Interesting topic with so many options…one surprising discovery I stumbled upon is …after I made my speaker towers I was having to move my speakers around into the room find the best positioning. Started using the felt furniture pads to slide them out on hardwood floors. Worked but to make it easier thought I would try 2” black vinyl castor wheels $30 on Amazon. They are great for pulling the towers into position and I was shocked how well they sounded. Sitting on the small tips of the vinyl wheels with brackets sure worked for me. Also, I use felt furniture pads under my wood AV cabinet which may be an added plus I never thought about it prior to this thread. On my components I use mostly iso springs which now I may try attaching wool felt to their support pads. Never know until you try…
Wool Felt Footers?
I am curious whether any of you have tried using thick wool felt as footers, or as a vibration damping layer under equipment. I view the material as performing a similar function as the Owens Corning 703/704 material that AV Room Services, Ltd. uses in their Equipment Vibration Protectors, or EVP footers (link).
According to AI:
"Yes, wool felt is an effective vibration damping material due to its unique structure and properties. It absorbs vibrations, reduces noise, and is suitable for various applications, including automotive and industrial uses.
Wool felt’s porous structure and the way its fibers interlock allow it to absorb and dissipate vibration energy, converting it into heat. The same properties that make it a good vibration damper also make it a good sound insulator. It can effectively reduce noise transmission..."
What I have tried so far is placing a one-inch thick layer of dense wool felt completely beneath the platforms that are supporting a heavy Aries Cerat Helene DAC (90+ lbs. including the brass damping discs on the top) . The one-inch thick felt is attached to and positioned directly beneath a Zoethecus Z-slab (constrained layer platform), which supports a Black Diamond Racing shelf (carbon fiber) on which the Helene DAC sits. Right now the footers supporting the DAC are platinum silicone hemispheres but I may try other options, including footers made from the one-inch thick felt.