Best Isolation Device for Speakers?

Rtn1, I also have suspended floor. I have tried both coupling and isolation. For my room, isolation is essential. When vibration from the speakers gets into the floor, a lot of terrible sounding grunge obscures the music. My existing rig sounds very nice, and the difference (compared to bare speakers sitting on floor) is astounding - the largest single improvement I have made to my system.

I started with points, then cones. I was astounded at the improvement these made (over no devices). I could still feel some vibration on the floor.

In effort to isolate further I tried sorbothane pads. Floor vibrated less, sound stage was deeper (than cones or points) background was a bit quieter. Down side is music was smeared somewhat and lacked "PRAT" and excitement.

Convinced that I needed a more linear device than sorbothane, I tried sash springs. Smearing was gone, but not soft enough to decouple - floor still vibrated.

Better that all of these as isolation device (which I have been using for about a year now) are bicycle inner tubes, partially inflated. These float the speaker off the floor, in a manner similar to turntable suspension.

My speakers are fairly heavy (about 100lb) and dead, so coupling is somewhat less important for me. If you need to couple (ground) your speakers *and* isolate them from the soft floor (two oposite concepts) you could try this: Use a heavy, stiff slab or platform (maple, granite, concrete, etc). Ground the speaker to the platform with cones (under speakers), then isolate the platform with innertubes or springs (under the platforms). Down side of innnertubes is you need to re-inflate them every few months, and some design consideration may be required to keep them from being "tippy."

Have fun experimenting, and tell us what worked for you...

Cheers,
Charlie

My theory. There are at least two issues to deal with. Draining vibration out of the speaker or isolating the speaker from the floor.

Each is helpful in it's own way. But which is better depends on everything in the system.

If a speaker is inert enough on it's own, then isolating the speaker is better. This is because there is a feedback loop that exists between the speaker and the rest of the system. Draining vibration into the floor will send more vibration into the equipment via the floor.

On the other hand eliminating cabinet vibration by draining it out may work better on a speaker that isn't very inert.

Both methods can and will make an improvement, but I've found that isolation nets a more musical presentation to the music.

Spikes drain away mostly low frequencies, so spikes on a suspended wooden floors may cause you to lose bass to the floor.

Cones and granite, especially BDR cones tend to reflect vibration back into the speaker. (I'm not saying the overall sound didn't improve with their use).

But the use of Aurios, Stillpoints, Darumas, Vibrapods, HAL Tenderfoots not only eliminated some cabinet vibration, but isolated the speaker from the floor.
The result was not only much more low level resolution, but the presentation and spacial cues sound more believable. BDR cones and other cones flatten the soundstage by comparison.

Putting Vibrapods on BDR "those things" or granite made the use of BDR and granite more musical.

(Caveat: I'm a Stillpoints & Daruma dealer, but utilize all the above mentioned products when appropriate)

I like the Symposium Roller something under my speaker. But, I got the BDR cones under them now since I only have one set of the Roller something.

First thing is, you can't "isolate" the speakers. The speakers are a strongly vibrating component, and they cannot be isolated from themselves, ever. If you think the cabinets are "dead", the driver baskets and cones are vibrating like mad anyway.

The ONLY way to deal with a situation like this is by a well engineered vibration drain system such as the Sistrum speaker platforms, or the Audiopoints. I have tried both, and the Sistrum platforms exceed the Audiopoints, in terms of performance. They should, because they are the next step up, and they cost more than the Audiopoints. But they are significantly better.

ANY soft type of material like rubber blocks or the like, will allow slight movement of the speaker in a fore/aft axis, thereby smearing attack and dynamics and coherence by doppler. They will also eliminate the path for vibrations to exit, and they are doomed to circulate and re-circulate in the speaker.

I have a suspended floor, and the Sistrum Platforms and Audiopoints have made a remarkable improvment in sound, especially in the speakers.

Another interesting benefit, is that you get another db or two efficiency out of your speakers, because they are operating in a more efficient mode, when the vibrations are properly removed from the motor. This is not a joke, or exaggeration. This is a real increase in speaker efficiency, and I have experienced it for myself.

I recently left the confines of working for a retailer that sold Thiel speakers..I know from experience the Thiel's will improve as much as any speaker I have ever tried either the Audiopoints or the Sistrum platforms on. It is because of the Thiel cabinet mass and density that the improvement will be so large..It is imperative to match the proper size Audiopoint to the respective Thiel product..Again because of their mass and the great amount of excess energy that these very dense cabinets do store..Sistrum Sp101 platforms are what I personally use under my still almost Dunlavy SCIV's..Tom