ears are far less sensitive to bass distortion than any found in the midrange.

On the other hand in real world terms if you are likely to have audible distortion then it's more likely to be found in the low bass than anywhere else. This is due to the greater movement and work being asked of the drivers and the cabinet.

 

You should definitely experiment with isolation because going from a concrete to a wooden floor is a fairly dramatic switch in support.

Equipment placed on wooden floors seems to benefit far more from some form of isolation too.

A simple method might be to initially use some cheap foam/rubber under each speaker.

Perhaps some experiment with placement too if your situation allows. I recently watched this video which shed some further light on the complex issue of boundary reflections.

Perhaps it might be of some help to you.

 

 

@mvanwoert 

CD318 - you didn't include the video link.  

 

It seems to display ok on my phone via Firefox.

Oh well let's try again - it's well worth a look at!

Speakers in Rooms - Considerations  for the Best Sound 

Harbeth Audio Ltd  (YouTube)